Not always any term can indicate a characteristic, the image of its subject. Take the dormers. Pretty old design, which remains relevant today. But why is the window auditory? What is it for? How to equip it, which variety to choose? We will answer all these and other equally interesting questions during the course of the article.
What is it?
The dormer is one of the small structural elements that is located on the attic or attic roof. You can also meet the following names:
- birdhouse;
- plume;
- Bulls-eye;
- bat;
- gnome's house;
- dormer;
- hatch and so on.
The purpose of arranging such an element was originally ventilation of the attic or attic space. Then the dormer was used as a natural source of illumination. Often today it is designed purely as a decorative element. If we take into account the practical task, then in modern times the dormer is often replaced by a ventilation grill.
Today you can find whole encyclopedias of recommendations on the form, arrangement and decoration of such elements. Consequently, dormers on the roof are still popular and relevant to this day.
Destination
The purpose of the element affects its location:
- Natural light is the southern slope of the roof.
- Ventilation of the attic or attic space - northern slope.
Sometimes dormers are also used as a “door” to access the roof - say, for maintenance or repair work. There may be an additional emergency route. Increasingly, their sole function in modern buildings is purely decorative.
If you ignore the arrangement of the roof dormer or an alternative element to it, then you can observe the following:
- Heat loss through the attic space is inevitable, even if you have laid a high-quality interfloor insulation. Hence the appearance in a large amount of condensate in the attic, which without a vent threatens the accumulation of moisture, dampness, and the growth of mold.
- The lack of natural light even in a non-residential attic is an unpleasant factor. This contributes to the growth of mold and fungus, and also attracts the dark corners of mice and rats.
Hearing Aid and Home Safety
Similar elements are also desirable to ensure the safety of the entire structure of the home. The fact is that the speed of air flow with a strong gust of wind creates a certain vacuum above the roof. Under the roof, the pressure does not change. From this, the roof seeks to rise, to tear. Even if its weight is decent, and the mounts are reliable, this is a negative phenomenon - strong vibrations pass through the walls of the house.
And what about the dormer-window on the roof? It acts as a overpressure valve in a hurricane. That is, the air flow is more likely to break glass, equalizing the pressure, rather than lift the roof into the air.
Design, device element
The classical design of the dormer windows of houses is a superstructure on the roof in the form of a kind of house. The calculation of its size is made according to the needs of the attic space in lighting. Often, several such ends are immediately constructed, separated by beams.
There may be dormer windows, can be glazed. Very often, the opening performs both of these functions at once. Glass - for lighting, blinds - for ventilation. For sufficient ventilation of the space, a difference with an outdoor temperature of 5-10 degrees is suitable.
It is possible to arrange several dormer windows in one row or to “scatter” them in a staggered manner. When designing, it is important to remember that the total width of all the openings should be approximately equal to the length of the edge of the roof slope. The distance from the floor of the attic or attic to the lower window row is about 1 meter.
For auditory structures, they usually use the roof of the same type as for the roof, so as not to disturb the general harmony. Moreover, such windows are equipped not only on new homes, but also on those requiring modernization and reconstruction.
Types of dormer windows
Now let's move on to the classification of elements. According to the design features, dormer windows in the attic or attic are divided into the following types:
- Slippery.
- Gable.
- Flat.
- Triangular.
- Embedded.
- With a hip roof.
- Arched (with a semicircular and arched arch).
- Arched with glazing throughout the opening.
In form, they can be divided into the following types:
- quadrangular;
- semicircular, round (oval dormers look very nice);
- triangular;
- trapezoidal;
- panoramic;
- "light lamp", "anti-aircraft lamp" (all-glass design, made without transverse frames).
A variety with vertical glazing is also popular:
- With a pediment and side walls in the plane of the house.
- With a pediment and side walls outside the plane of the house.
- With a pediment in the plane of the house, without side walls.
Let's look at the most interesting varieties in more detail.
Single Slope Structures
The roof here lies at a slope of 15 degrees, which is enough for the outflow of rain from the window. This design is known for its simplicity. However, for greater reliability, a roof overhang over the “house” of the dormer should also be created.
Gable structures
There is some difficulty due to the fact that it is necessary to organize the correct joining of the roof parts at different angles. However, gable incarnation looks more aesthetically pleasing. It is impossible not to note its high reliability with high-quality sealing of joints.
Often for the arrangement of gable dormer windows, a domed or radiused roof is used.
