Advantages and disadvantages of a fixed window - making the right choice

Greetings, readers! Today I want to touch on the topic of blind plastic windows. Nowadays, almost no one installs fixed windows in apartments, because the apartment needs to be ventilated somehow.

Such windows are usually installed in country houses or offices in addition to windows with hinged sashes. But sometimes such windows can be found in balcony blocks, next to the door. Such a window is cheaper than an opening one, because... no fittings are used. Read more about fixed windows in the article!

Where to use blind plastic windows?

A blind window is a sash that does not open at all, that is, there is only a frame and glass. Although many find it inconvenient, it is very popular, with almost 90% of orders coming in using these parts.

The most common way to use it is on a balcony block, that is, on a window that is located next to the balcony door. Sometimes they make the whole thing like this, and sometimes only part of it, because in order to wash the glass you just need to go out onto the balcony, and at the same time you can save a couple of thousand rubles.

They are also often used for glazing balconies and loggias. It is quite expensive to make all parts of the window openable, so blind and rotary ones alternate, often one at a time.

Cottages and country houses rarely have a height of more than three floors; more often they are two-story buildings. Therefore, the use of such parts in them is very common and justified.

Requirements for a window unit

The main requirement for installing such a window product is that it cannot be used above the first floor . This is due to a violation of fire safety rules. A few more requirements for such structures:

• There should be no cracks, chips, scratches or other defects on the double-glazed windows.
• The window seal must not be compromised.

• 
  The sashes must have the correct shape, distortions are not allowed.

• Each design must have a passport.
• During installation, waterproofing and vapor barrier tapes must be used.
• There should be no cold bridges in the fastening points.
• The profile specified in the order must be used.
• Installation must take place at a temperature not lower than -18 degrees.

Attention! According to the requirements, all components for a solid structure must be tested for durability.

Advantages and disadvantages

Cost, this is mentioned above.

The blind sash can be any size, since no fittings are used and it does not need to be opened. Unlike opening ones, where the size is strictly limited by weight. Panoramic structures in showrooms and shops are often of enormous size. With this product you can give yourself a maximum view of the view.

Thermal insulation. There is no opening, which means there are no cracks, therefore, blowing from the street side is absolutely excluded here even with long-term use of the product. And the rotary ones require special care - at a minimum, wiping the seal and lubricating the fittings.

There is only one drawback - it is inconvenient to wash, especially for residents of multi-apartment high-rise buildings.

Source: okna-biz.ru/zamer-ustanovka-montazh/glukhie-plastikovye-okna-pvkh-preimushchestva-i-nedostatki/

Pros and cons of use

The main advantages include:

• Favorable cost of glazing: since fewer profiles are used, the price of the structure will be lower.
• Excellent tightness.
• Minimal heat loss.
• High light transmittance due to the minimum number of constituent elements.
• Maximum usable space on the windowsill.
• Possibility of glazing large window openings.
• Long service life due to the lack of fittings.

Important! The disadvantages include difficulties with cleaning double-glazed windows, difficulties with ventilating the room, as well as the inability to easily exit through the window product in the event of a fire.

Advantages of fixed plastic windows

1. Low price - hinged and sliding plastic windows are much more expensive.
2. The durability and reliability of the window is slightly greater. There is nothing to break in fixed plastic windows - there is no sash or fittings, the window is always in a fixed position, there is no load on the window structure when opening and closing the PVC window.
3. Thermal and noise insulation rates are higher. The possibility of cold air entering the room is completely excluded.
4. Increasing the light opening, i.e. It is possible to glaze a larger area.

What you need to do when changing sashes

When carrying out such an event, it is necessary to manufacture a new active leaf. It is this that is integrated into the opening in place of the blank one, from where the old double-glazed window is removed. The method of opening the updated window depends on what fittings were chosen. Currently, manufacturers offer two options:

• swing;
• tilt and turn.

Theoretically, when upgrading, you can use the removed old glass unit to use a new opening sash.
However, in practice, no one does this, since it is a labor-intensive and costly process, so customers are completely satisfied with the option of manufacturing a new double-glazed window. After all, they can not only avoid unnecessary complications, but also order an energy-efficient model with inert gas, which retains heat better and blocks out street noise. You can read more about such double-glazed windows in a special review on OknaTrade. Most often, clients decide to equip a new element of a window structure with tilt-and-turn fittings. This is the right choice, since in this case you can choose different ventilation modes. However, today another device has appeared that is recommended to be installed on windows with a tilt-and-turn opening system. We are talking about a micro-slit ventilation mechanism. This useful and very convenient device allows you to provide a constant flow of fresh air even in the autumn-winter period without the risk of cooling the rooms.

