The Window Obsession

I finally got a call from Progressive Solutions, Fleetwood Window dealer in San Antonio.  I will be talking to them this coming week.

My casement window, like most casement windows, isn't huge.  The 29x47 area, less 3" frame, gives glass area of 23x41.  Still, that's larger than the typical 2x2' or 2x3' shed windows.  And given that the entire window opens up, and channels wind from west, it provides more actual ventilation than a 36x48 single hung window, which would be the single hung alternative.  That's really the point of this window...ventilation, and some light.

The major source of light may be the 72x80 french doors facing east (but toward the house.  They also provide lots of additional ventilation when desired, and there is a quasi cross-flow between east and north sides.  I don't want windows on south and west sides, because that is where the majority of solar heating will be, and because basically those walls will be dedicated to storage.

Funny it seems that there is plenty of light in my house during the daytime even with blinds on all windows, including some actual blackout blinds in master bedroom.  So if there is plenty of light through blinds, the pool house windows are huge by comparison.

My school of thought about windows is that they are usually way overdone in McMansions and other architecturally designed houses.  One moderately sized window per room, as I mostly have in my house, is fine, in fact I think that's the direction of the future. Walls of windows are not a sustainable energy feature.  Windows are the #1 energy waster in a typical 2000's house with lots of windows. And that's true even with Energy Star Low-E windows.  Energy star requirements result in a window with far less R factor than normally insulated walls, something like R3 IIRC, while insulated walls can be R19 or higher.  You can get windows up to R11 (fixed series 11 Serious Windows) but they are incredibly rare and expensive.  You probably have never seen such windows in a home.

My mother was the person who opened up all the window coverings in the daytime and then closed them all at night for privacy.  But it seemed like other people I knew in High School just kept their windows closed all the day.  And that's pretty much the habit I have also, especially for the front and bedroom windows.  Going up and down most residential streets these days, it's rare to see a window not covered somehow.

I now often open the kitchen sliding glass door vertial blinds a couple of feet.  That door faces the back patio, which now has privacy screening.  I've often attempted to open just the upper blinds in the living room windows, but that quickly becomes a chore when you later have to close them.  I've often thought about having automated blinds, and even bought a automated blind motor, but it's complicated to set up and like many projects of mine has remained deep in the queue.

AFAIK, if you like to wander about the house without sufficient clothes on, you can be convicted of indecent exposure if others can see you, even backyard neighbors.  And  most security experts say you do not want people seeing your possessions inside.

I think it would be lovely to have great views from your windows, or have windows facing courtyard in villa or garden home, or live on a huge lot where there are no privacy issues.  But those are not luxuries I have, nor most people for the forseeable future.  I have little privacy even in my backyard now.  The 6 foot privacy fence gives hardly any privacy at all because of the slope of the land, and that is more the rule than the exception in homes I have looked at.  One possibility is extensive privacy landscaping.  I hope to have that someday, but it will require a lot of work.  Actually, the pool house will give the master bedroom window a little more privacy, but far from total.

Wait, come to think of it I do often open the master bedroom window during the daytime on weekends.  I've added a special privacy strip to the bottom of the window so that one can only be seen from the head up by backyard neighbors even at night.