AskRandyLearning Centre

68 terms shown

Air leakage rating

A measure of how much air passes through a closed window or door under test conditions. Lower air leakage generally means fewer drafts.

Air sealing

Sealing gaps around a window or door to reduce uncontrolled air leakage between the interior and exterior.

Argon

An inert gas commonly placed between panes in a sealed glass unit to improve insulating performance.

Astragal

The vertical member where a pair of doors meet. It may contain weatherstripping, bolts or hardware that helps seal and secure the doors.

Awning window

A window hinged at the top that opens outward from the bottom.

Backer rod

A flexible foam material placed in a joint before sealant to control sealant depth and help create a durable joint.

Bay window

A projecting window made from three sections, commonly a larger centre window with angled side windows.

Bow window

A projecting window made from four or more sections arranged in a gentle curve.

Brickmould

Exterior trim around a window or door frame that helps cover the joint between the unit and the wall finish.

Cam lock

A rotating window lock that pulls the sash together or against the frame when engaged.

Casement window

A window hinged at the side that opens outward, usually operated with a crank.

Casing

Interior trim used to finish the joint between a window or door frame and the wall.

Cladding

A protective exterior finish, often aluminum, installed over exposed trim or framing.

Condensation resistance

A rating that compares how well products resist interior surface condensation under standardized conditions. Higher ratings generally indicate better resistance.

Deadbolt

A lock with a solid bolt that extends into the door jamb. Confirm whether the door is prepared for a single deadbolt, multipoint system or another lock.

Design pressure (DP)

A performance value related to structural wind pressure. It should be considered with the complete product rating rather than used as the only measure of quality.

Double glazed

A sealed glass unit made with two panes of glass and one insulating space between them.

Drip cap

Flashing installed above a window or door to help direct water away from the top of the opening.

Egress

A window opening that meets applicable requirements for emergency escape from certain rooms, such as bedrooms.

Energy Rating (ER)

A Canadian rating that combines heat loss, solar heat gain and air leakage into one number for comparing product energy performance.

Exterior cladding

Protective material, commonly aluminum, used to cover and weather-protect exterior trim or exposed framing around a replacement window or door.

Fixed / picture window

A non-operating window designed to provide light and views. Because it does not open, it does not provide ventilation or emergency escape.

Flashing

Material or a water-management detail used to direct water away from a window, door or wall opening.

Frame

The fixed structural portion of a window or door assembly that is installed into the wall opening.

Full-frame replacement

Replacement that removes the existing window or door frame back to the rough opening rather than installing inside the old frame.

Glass package

The combination of panes, coatings, gas fills, spacers and specialty glass options used in a sealed glass unit.

Grilles

Decorative bars that create the appearance of divided panes. They may be installed between the glass, on the glass surface or as removable interior grilles.

Head

The top horizontal part of a window or door frame or rough opening.

Heat-strengthened glass

Glass treated to be stronger than ordinary annealed glass. It is not the same as tempered safety glass.

Hopper window

A window hinged at the bottom that opens inward from the top, often used in basements.

Insert / retrofit

A replacement approach that keeps some or most of the existing frame and installs the new unit within it.

Insulating foam

Low-expansion foam commonly used to insulate and help air-seal the space between a window or door frame and the rough opening.

Jamb

A vertical or horizontal part of a window or door frame. Door jamb commonly refers to the frame at the sides and top of the door opening.

Krypton

An insulating gas sometimes used between panes, especially in narrower glass spaces. It is generally more expensive than argon.

Laminated glass

Glass made with a plastic interlayer that helps hold broken pieces together. It may be used for security, sound control or special safety applications.

Lift

A handle or recessed grip used to raise or slide an operating window sash.

Low-E

Low-emissivity coating on glass that helps control radiant heat transfer.

Meeting rail

The horizontal area where the upper and lower sash of a hung window meet and lock.

Mullion

A structural or connecting member between two or more window or door units joined together.

Multipoint lock

Door hardware that locks at several points along the frame when operated, helping improve security, alignment and weather sealing.

Nailing flange

A projecting flange used to attach certain windows or doors to the wall structure and integrate the unit with the water-management system.

Obscure glass

Glass designed to provide privacy by distorting or limiting a clear view through it while still admitting light.

Operator

The crank and gear mechanism used to open and close casement or awning windows.

Peel-and-stick membrane

A self-adhering flashing or waterproofing membrane used around an opening as part of water and air management.

Performance Grade (PG)

A tested performance classification that considers structural load, air leakage and water penetration requirements for a particular product size and configuration.

R-value

A measure of resistance to heat flow. Higher is better, but whole-window comparisons are commonly expressed using U-factor or Canadian Energy Rating.

Rough opening

The framed opening in the wall that receives the window or door.

Sash

The movable or fixed framed portion of a window that holds the glass.

Sealant

A flexible material used to seal joints against air and water. The correct product, joint design and surface preparation all affect durability.

Sealed glass unit

Two or more panes assembled as a sealed unit with spaces between the panes.

Shims

Thin supporting pieces placed between the window or door frame and the rough opening to position, level and support the unit.

Sidelite

A narrow glazed or solid panel installed beside an entry door.

Sill

The bottom horizontal part of a window or door opening or frame, designed in part to support the unit and manage water.

Sill pan

A sloped or formed water-management layer beneath a window or door that helps collect and direct incidental water to the exterior.

Slider window

A window in which one or more sash move horizontally along tracks.

Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC)

The fraction of solar heat admitted through a window. A lower SHGC reduces solar heat gain; a higher SHGC allows more winter sun where that is beneficial.

Spacer

The material around the perimeter of a sealed glass unit that separates the panes and helps maintain the sealed air or gas spaces.

Structural opening

The opening formed by the building structure before finishes and trim. It is often used similarly to rough opening.

Tempered glass

Safety glass manufactured to break into small pieces rather than large sharp shards when broken.

Threshold

The bottom part of an exterior door system that is stepped over and helps support weather sealing and drainage.

Transom

A window or glazed panel installed above a door or another window.

Triple glazed

A sealed glass unit made with three panes of glass and two insulating spaces.

U-factor

A measure of heat transfer through a window or door assembly; lower values generally mean less heat transfer.

Warm-edge spacer

A spacer designed to reduce heat transfer around the perimeter of a sealed glass unit compared with traditional highly conductive metal spacers.

Water penetration rating

A test pressure indicating resistance to water entering through the product under specified laboratory conditions.

Weatherstripping

Flexible sealing material around an operating window sash or door that helps reduce air and water infiltration.

Window well

An enclosure outside a below-grade window that holds soil away from the opening and can provide space for light, drainage and emergency escape.

WOCD

Window Opening Control Device: a device designed to limit how far a window can initially open while allowing release when appropriate.