If the problems are only related to the inability to wash the windows, in some cases you can get by by replacing conventional double-glazed windows with self-cleaning ones. With these products, dirt is removed from external glass without human intervention.

Where would it be advisable to install Rehau fixed plastic windows?

1. In private houses, if you need to increase the light opening, for example, on terraces, verandas located at the ground floor level.
2. In shops (windows), cafes, restaurants, gyms, hotel lobbies, office and shopping centers. Most often, cleaning services are hired to clean windows installed in such premises, the costs of which are offset by the longer service life of this type of glazing.
3. If a blind PVC window is installed next to a balcony door opening onto a loggia or balcony.

Source: harvest.zp.ua/okna/gluhie-plastikovyie-okna-nedostatki-i-preimuschestva-ustanovki

How to ventilate a room with fixed glazing

Comfort when staying indoors is achieved by ensuring normal air exchange. Since the inability to open a window entails the inability to receive fresh air from outside, a serious disruption of the microclimate may occur. This problem applies only to those premises and buildings that are not equipped with recovery systems or forced ventilation.

In addition to normal ventilation, a special supply ventilation system, equipped with a valve that is installed in a window or mounted in a wall, can be responsible for air access. Before installing such a valve in order to reduce the cost of manufacturing a window, you should calculate whether the savings on the cost of a blind product will exceed the cost of the valve itself.

DIY fixed windows

Preparation for installation

1. They dismantle the old window frame, its window sill and plaster down to the brick. Important! If the old window frame is difficult to remove, then cut the frame a little with a saw and remove 2 small parts, and dismantle the rest.
2. If the fixed window (photo below) was delivered assembled, then using a knife, separate the glass unit from the frame and remove the plastic bead.

How to make a blind window: instructions

1. The glass unit has been removed. To continue the installation of a fixed PVC window, the frame is inserted into the window opening and secured with self-tapping screws into pre-drilled holes. Their number is equal to the dimensions of the frame and is usually indicated by the manufacturer.
2. Set the horizontal line using a building level, placing it on the bottom of the frame.
3. Screw in 2 screws in the middle of the frame, but not all the way.
4. Tighten the remaining screws along the sides of the frame, reliably installing blind plastic windows, connecting them to the wall.
5. Align the window vertically and tighten the screws “tightly”.
6. Carefully fill the space between the opening and the frame using polyurethane foam.
7. Install the double-glazed window and hammer the plastic bead back in.
8. The blind window installation is complete. Installation of ebb and window sill is carried out.

Characteristics

Important characteristics of non-opening structures include:

• 
  products can be made separate and single;

• do not have an opening mechanism;
• single-chamber or double-chamber double-glazed windows are recommended for insertion;
• the average profile width is 70 mm, the outer wall is 2.7 mm;
• service life depends on the material, but not less than 40 years.

The dimensions of fixed windows are standardized by GOST. Standard sizes :

1. 500mm × 500mm;
2. 600 mm ×1300 mm;
3. 1300 mm ×1300 mm;
4. 2100 mm ×1300 mm;
5. 1600 mm ×2100 mm.

The maximum height of the product is 2750 mm, width 1770 mm.

When the height is from 1160 mm to 2060 mm, the permissible width is 2670 mm.

The minimum size is 330 mm x 450 mm.

Replacing a blind double-glazed window with a sash

By the way, you can make an opening window out of a blind window. There are two methods: replace the entire window or cut the sash into the existing window. Let's take a closer look at method 2, since the first - replacing with a new window - is described above.

The work of replacing a solid double-glazed window with a sash will take approximately 1 hour. They cut the sash into an “old” blind window using similar materials and tools as in factories for the production of PVC windows. This method is cheaper than the first - installing a new window.

Source: oknanagoda.com

Average prices

The price depends on the size of the product, shape, frame material, type of insert - double-glazed window or sandwich panel, area of ​​the double-glazed window and its characteristics.

Standard prices:

• single-leaf product 900x2100 - 3600 rubles;
• double-leaf 1500x1500 - 5800 rubles;
• three-leaf 1500x2250 - 7800 rubles.

If instead of glass there is a sandwich panel, then the price will be lower.

