Building a new house, or renovating an existing one, is a process that takes effort. You may feel like it’s a list you will never reach the bottom of, encountering numerous obstacles you hadn’t even known existed. It can be tempting to try and fast-forward to the fun decorating part, but there are a few areas that are worth lingering over. For example, a house that isn’t well set up for ventilation, light and space can feel heavy and miserable to live in.
“Ventilation” doesn’t sound as much fun as “colour swatches” or “shiny new furniture”, but it’s a necessary evil. The windows are your portal to the outdoor and natural source of light. No one wants to live somewhere dark, relying on harsh electric light even in the daytime, unless they happen to be a vampire. If you’re not a vampire – and good for you if not – and want to bring the goodness of the outdoors inside, then read on.
Security: Weaknesses Will Be Exploited
The safety of your home is without question the most important thing to consider. A house without the right protections from the outside just isn’t a home; it’s a target. Windows are the first place a burglar will look for as a point of access. Make sure they look like Fort Knox.
Light: Important For So Many Reasons
Picture taken by Sarah Reid
How happy you feel living in a home is influenced by a number of factors. It has been shown time and time again that the amount of natural light in a property has a direct impact on mood. The positioning and type of windows you use will affect how content you are in the house, so don’t be dismissive. It’s not the most glamorous of things to consider, no, but it is one that will have as much of an impact as fancy light fittings.
Privacy: Not Anti-Social, Just Good Sense
Image of privacy glass via Wiki Commons
Most of the windows in a property will be clear double-glazing that allows you to see the outside world and makes the home welcoming from outside. At the same time, some windows need to let light in without being an invitation to prying eyes. Your bathroom window, for example. You want light through there, not viewers. The right type of decorative glass and glazing obscures the view 24/7.
Climate Control: Warm In Winter And Cool in Summer
Picture from WikiMedia Commons
Extremes of temperature are no friend to anyone. You don’t want to have to spend a fortune heating your home in winter or keeping it cool in summer. This costs money, is rough on the planet and isn’t great for your health either. So it’s important to have windows installed that allow air to move around the home when it needs cooling down and, when it’s cold, aren’t porous. Decorative windows are useful, but not at the cost of your comfort.
For these and other reasons, it’s important that you make any decision about windows a key element in any building or renovation project. The right decision at this point can save you from having to re-do everything a short way down the line.
