The attic has long ceased to be exotic in country houses. Most modern cottages have an insulated attic. Of course, like any other room, the attic should be equipped with windows. There are many varieties of such designs. Select attic windows should be subject to several important factors.
Appointment
Designs of this type primarily serve, of course, to provide attic lighting. However, they have another purpose. Often, such windows are installed not only in residential, but also in unheated attics. In the latter case, they also have a purely technical purpose. If repairs are needed, workers go up to the roof through them.
What should be the size of the skylights
To select such structures for the attic should be first of all, focusing on their dimensions. Roof windows are usually installed between the roof rafters. Therefore, their width should be such that they fit in this space freely. Otherwise, expensive changes will have to be made to the roof frame structure.
When choosing windows for height, you should pay attention to such factors as the total area of the attic, the height of the ramps, the purpose of the room. For example, large windows are better for a living room, study or children's room in the attic. For the bedroom in the attic, you can pick up their lower option.
Standard sizes
In the European part of Russia, in the Urals and Siberia, roof rafters are most often installed at a distance of 80 cm from each other. Window manufacturers, of course, take this factor into account. The standard dimensions of the roof window can be as follows:
- 78x118 cm;
- 78x140 cm;
- 78x160 cm.
Also, for the attic, you can purchase more overall windows of 94x140 cm, 114x118 cm and 114x140 cm. Sometimes small structures of this type are also on sale - 55 or 66 cm.
In principle, models with a width of 78 cm are good even for a rafter system with a step wider than 80 cm. In this case, you just have to think about how to close the gaps near the frames. If the rafters are installed very close to each other, the owner of the house will most likely have to make custom windows. They will cost, of course, more expensive than standard. However, the owners of the cottage will still have to spend less than when remodeling the roof frame.
Top manufacturers
There are a huge number of companies producing skylights. When choosing such designs, it is necessary to pay attention to the brand of the manufacturer. Especially popular in our country, for example, are the Velux roof windows. This company produces both wooden and plastic models. Velux skylights are usually standard sizes. The width of most of their models is 78, 94 or 114 cm. There are also 55 cm Velux windows on sale. The height of the models ranges from 78-160 cm.
Windows of the Fakro brand are also quite popular with domestic owners of private houses. The models of this manufacturer differ not only in good quality and ease of use, but also in a very low cost (from 8 thousand rubles). The sizes of Fakro roof windows are usually also only standard. On sale you can find models with a width of 55 to 114 cm.
Types of double-glazed windows
In addition to such a parameter as the size of the skylights, when buying, you should also pay attention to the degree of their insulation. On sale today there are designs with both two glasses and three. The second option for the Russian climate is considered more suitable. At the same time, it is better for owners of cottages in Siberia and the Urals to pay attention to “warm” double-glazed windows (with a special reflective film).
Types of frames
Skylights, the sizes and prices of which are different, can significantly change the exterior of the building. Therefore, it is certainly worth looking at what kind of material their frames are made of. For concrete or brick cottages, PVC window models are more suitable. In this case, attention should also be paid to the color of the frames. Windows should fit seamlessly into the architecture of the house.
For a chopped or panel building, it is worth looking at structures with wooden frames. You can also save and choose plastic windows. However, in this case, it is better to purchase models with brown frames, beige or “wood look”.
Types of windows by the method of closing
The most popular among Russian summer residents are mid-turn attic structures. The casement for such windows is only one. In this case, it opens by turning around its axis. The mass of such a window is leveled by the centrally located hinges. Therefore, it is very easy to manage. The owner of the house only needs to rotate the sash on these hinges.
The windows of this variety are popular not only for ease of use, but also because of the ease of maintenance. Attic windows get dirty usually very quickly. In the windows of this design, the sash can simply be rotated 180 g and washed.
Among other things, on sale today there are:
- balcony dormer-windows;
- hatches;
- swing traditional designs;
- vertical
- cornice.
Balcony roof windows
Such transformer models are less popular than mid-range ones (mainly due to the high price), but they are also quite often installed in attics. When folded, they are a double sash. When opening from them the small attic "balcony" turns out. In order to expand such a window, you just need to raise the upper part of the sash up (this forms a glass "roof", and move the lower one forward.
