I have large casement windows all over the house (4 x 5, 6 x 6, 3 x 7 ). Sustained winds of 15-20 MPH is not uncommon and on a calm day, the strong winds can spring up suddenly. When I hear the winds starting to roar, I run to quickly close all of the windows because I fear they may be ripped off or the brackets bent. There have been times I have prayed dearly that I can get a window closed because the winds are so strong by the time I get to it. The windows have some play in them, but I fear what will happen when the play is exhausted and a big gust comes along. I also think that the jerking against the brackets isn't good over the long haul for the windows.

I love the fresh air, but since this approach is stressful, I am now only opening the windows about 4-5 inches to minimize the risk of damage and the time to close each one. I have seached the internet for data on how much wind a casement can take before it comes damaged and all I could find were things like Casement windows can be bent or blown off in strong winds. Does anyone have any first hand experiences of how much wind it took to rip off your windows and better yet, has anyone found any real data on this? I appreciate your time and input.