The task of “blind” wooden windows

The main feature of “fixed” windows is that they do not open, therefore, the room cannot be ventilated.
However, such designs are popular; they are installed in rooms with several windows, when at least one of them opens. They are also installed on staircases in private homes. When choosing such structures, it is worth remembering that solid wooden windows have the property of absorbing and releasing moisture and are “conductors” between the street and the house. Thus, in the room, despite the impossibility of ventilation, a pleasant microclimate will still be formed.

Of course, such windows are completely sealed, since the absence of opening sashes minimizes the appearance of gaps between the frame and moving parts. This significantly increases the level of thermal insulation and sound insulation.

A fixed window lets in more sunlight compared to a structure with opening sashes. For such windows, different double-glazed windows are used: double-chamber with three layers of glass, or single-chamber with two layers of glass. The frame itself comes in different thicknesses - from 68 mm to 93 mm. The choice of frame thickness and number of glasses depends on the climate and the importance of heat conservation.

To increase the attractiveness of such a window, various decorative elements and different design methods are used. For example, the glass for a double-glazed window can be taken not from ordinary transparent glass, but from tinted, mirror, stained glass, satin, and so on. The choice is quite extensive. In addition, you can use decorative elements that are mounted on glass, for example fusing or sprockets. They will make the window very attractive and create a special atmosphere in the room.

On sale you can find:

• wooden fixed roof windows
• blind windows for dressing rooms, hallways, and other rooms that do not require regular ventilation
• wooden blind windows to the balcony. Balconies and loggias are most often fully glazed, but for ventilation one, or maximum two, opening windows are sufficient. Everything else is filled with blind windows, providing maximum illumination during daylight hours, and at the same time significantly reducing the cost of glazing the room
• blind windows in living spaces, for example, large living rooms, dining rooms or fireplace rooms. Large premises need a large number of windows, not only in terms of lighting, but also according to the rules of harmonious interior design. Similar to balconies, in such rooms two or three opening models are enough.

Advantages:

• environmental friendliness
• safety for humans
• high thermal insulation characteristics achieved by the low thermal conductivity coefficient of the material
• vapor permeability
• high levels of noise insulation
• attractive appearance
• aesthetics
• possibility of easy integration into the style of any interior or architectural form
• long period of operation.
• unpretentious care
• long service life.

Insert options

In the production of blind plastic window products, not only double-glazed windows are used, but also plastic inserts. It is recommended to take a closer look at the different insert options.

Plastic

A plastic insert into a blind window is called a sandwich panel. It is often used on balcony doors at the bottom to visually divide the structure. Often such a panel is used for a blind window without a double-glazed window.

There are such design features:

• Protecting the room from views from the outside, especially if the room is on the ground floor.
• Relevant for bathrooms whose windows border other rooms.
• Can be used for further ventilation outlet.
• This panel has good thermal insulation - 0.8 m2/kW.

But there is also a minus - the sandwich panel does not have sufficient sound insulation , which is why it is not recommended to insert it into the structure in places where there is a high noise level. Sometimes, as an alternative, a combination of double-glazed glass on one side and a panel on the other is used.

Double-glazed window

Double-glazed glass insert is the most common option. These are not only high energy-saving indicators, but also an attractive appearance.

Several advantages:

• tightness;
• good noise absorption;
• different glass thicknesses ensure good thermal conductivity;
• ease of care.

This design will cost a little more than a sandwich panel and this will be its only disadvantage.

Window measurements

Installation of a fixed window begins with measurements of the future window.
If you order a window from a professional company, then an employee will come to your home and do everything himself. However, if you have information on how to do this correctly, you can do all the work yourself. When taking measurements, remember that the window block must be 10-20 mm smaller around the perimeter than the opening. These gaps are needed to compensate for unevenness and to lay insulation and sealant during the seam process. At the bottom of the opening, you also need to take into account the width of the window sill, to which you need to add the same 10-20 mm.

To measure the width and height of the opening, to obtain more accurate parameters, you need at least

in three places: along the edges and in the middle. Sometimes it is worth additionally measuring the diagonal dimensions. If the slopes are covered with a layer of plaster, it is better to remove it, since under the layer of plaster it is quite problematic to calculate the width of the opening.

If the window is to be inserted into the opening with a quarter, then you need to take into account that the protrusion must overlap the frame by 10-15 mm along the entire perimeter from the outside of the window. Installing fixed windows yourself is easier than opening models. Dismantling the old window unit must be done very carefully to avoid damage to the opening, from which construction debris and dirt must then be removed.

