Chapter E4 – Installs Exterior Windows

Instruction Sheet 14.04.1– Installs Exterior Windows

Key Competencies

The NOA for Carpenter (2013) identifies the required competencies (skills) for the task of installing exterior windows. These are:

1. Select and use tools and equipment such as levels, tape measures, hammers and cordless drills
2. Assess and adjust rough openings for existing conditions such as out-of-square, out-of-level and wrong size or location
3. Ensure adjacent jambs or frames are aligned with each other and other units
4. Place and secure window in rough opening using shims and fasteners to level and plumb
5. Verify proper operation such as latching, spacing and alignment
6. Install membrane and flashing at top and membrane around casing (NOA, p. 57).

Window frames are constructed from wood, vinyl, prefinished aluminum, fiberglass, or composite materials. Windows are classified by their method of operation into three main types and have variations within each one.

Window Types

1. Fixed – picture, fixed, horizontal
2. Sliding – horizontal or vertical
3. Swinging – awning, casement, hopper, Jalousie

Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Window_Types_United_States.png

Window types may be grouped into different configurations and shapes. On a blueprint, windows are identified by type on the window schedule for easy reference.

1. Bay Windows
2. Bow Windows
3. Garden Windows
4. Quarter- Round Windows
5. Half-Round Windows
6. Full Round Windows
7. Octagon Windows
8. Arch Windows
9. Extended Chord Windows
10. Rake Head Windows
11. Transom Windows

Passive solar window design can improve the solar heat gain coefficient and improve the comfort and operational costs of a building. Heat can be gained or lost through conduction, radiation or air leakage. Windows may be glazed or filled with inert gases for added energy efficiency.

Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Solar_Heat_Gain_V2.png

Proper window installation will protect the home from mold and rot due to moisture. Installation will vary by type of window and manufacturer’s recommendations. However, the sequence of installation should prevent water infiltration and shed water away from the opening using the “shingling” effect.

For additional information and terminology please review:

• Carpentry, Chapter 58 “Window Terms and Types” and Chapter 59 “Window Installation”
• Principles and Practices of Commercial Construction, study the section called “Windows”
• Canadian Wood Frame House Construction, study the section titled, “Windows and Doors”
• National Building Code of Canada, study section 9.7 sub-section 3.7.2, “Windows,” and section 9.32, “Ventilation”

For more details on this, review Brightspace Instruction Sheets:

EXFN 201/221 Exterior Windows and Doors (2017):

Review Questions

1. The three main types of windows are:
2. What is the difference between a fixed window and a picture window?
3. What are two types of sliding windows?
4. Name three types of “swinging” windows
5. On an elevation view of a window, the dashed lines that meet in V point to what?
6. What is the difference between a bay and a bow window?
7. Where are half-round and half-ellipse style windows used?
8. What is a rake-head window?
9. What are muntins?
10. Name four types of glazing available for windows.

11. Identify the parts of the double hung window shown below by inserting the appropriate letter from the list

12. Identify the parts of the fixed window shown below:

13. What are two methods that can be used to hold the glass unit in place?
14. Explain the use of setting blocks under the glazing.
15. Select the letter beside the window type and place it beside the corresponding definition.

1. ___ Consists of an upper and lower sash that slides                            A) Hopper
2. ___ Used mainly for light and aesthetics                                              B) Double-hung
3. ___ Open with the use of a side mechanism                                        C) Awning

to allow the window to open outwards                                                         D) Casement

4. ___ Window that is hinged on the top and opens outward               E) Jalousie
5. ___ One sash slides past another sash sideways                                   F) Stationary
6. ___ A series of glass or metal slats that can be                                      G) Horizontal sliding

opened or closed as desired

7. ___ A window that is hinged on the bottom and opens most often to the interior

16. If there is no bedroom door directly to the outside, at least one window must be openable from the inside without the use of _____, _____, or _____.
17. What is the minimum obstructed opening required for a bedroom window?
18. If the rough opening size for a window isn’t given on the construction documents, where can you find the size of the R.O.?
19. The minimum area of a window in a bedroom which opens for ventilation is _____.
20. Where a bedroom window opens into a window well, a clearance of not less than _____ mm shall be provided in front of the window in the window well.
21. Bathrooms within a dwelling unit require a minimum unobstructed window area of _____ m² for natural ventilation.
22. A bathroom in a dwelling unit that does not have a window for natural ventilation shall require mechanical ventilation with an air exchange rate of _____.
23. A bedroom that is 380 mm wide must be at least _____ mm high to provide a minimum opening width of _____ m².