Panoramic windows in the house - honest experience of the owners

Home/Home/

March 29, 2020

The dream of luxury is a floor-to-ceiling window in your own house outside the city. It’s so beautiful when light fills the house, and an entire wall in the living room or bedroom is completely made of glass. What are the feelings of those who have tried it, what can ordinary people expect from panoramic glazing?

Thinking theoretically or watching foreign films is one thing; real reviews from experienced residents often do not coincide with hopes. What awaits those who dare?

1. Calls to the cleaning service, a window cleaning brush on a long handle and a stepladder. This huge glass surface must be kept spotlessly clean; the slightest dirt becomes noticeable from the inside and outside. Cleaning it is much more difficult than a standard window, especially one divided into frames. Professional help is needed like the proverbial air. According to the owners' reviews, she spends her entire vacation outside the city enthusiastically washing them, and there is no end to the process. You can, of course, invite professional cleaning; there are many willing. But the cost of this service is considerable, and besides, you don’t always want to communicate with strangers during your vacation.

2. Installation costs will be too high. Saving may result in the window not closing. You will have to choose high-quality models with sliding or folding ones. By the way, the snow outside will also have to be cleared constantly, otherwise the runners will become clogged with crystals and freeze. They can only be moved if damaged.

3. There is a need for heated floors throughout the house. Convectors will also be needed so that the air does not stagnate. The larger the windows, the higher the heat loss; panoramic glazing essentially heats the area around the house. In addition, it would be strange to place a simple radiator next to such an effective design solution: household appliances negate the entire effect.

Therefore, you will have to think about two options: Either a convector built under the floor. It will cut off the flow of cold air from the glass wall, and forced circulation will distribute it in the areas of the room necessary for the owner. Or warm floor. Cold air flows along the bottom of the windows cool the floor, even if the convector is turned on. It is better to heat strategic zones additionally by installing heated floors.

Another need is a huge washing machine. After all, giant windows require giant curtains, otherwise there will be no escape from the sun in summer. Curtains require washing, no matter how you look at them, because windows take up at least four-fifths of the wall. Tens of square meters of fabric will not fit in a regular washing machine, but taking them to the dry cleaner from the dacha even sounds strange. You will have to wash each curtain yourself, or separately, or the entire set in a new washing machine.

Beauty, of course, costs a lot, and living in a beautiful, cozy home is worth it. The house becomes brighter, warm floors create coziness. The main thing is that all this pleases you and is constantly maintained in good condition.

According to user reviews, panoramic windows are not at all intimidating, this is what is most often written in the comments:

If you don’t put the housework on one person, two people can clean all the windows in less than an hour. Everything is for sale, convenient tools are available, the main thing is to find a break between the sofa and the kitchen!
very beautiful windows, but heating bills are rising significantly, a good incentive to find additional income;
The floor along the window can be lined with flower pots so that there is no temptation to walk in the cold. And plants without radiators winter well and bloom early in the spring.

So, European beauty and modern solutions are almost on the doorstep; the main thing is to come up with the home of your dreams and allow yourself to live in it.

Comments (12)

Gulnara 05/26/2020 at 21:40
Panoramic window on the 8th floor. Beauty, you can see half the city. But! We live in Crimea. The window faces southeast. Sun in summer from 5 am to 1 pm. There is a natural greenhouse in the room. In winter it’s warm, the same greenhouse. Often in winter it is not clear what the temperature is outside. It seems warm, sunny, but when you go out it’s cold, at least come back and change clothes. I had to hang the thermometer on the north side. I don’t know how it is in the middle zone, but in the south it is better to make panoramic windows facing northwest.

Pavel 05/18/2020 at 15:57

In the Moscow region we have a house made of timber with full-wall windows facing the south side - in winter, it’s -20-30 outside and the sun is shining - we turn off all the heating in the house and wear T-shirts - because the sun heats up the whole house for a long time.

Peter 05/08/2020 at 22:13

It seems that the author himself has no real experience in using panoramic settlement and does not know how the problems he describes are solved. Another one in the series, what I see is what I sing!