Now you can begin installing the frame of the new window. When installing a window frame, follow these rules:

• do not allow the opening to be used to form the lintel of the wall, since in this case the frame is rigidly fixed and “bricked up”. As a result, the ability to normally perform their functions is minimized
• the absence of technological gaps between the window and the opening will cause an increase in the load on the structure
• An important point is the correct determination of the installation depth of the window unit in the opening. Please note that the width of the external slope must be more than 10 cm, and the internal slope - more than 17 cm
• The installation depth should be commensurate with the thickness of the frame.

If all the rules are fully followed, the dew point will be between the glasses, and, naturally, condensation will not form on the inner surface of the glasses.

Interestingly, the thickness of the frame in centimeters should be equal to the average sub-zero temperature of your climatic region.

You should not install windows with a long frame and a thin frame, since such a window design will only play a decorative function.

Briefly about structures without the possibility of opening

Design Features

First, let's define the terms. A blind window is a window that has no opening parts, i.e. doors Such products are installed solely to provide natural light: they transmit light, but air and heat do not.

Sometimes only part of the window is blind; this is done either to save money or to minimize the load on the hinges of the fittings. Installing large-sized sashes leads to a significant increase in wear on the hinges, so by reducing the dimensions and weight of the moving part by approximately half, we will significantly increase the service life of the entire product.

On the drawings, doors that cannot be opened are marked with a cross.

The design of a blind window is quite simple:

1. It is based on a frame made of PVC profile with reinforcement. The frame is responsible for maintaining the shape of the window and for securely fixing the product in the window opening. On the outer part of the frame there is a so-called overlay - a protrusion with an integrated seal, against which the installed double-glazed window is pressed.
2. The double-glazed window is placed directly in the frame - a special platform is provided for its installation on the inner surface of the frame profile. As a rule, glazing is not installed on the frame itself, but on special linings that protect the glass from chipping and ensure uniform distribution of the weight of the glass unit.
3. An additional decoration for a blind structure can be sprockets - decorative weaves inside a double-glazed window. They visually divide the window area into several fragments, so the glazed structure looks more neat.

Photo of the decorative binding inside the double-glazed window

1. To fix the glass unit, glazing beads are used - special profiles, on one side of which there is a latch that allows them to be rigidly fixed in the glazing bead groove of the frame profile, and on the other - a built-in seal made of elastic PVC or other polymer.
2. Since double-glazed windows of different thicknesses (24, 32, 48 mm and more) can be used to produce fixed windows, the manufacturer usually produces several different glazing beads for one standard size of frame profile. The bead is selected in such a way that it securely fixes the glass unit, but does not put too much pressure on it - this can cause destruction of the inner glass.

Glazing beads that allow you to install double-glazed windows of different thicknesses in the same frame

As you can see, compared to an opening structure, a blind one is very simple: it has no moving parts, which imposes certain restrictions on functionality. We will talk about the advantages and disadvantages of such windows in the next section.

Advantages and disadvantages

Very often, when designing complex glazing of an object - a house or apartment - I am faced with a lack of understanding of the main advantages and disadvantages of fixed glazing. And although the likelihood that my future customers will read this section is low (although - who knows?), below I will talk about the pros and cons that will allow you to make an informed choice.

The design is simple and therefore cheap

The advantages of fixed glazing are:

1. Price. The absence of a sash profile and fittings reduces the cost of the design by about 40%, compared to the cost of an opening window with the same dimensions. That is why, trying to save money, many install fixed windows wherever possible.

Moreover, if there are no fittings, then there is nothing to break - accordingly, repair costs will also be reduced to zero. Replacing a window may only be necessary if it is completely damaged, and in most cases it is enough to simply install a new double-glazed window to replace the broken/cracked one.

1. High tightness. If you need to ensure the most effective heat conservation, then you should abandon products with sashes and give preference to continuous glazing. The clamping of a double-glazed window with a glazing bead will always be tighter than the clamping of the frame with fittings, so the likelihood of a draft occurring when installing a fixed window is minimized.
2. Less impact of size restrictions. If the dimensions of the sash are limited by the maximum permissible dimensions of the fittings and the load on the hinges, then a blind window can be made very large - as long as it can withstand the double-glazed window.
3. The same applies to indoor space. To install an opening structure, you need space for the sash, while the frame with an installed fixed glass unit takes up space exclusively in the window opening.

With a large glazing area, most structures are made without the possibility of opening

1. The absence of a sash profile, in addition to reducing the cost of the design, also provides better lighting: the size of the opening visually increases, so we will spend less electricity.