The dimensions of the Velux, Fakro dormer-windows, etc. of the balcony type are also usually standard. The most popular models are 78 cm wide. In addition, on sale today there are more overall designs of this variety, when folding, they form a whole terrace. Their sizes can vary from 94 to 114 cm.
It is not allowed to install balcony windows in any attic. Installation of such structures is possible only on roofs with an inclination angle of slopes of at least 35 and not more than 55 degrees.
Hatch windows
Models of this variety are most often installed on unheated attics and serve purely technical purposes. The shutter of such structures is only one. At the same time, it rises up. Sometimes instead of glass, polycarbonate is used in the windows of this variety.
On residential attics, only hatches that have a non-standard configuration are usually mounted. The sizes of dormer-windows of this type are most often small. They are used in conjunction with a special “light tunnel”. Such models are installed only if it is not possible to mount conventional pivoting or hinged windows. For example, if there is a wide technical space between the attic ceiling and the roof covering itself.
Swing models
Windows of this variety are also quite popular. Using such traditional models is pretty comfortable. The inconvenience in this case lies only in the complexity of caring for glasses. In order to wash the double-glazed window from the outside, you will either have to stretch a lot, or even go on a ramp.
Eaves skylights
These are the usual models installed on the gables of the roof. In fact, such skylights are not roof windows. From the end of the house to the roof, you can install structures of any height and width. Very often, cornice windows are used as panoramic. The fact is that, due to the layout of the attic, small structures of this type simply can not provide good lighting.
It also happens that on the gables not just windows are installed, but balcony structures. The floor in such "terraces" is usually the overlap of the attic itself. But sometimes the gable balconies are made to stand forward. In this case, they are supported from below by columns or pillars.
Vertical models
Such windows are also often used in attics and are able to fulfill their primary function of lighting a room very effectively. Their only drawback is the high cost of installation. The fact is that when installing models of this kind of change in the roof structure will have to be made in any case. Vertical windows are mounted in a specially arranged attic "birdhouse".
What should be the fittings
These are the modern skylights (sizes, types). The device models produced by well-known manufacturers, in most cases, allows you to use them with great convenience. However, when choosing windows for the attic, of course, you need to pay attention not only to the double-glazed window, design features and the type of frame. Be sure to also make sure that the hardware is of good quality. Handles, hinges, etc., in skylights are usually used differently than in simple front windows. As a rule, the manufacturing technology of such accessories is the know-how of a particular company and is not widely advertised.
When choosing windows, you should first pay attention to the position of the handle. It can be up or down. Both that, and another option are considered quite convenient. If the window is located very high from the attic floor, it is better, of course, to choose a model with a lower handle. Otherwise, in the future, opening the fold, most likely, will not be too convenient. If the window is equipped with a window sill and flower pots are installed on it, it is worth taking a closer look at the model with the top handle. In this case, it will be possible to open the window without hitting and dumping plants.
Accessories
In order to make it easier to use the windows in the attic, many manufacturers supply them with various accessories. This can be, for example, a rod, cord or a remote opening system. A model equipped with such devices is worth buying if it is located very high in the attic.
Also, the windows of this variety can be supplemented with special curtains, blinds or roller shutters. Such models are perfect for the sunny side.
Model Price
How much does it cost to install roof windows for the owner of the cottage? Of course, for a large attic, it is worth choosing a larger model. For a small roof, small structures are better suited. But, of course, it depends on what size skylights are and the prices.
Installing small standard models is usually not too expensive. Simple mid-turn triplexes of 78 cm cost, for example, about 15-35 thousand rubles. (depending on the height and design features), wide - 25-45 thousand rubles. If you wish, today you can find through the Internet and a budget option for such windows. As an example, we can cite the same Polish roof windows “Fakro”. The sizes and prices of the models of this manufacturer, as well as the designs of any other brands, are correlated. Small Fakro models (55 cm) cost only 8-10 thousand rubles. For the 78 cm design, you will need to pay 12-17 thousand rubles. The wide window of this manufacturer at 94-114 cm is in the range of 15-16 thousand rubles.
Windows "Velux" dormer, sizes and prices may also have different. They cost more than Fakro. The price of the 55 cm model ranges from 16500-19000. Windows with a width of 78 cm are 21000-24500 rubles. The price of wide designs at 94-114 cm starts from 26 thousand rubles.