Igor 04/27/2020 at 11:58

We wash such windows with a car wash (Herscher) in 10 minutes - all windows, the pressure reaches the second floor, there are extension nozzles,

Alexander 04/26/2020 at 18:12

A set of layman's misconceptions. Modern double-glazed windows sometimes have a thermal conductivity lower than a half-meter brick wall. What kind of in-floor convectors are we talking about? And to prevent the air from stagnating, ventilation solutions are installed during construction, be they natural or forced. In terms of cost, again, a square meter of warm glazing is almost comparable to the price of a square meter of a wall with insulation, vapor barrier, and decorative finishing inside and out.

Andrew 04/25/2020 at 22:30

No problem. 56 meters of panoramic windows in the house - one wall is completely transparent. We can handle it ourselves, heated floors. The view is like in the picture - forest and lake.

Maxim 04/25/2020 at 17:01

For cold and humid climates, there has long been a solution; these are heating windows, which will allow you to eliminate the mandatory installation of complex heating systems in your home and reduce heat loss. If interested write

Julia 04/22/2020 at 18:06

Terem has very cool cottages with panoramic windows. Project Emperor is my dream! If the heating in the house is properly organized, there should be no problems due to such windows

Gsajh 04/22/2020 at 09:36

The glass is thermally protective, and there are robots for washing, since the monsieur did not have enough money to pay for the services of service personnel.

Olga 04/05/2020 at 12:26

Very beautiful, I would like it, but... All of the above played a role. My friend in Sochi has windows like this in her house. But this is Sochi. Curtains (8 meters) cannot be washed. It's easier to throw it away and hang new ones.

Gennady 04/02/2020 at 18:28

Exactly the same with a heat pump for underfloor heating!!! Yes, forget when everything will pay off!!! It's important to get it NOW! And no one will ever save money to keep his house warm!!!

Gennady 04/02/2020 at 18:24

Only an idiot can compare instant savings - they will never buy in 100 years! It's about instant savings when the sun starts to warm the house!

Add a comment

When is it advisable to use panoramic glazing?

Considering that the very name of this type of glazing implies the presence of a beautiful panorama outside the window, the answer is more than obvious. In France, such windows certainly opened up a view of a winter garden, a beautiful park or cozy square, a beautifully landscaped courtyard or other green area. The idea was to create a feeling of unity with nature. Agree, in busy modern life it is very rare to find time for a leisurely walk in the park or just down the street. We are constantly in a hurry somewhere - to work, shopping, back home, so that we can quickly finish our household chores and finally lie down.

Therefore, the desire to equip large windows must be supported
by the presence of a beautiful landscape behind them.

This is a good solution in so-called “view” apartments. Usually they are located on the upper floors of multi-storey buildings, from the windows of which there is a view of the river, forest belt or simply the city. Most often these are houses in new areas that are just developing. If so, you may be in for some surprises. Let's say that now you are more than satisfied with the view from your windows. But if the area is still being built up, there is a chance that soon the same high-rise building will rise in front of your windows and completely block the attractive panorama. To prevent this from happening, you can try to get a plan of the area from the developer and carefully study it.
The opposite situation is also possible - when from your windows you see an old abandoned building. Such a landscape is undoubtedly annoying and causes a feeling of despondency. However, it is possible that a project has already been developed to demolish this building and organize a park area or a beautiful alley. Such moments are also worth taking an interest in.
The floor also plays an important role. Remember that not only does a vast panorama open in front of you, but also what is happening inside your apartment is clearly visible from the street. This is especially true for residents of lower floors. Plus, the view outside the window in most cases will be unremarkable. Then does it make sense to spend money on a panoramic window if you have to constantly curtain it with thick curtains?

As you can see, in order to fully enjoy your decision to install panoramic glazing, it is necessary that your house has a good location, and the number of floors allows you not to be hidden from the annoying glances of random passers-by.

Vertical radiators: advantages and disadvantages

The modern market offers designer options and simpler tubular models. Radiators are mounted on the floor or wall directly next to the windows.

Advantages:

They fit easily into the interior, there is a wide selection of models.
They are a budget option, since they do not require large expenses for the preparation of project documentation and are relatively easy to install.
High level of heat transfer, with relatively small dimensions.
Such radiators can be the main or auxiliary heat source.

Flaws:

If the panoramic glazing is large, vertical convectors alone will not be enough. Additional heating is required, for example, heated floors.
They occupy part of the wall; it is advisable not to occupy the space in front of them with furniture and other interior elements that impede free heat exchange.
The price, although lower than the previous option, is higher than that of floor-standing ones.
If a window occupies more than one wall, it is quite difficult to calculate the optimal number and location of radiators.

