Jalousie Windows
Jalousies are made of glass slats set in metal clips that can be opened and closed in unison. Also called a louvered window, a jalousie is made like a glass shutter. This type of window is manually rotated to open or close the overlapping panels as required and can be opened by degrees to control how much air or light is allowed to pass through.
The word jalousie comes from the French jaloux, which means jealousy. In the 16th Century, the term referred to shuttered covers for window openings. Like today's wood shutters, those early coverings employed a series of wooden slats sloped to shed rain and direct sun while admitting air and light.
Jalousie windows and doors are very popular in tropical climates. They were installed in warm-climate American homes before air conditioning became popular. They are typically used in breezeways and porches that are not heated or air conditioned.
They may be selectively opened and closed to allow breezes for example, from the ocean to ventilate and cool a space without air conditioning. This is of particular importance in areas where electricity is extremely expensive or unavailable.
Besides the fact that they do not obstruct the view, their biggest advantage is they allow ventilation. But, they allow ventilation so well they are almost impossible to seal. This particular style of window has lost favor in cooler climates because most permit excessive air infiltration between the panes, allowing uncomfortable drafts and costly heat loss.
When closed, neither the glass slats nor the hinges along the sides are possible to seal completely without covering the entire window. Therefore, they are not suitable where weather-tightness is a priority because they are not energy efficient and may be a security risk. Many building codes don’t allow jalousie windows.
If you are interested in having Jalousie windows in your home, find a CalFinder window contractor to recieve free estimates.
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