The disadvantages of a blind plastic window are also quite obvious:

1. The design does not perform a ventilation function. Yes, some air movement occurs through the mounting seam, but for normal air exchange, a special valve will have to be built into the upper part of the frame.
2. A large double-glazed window is more vulnerable, because screen windows (windowmakers often call them “aquariums”) break much more often than small double-glazed windows in casements. You can combat this by installing armor film, tempered glass or triplex, but all this leads to additional costs for glazing.

Large-area structures are easier to break, so you will have to take protective measures - or regularly change double-glazed windows

1. Finally, the question often arises of how to wash the outside of the glass unit and frame. And if in private houses this problem is solved without any problems, then to clean a window in an apartment located above the second floor, you will have to involve specialists with climbing equipment. Which, as you yourself remember, is not cheap.

If you, when deciding how to wash a double-glazed window from the street, want to try to get it by leaning out of a nearby window, please refrain from this idea. There are countless cases of falling from a great height while trying to wash windows without insurance - and they are told not only by traumatologists, but also by pathologists.

It's good if one of the doors opens. And if not?

Where to put it and where not to?

Concluding the topic, let's pay attention to the question of where to install fixed windows and where not to:

1. Non-opening elements can be made in complex structures: for example, a standard window usually contains one sash and one blind part, separated by a vertical partition - an impost.

On the left – a part without the possibility of opening (i.e. without a sash and fittings)

1. In the same way, the blind part can have a window with a transom: on top we place a sash that opens in a horizontal plane, on the bottom there is a double-glazed window separated from the sash by a horizontal impost.
2. Traditionally, a large window without a sash is mounted next to the balcony door - it provides the best possible view and lighting.

One part of the balcony block is traditionally made blank

1. Structures without opening parts are often used to glaze the side parts of the balcony, as well as sections of the loggia adjacent to the opening doors.
2. Blind dormer windows installed in the roof slope are used for lighting. It is advisable to install opening structures together with them, which will ensure ventilation of the room under the roof slopes.

When installing roof windows, you should be very careful about sealing the installation seam, since rainwater is very likely to flow in this area due to the inclined placement of the frame and glass unit.

The window in the roof slope must be perfectly sealed!

As for residential premises, it is not worth installing fixed windows in them as separate structures: after all, the lack of air exchange does not contribute to the formation of a favorable microclimate.

Installing a window with dowels

Many people are interested in the question of how to make a blind window with dowels? We'll talk about this further. Installation on dowels has an advantage over the anchor method. It lies in the fact that the box will not be subjected to any mechanical actions, which means that it is not afraid of distortions, twisting or displacement.

Even an inexperienced home craftsman can install a window using this method. The work is performed in the following order:

• preparing the opening (we wrote about it above)
• frame location
• applying sealant to which the seal is applied at the bottom of the opening
• installation of the box and wedging using wedges. Before doing this, you should dismantle the double-glazed windows.
• Using a building level, you need to align the box in relation to the width and height of the opening; bars and wedges will help you with this
• Now you can attach the frame to the opening using dowels. First of all, you need to drill the holes into which the dowels are inserted and tighten the screws
• After this, you can insert the removed double-glazed windows.

The next stage of work is thermal insulation work. They are made using polyurethane foam. The foam is applied in several steps, in an even layer. Do not overdo it with foam application, remember that it increases in size.

The gap is closed with a special compensation tape, which acts as protection against temperature changes.

The last step is the installation of the window sill, which begins with cutting off excess pieces of hardened foam and applying cement mortar.

Installing a window using blocks

If you choose this method, you should first purchase mounting blocks with a height of 50 mm. Untreated pads should absolutely not be used; they must be soaked in an antiseptic solution.

The pads are mounted on the waterproofing layer of the opening in a horizontal position and parallel to the outer edge of the wall. A window frame without a double-glazed window is placed on blocks and leveled using a level. Next, the box is wedged with bars. All the following steps are similar to installing a window on dowels.

Note that before choosing this installation method, you need to familiarize yourself with the fact that there are many different positions for installing them in the opening. Certain positions of the pads can correspond to strictly defined window designs.

Installing a window on plates

Sometimes on sale you can find window blocks with mounting plates already installed on them. They guarantee reliable and durable fixation of the window frame in the opening.

The plates are attached to both sides of the frame so that during the installation of the window they “look” towards the room. In the case when the window has a height of more than 1500 mm, you will have to install an additional plate on each side of the frame.

The plates are attached to the opening with self-tapping screws. The installation procedure is similar to the previous methods. The installation process itself is similar to the previous methods.

Source: wood-prom.ru/clauses/dom-i-stroyka/glukhoe-okno