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gotlander

mountain home - windows...casement vs. slide

5 years ago

We are in the process of a new build somewhat rustic mountain home. Lodge look with traditional elements, too. Lots of wind, snow in winter. Who knew that this would be such a dilemma! Help, please. I very much want casement windows and our plan dictates 6 ft. windows, rather than 5 ft., so this is a difficult task. Some windows of course will not open at all, as they will be strictly for view. I'm told that brands vary so greatly, and though we are using a store and contracting source with many choices, I can't find windows (yet..nor can our contractor) that are black frame, casement, prefer not wood due to weather and must be altitude and fire safe, to comply with code. I am not the expert here, but it seems that it falls to me to work this out IF I want those casements...at least here and there. I don't want to give up the extra breeze in summer, and the ease of opening. Suggestions?

Comments (8)

  • 5 years ago

    Have you looked at Marvin "Essential"?

    gotlander thanked Seabornman
  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    I have 6 ft tall Andersen 400 casements. Black vinyl outside, wood inside. What is wrong with these?

    Altitude and Fire safe? Educate me - what does that mean?

    gotlander thanked David Cary
  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    We have a blend of Tuscany series Milgard casements and sliders in our house. Only had them a few months but are happy with them.


    Two of our casements are double casements that are wider than 5'. That does mean there's a bar down the middle when they are closed, but it means the mechanism doesn't have to support as large of a window pane.


    Four of our casements are part of a plate glass casement combo - one set on a corner of our sitting room- and the others flanking the view windows in our living room. Each has a large plate glass that's 4 to 5' wide by 4' tall with 2' wide casements on the far sides. It doesn't interrupt the view but still allows airflow. You might consider a set up like that to make the casement part smaller (and therefore less expensive).


    You might also consider awning style windows. I believe they can be quite wide.


    For what it's worth, we also like the mechanics on our Tuscany sliders that we have in the less view-centric parts of the house.


    Ours are white, but they have options for black on the exterior side at least.

  • 5 years ago

    Thank you, much. So helpful! I also considered a combination, so I at least have "some" casements. I don't want to give them up entirely.

  • 5 years ago

    Appreciate ALL of these comments and suggestions. We have been entertaining Milgard...will check out Marvin "Essential", so far have not. I know the name is a good one. And, yes, I will do so! I am also excited now to check out the Andersen 400 casements, David. Thank you for the input. Not a thing wrong with them. I am not the best one to educate. I'm repeating what I've been told. This house is in CA, in a quite rural location. The laws and codes are excruciatingly precise. We are 5000+ feet up, so there are specific requirements with regard to grade?? of windows and weather and altitude, in order to be to code and to pass inspection. That's all I know. Trying to leave most of this to the contractor, but sometimes, one must take matters into their own hands and do the work.

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    The elevation just probably means they need to be decent windows. Not hard with modern choices - just maybe a little more strict than the coast of CA. At 5,000, I doubt you would need triple glazing even in CA.

    I just realized that maybe you meant 6 feet wide? Probably not. At that width, you would do fixed I would think. But sliders probably would work (I still wouldn't do that).

    I am in early planning of similar elevation and climate and presumably view. 6 foot wide fixed, flanked with casements is what I was thinking.

    gotlander thanked David Cary
  • 5 years ago

    We lived at 9300’ in Colorado. Elevation is needed for the correct gas inside the window. As far as casement if it is windy, like here, you have to make sure they are closed Or the wind will catch them.

    gotlander thanked Sue Raney