We recommend the product

Electric heated floor Devi DEVIMat 200T 3.1m2 (83020740) 1 review

In stock

Panoramic windows can be radius, corner and straight. The choice of installation location for heating devices and the choice of models depend on the type of glazing. Calculation and design for corner and radius may require knowledge. We recommend contacting professionals. This will avoid mistakes and you won’t have to redo the system after the repair is completed.

What curtains to buy for panoramic windows?

The main rule when choosing curtains for panoramic windows is that they should not distract attention from the window itself. This means that heavy curtains with all kinds of lambrequins and other delights will not work. In this case, the simpler the better. Of course, curtains should be in harmony with the color scheme of the room and its style, but in essence they simply must fulfill their main task - to create an intimate atmosphere.

It is worth giving preference to light organza curtains. Many people advise using Chinese curtains or vertical fabric roller blinds, but no one warns that when installing the window in the ventilation position, they will create unpleasant noise and move along the window. In this case, special fastenings will not really save the situation. without curtains altogether by choosing a tinted double-glazed window or double-glazed window with a special reflective coating. The latest innovation is a window with a special coating, which allows you to adjust the degree of darkening using a remote control.

Which window opening method should I choose?

The most common is tilt-and-turn fittings. Allows you to install the glass in the ventilation position;
Folding like an accordion is not the best option for use in an apartment. When opened, the opening almost completely opens, moving the doors to the side. In this case, significant heat losses are observed;
The rotary-sliding system also allows you to set the glass to ventilation mode, provides high levels of tightness and thermal insulation. However, sealing materials wear out very quickly;
Lifting and sliding fittings provide high levels of noise insulation, tightness and minimal heat loss. It has a high cost.

When installing a double-glazed window over hinged or folding sections, it is necessary to install a protective fence in the form of a rod on the frame. Its height should not be less than 1 meter.

What documents will need to be prepared?

You will need to submit to the authorities to obtain permission, development and approval of the project:

Written permission from the owner or operator of the building giving approval for the installation. If the house is not a typical building, is of historical value, or is located in a significant area, you may additionally be referred to an architect or an authorized architectural organization;
With the received permit, you should send it to a specialized and necessarily licensed design organization. Its representative must draw up a technical permit on the possibility of redevelopment, develop a window design and conclude an agreement with you on technical supervision of the work;

Once you have the design and technical documentation in your hands, you must attach the following documents:

Technical passport for a residential property (BTI passport for an apartment);
Permission from the Ministry of Emergency Situations;
Permission from Rospotrebnadzor;
Permission from the historical authority for non-standard houses, if necessary;
Certificate of ownership notarized;
Unified housing document.

All these papers, along with your application, must be submitted to the interdepartmental municipal commission for consideration. And if, after you have received all this pile of papers, you still want to install a panoramic window in your apartment, then at this stage the fun begins. You have to wait for the commission's decision. At the same time, the deadlines allotted for consideration significantly exceed the validity periods of some of the submitted documents. And if at the moment when your papers finally fall into the hands of the official, something is already overdue, all your efforts will be turned back. Therefore, we advise you to immediately contact a company that will draw up and obtain permission for the project. Or look for an apartment in a new building, where the developer immediately installs panoramic windows.

Low radiators: pros and cons

Low ones are batteries with a height of 13 to 30 centimeters and a width of 10-15 centimeters. The catalogs of many manufacturers present models with legs and those installed on the floor, differing in materials and colors, heat dissipation and other details.

The advantages of choosing are:

Affordable price. The radiators themselves are cheaper than previous options, and their installation costs are lower.
Easy installation and maintenance. Possible connections from below, diagonally, from the sides, saddle-shaped.
Large selection of models.

Disadvantages of choice:

Close the approach to the glass, blocking the lower part.
Reduce floor area.
Cheap radiator options do not always have a stylish look and are not suitable for all interiors.
For high heat transfer, you have to choose wide models, which is not always easy to achieve in the interior.

Low radiators can be of several types. Aluminum - the most economical option, but inferior in external characteristics. For such models, the bottom connection is not available. The second option is steel batteries, they are more expensive. A number of designers have developed entire lines that differ in width and height, heat dissipation and connection methods. It is possible to choose the power. Wider range of connectivity options.

We recommend the product

Heating radiator Kermi Therm x2 FTV 22 900×400

Not available