Triangular constructions
The most common in modern times. Differ in roof slopes of a large angle of inclination. The pediment of this design of dormers is in the same plane with the pediment of the building. Thus, the installation of the element is carried out according to the scheme that its axial lines coincide with the axes of the windows of the entire building, which quite harmoniously fits the design into the general concept.
The steepness of the roof slopes here does not increase the volume of the attic, but it does not complicate the problem of storm sewers. Also, a triangular design is characterized by simple waterproofing of the side walls. Its slope descends to the roof to the groove, which by itself solves the issue of tightness.
Design installation
Let's look at a simple example (a triangular dormer window) how the structure is mounted:
- First of all, you need a plan sketch of the location of all such elements on the roof of the attic or attic.
- Now we draw a detailed drawing of each birdhouse at the appropriate scale, indicating the actual dimensions.
- For each window, the master installs his own rafter system according to the same system as for the roof - with supports, a ridge, a skeleton.
- If a common building rafter is mounted, then in the locations of the "birdhouses" the most massive boards or bars are installed, since it is these areas that will have the largest load.
- Already on the rafters are attached horizontal beams. The first is at the level of the upper edge of the wall of the house, and the second is already at the height of the dormer.
- The frame of the "birdhouse" will be attached to the beams. To the upper crossbar is the ridge of the window-house, so the orientation of its own roof depends on its location.
- The triangular profile of the dormer is already attached to the lower horizontal beam. For fixing use brackets, nails, metal corners.
- From the base of the "triangle" to the upper beam, the bars are laid for reliable fastening of the entire structure.
- From the top of the triangular profile to the upper horizontal beam - ridge span. At this stage, the "skeleton" of the future dormer is already visible.
- Now the installation time of the window frame. It is attached not only to the triangular profile, but also connected by bars to the mounting beams leading from the base of the "triangle" to the upper crossbar.
- The next stage is the installation of vertical jumpers and lathing (supporting frame).
- At this stage, it is important to lay layers of hydro and vapor barrier, as well as insulation.
- The line on which the frame of the "house" of the dormer window will be in contact with the roof is necessarily sealed with special corners, clamping strips. Mastics, sealants, self-expanding tapes are successfully applied.
Design and installation according to standards
Both design and installation of such a design is carried out according to SNiP 21-01, II-26. Following the instructions allows you to build a durable and reliable structure.
The most important regulations of SNiPs are as follows:
- Installation of the dormer window is permissible only in the case when the slope angle of the ramp is 35 ° or more.
- The superstructure must be at a regulated distance from the exterior walls of the building.
- The dissolving flaps located on the dormer window necessarily have minimum parameters of 0.6 x 0.8 m, from which the dimensions of his own come out - 1.2 x 1.6 m.
- Windows with a quadrangular opening and a hip roof cannot be a continuation of the wall of the house.
- For cladding, it is desirable to use copper, tile, sheet metal.
Useful tips and reviews
Let's also present the tips and reviews of those masters who installed a dormer-window in their own house:
- It is advisable to install such elements only with a slope of the roof, providing a good drain of water.
- Many masters in their reviews do not advise making designs on their own - it is possible to make mistakes in miscalculations. It is much easier to order a plastic window for the size you need.
- Natural light will be more intense the higher the window is located on the roof.
- Do not forget about the preparation of wood for the structure - it needs to be dried and treated with special impregnations.
- In order not to reduce the strength of the supporting element, in no case do inset. An alternative to it for the installation of dormers will be brackets, corners, nails and other metal fittings.
- Since windows account for up to 15% of all heat losses, take into account the climate features of your region when designing a birdhouse to set it on the most favorable side from this point of view.
- If you equip wooden dormer-windows on the roof of an already finished house, then their frames must be attached to the rafters.
Where did the name come from?
In conclusion, some interesting facts. Why is the roof window, attic - auditory? The fact is that, in the depths of centuries, the word “hearing” also had the meaning of “purging”, “opening”, “hole”. A certain "opening for hearing" - it is possible to listen to what is happening on the street.
There is a legend that the window got its name from the name of master Slukhov - the one who was in charge of roofing during the construction of the capital's Manege. The engineer came up with windows to increase the density of long-span structures. And over time, they began to be called by the name of their inventor.
The main functions of the dormer in the attic or attic are ventilation and natural lighting of the space. However, in the modern world most often such elements are equipped for decoration purposes, which is why they are presented in a large assortment of structural and shaped varieties.