Kitchen Window Replacement Decisions
If you have begun thinking about a window replacement project for your home, you may have noticed that making decisions about window styles and placement for your kitchen is a particularly troublesome task. The need for ventilation coupled with unconventional room sizes and the presence of countertops and appliances amounts to a tricky planning challenge. This week, we offer you our best tips for making smart choices about your kitchen window replacement.
Kitchen Window Replacement: Considering the Factors
How Easy Will It Be To Operate My New Windows?
There are many factors to keep in mind as you plan for new kitchen windows, but perhaps the most important consideration that will impact your daily life is the ease of use. Because windows are so often located in hard-to-reach places like above the kitchen sink, you’ll want to make sure that you discuss all of your options with your contractor and choose the window style that is right for you. For particularly small or hard-to-reach areas, casement windows, which swing open from the side via a crank, might be useful. Windows that slide open horizontally are also a fantastic option for tight areas. It might be helpful to lean over your sink and see how far you can reach—particularly for the vertically challenged!
How Can I Maximize Ventilation?
Beyond ease of use, you’ll want to consider how to best ventilate your space. Cooking introduces a lot of hot, moist air into a room that is generally pretty small, to begin with, leading to overheating and uneven heating and cooling throughout your home. Consider both size and style when shopping for windows that provide good ventilation. Double-hung windows provide you with different options for ventilation, depending on whether you want to let cool air in through the lower portion or vent hot air out through the top. Sliding windows, in addition to their ease of use, provide a great deal of ventilation for your kitchen. If you are working with a large space, you can even consider adding a sliding glass door off of your kitchen to introduce additional opportunities for air circulation.
How Can I Bring the Outdoors In?
Kitchen window replacement projects present the perfect opportunity to introduce more light and views of nature into your kitchen space. A garden window is a lovely way to achieve this goal. As the folks over at Angie’s List explain, “To put it simply, a garden window is like a bay window, except it is smaller and is usually located above the kitchen sink. The three-dimensional windows protrude out about 18 inches and create a little nook for herb gardens, flowers, and anything else you want to showcase.”
But perhaps you have a brown thumb, or a garden window wouldn’t match your more modern or sleek style. Consider what areas of your kitchen might benefit from the largest windows, and talk with your contractor to plan accordingly. Sliding windows are particularly effective for letting the light in, but a set or series of double- or single-hung windows can work just as well. Picture windows are optimal for increasing views of the great outdoors, but unfortunately, they do not provide the ventilation kitchens require, so they would only be a good choice if you already have air circulation handled with other windows.
Advance Inc. would love to talk more about our tips and provide you with more advice on your kitchen window replacement options. Let us know how we can help!