Greenville, South Carolina, was incorporated in 1831. With almost two centuries of history, there are several neighborhoods across the city with historic homes. From the Hampton-Pickney District to the Overbrook Historic District, there are several neighborhoods across the city with beautiful, unique homes that require specialized updates to maintain their style. 

If you’re considering upgrading the windows on your home in one of Greenville’s historic districts, you may be on the fence about whether casement or double-hung windows are right. Each option offers unique advantages and drawbacks, and it is essential that you take time to consider this information before making a decision for your space.

If you’re preparing to purchase new windows for your historic home and you’re unsure whether casement or double-hung windows are right, keep reading. 

How Casement and Double-Hung Windows Differ

Before you begin the window installation process, it is crucial that you understand the key differences between casement and double-hung windows. The biggest difference between these windows is their operation. However, there are a few other differences, including the following: 

	Casement Windows	Double-Hung Windows
Operation & Airflow	These windows operate on a crank system, opening outward. This allows for 100% opening and maximum airflow.	These windows slide up or down on a track, letting you open it simultaneously for the best air circulation.
Energy Efficiency	Casement windows press tightly against their frame when closed via a hook-and-lever mechanism, creating airtight compression.	These windows feature weatherstripping, but there is still a risk of air leakage because there are more moving parts.
Maintenance	If you want to clean these windows, you will either have to reach outside of the window or go outside to reach the glass.	Double-hung windows typically tilt inward, allowing you to clean the interior and exterior from inside your room.
Placement	Because they swing outward, they will need exterior clearance or they will block spaces like walkways, paths, and decks.	They operate entirely within their own plane, making them the ideal window choice near walkways, pushes, trees, and patios.

Why Double-Hung Windows Work Well in Historic Greenville Homes

When upgrading your historic home, you want to ensure you’re choosing a window style that is authentic to your home’s style. The best way to do this is by determining which style was popular when your home was built. For homes built around the 19th century, like those in Hampton-Pickney and the West End, double-hung windows are the ideal choice. 

These windows match the traditional proportions of Victorian, Craftsman, and Queen Anne style homes. You won’t have to worry about altering the historic facade of your home when installing these windows on your property. Instead, you can easily slot these windows into the existing openings without much concern about major exterior changes.

Beyond their aesthetics, these windows also allow for ample ventilation for those who are prioritizing comfort. The functional top sash allows homeowners to remove warm air, while the bottom sash can draw in cooler air. Whether you’re concerned about climate control or aesthetics, double-hung windows are the ideal solution for your Greenville historic home.

When Casement Windows Are the Better Choice

Although casement windows aren’t the most authentic to some historic home styles in the Greenville area, there are a few situations in which they are the better choice. Homeowners who have a Tudor, Craftsman, or early colonial cottage may be able to incorporate casement windows into their home without compromising on its style. 

Additionally, if you are looking for the most energy efficient window or an option that offers increased ventilation possibilities, this may make casement windows more appealing than double-hung windows. With their tight seal against their weatherstripping, these windows far outperform their sliding counterparts. 

It is important to consider the tradeoffs though. You will need to ensure there is ample clearance outside of the windows, and that they won’t interfere with outdoor spaces. Additionally, the open sash is more prone to damage during high winds. Finally, some historic review boards may not allow this choice, so it is essential that you check with them before making upgrades. 

What You Should Know Before Making Upgrades to Your Historic Home

While your energy efficiency goals are incredibly important when upgrading your old windows, it is still incredibly important to match your home’s historic style. In many cases, historic homeowners cannot simply make updates to their home that will impact their exterior without approval from their local historic review board. 

The Greenville Historic Review Board has developed a design guideline to help preserve each district’s unique appearance. If you are planning to replace the windows on your historic home, it is best to reach out to the board for their support. They can help you find the ideal replacements without compromising the appearance of your property. 

Without approval from the board, there is a risk that you’ll face legal penalties, fines, and stop-work orders. This can lead to costly pauses in your project and far more money spent than you originally budgeted for. If you want to protect yourself and your home, it is essential that you reach out to the board as soon as possible for support. 

Choosing the Right Windows for Greenville’s Climate 

In addition to choosing windows that match your home’s historic style, it is equally important that you find windows that are equipped to stand up to Greenville’s climate. The city deals with heavy rainfall, strong winds, and humidity throughout the year. Choosing the wrong windows for your historic home can lead to major discomfort during inclement weather conditions.

Consider talking to your window installation team about their double- or triple-pane window options, low-E coatings, and other energy efficient upgrades. With these more advanced windows installed on your property, you can match the exterior style of your home, increase everyday comfort, and avoid problems during storm season. 

While it might seem like a less important factor, choosing windows that match your historic home’s style while protecting you from poor weather conditions makes all the difference. Ultimately, it is important that you try to avoid making compromises when looking for an energy-efficient, climate-smart choice for your property.

Let Surface Bella Deliver Your Beautiful New Windows

Whether casement or double-hung windows are right for your home, our Surface Bella team is here to support you through every step of the installation. With years of experience helping homeowners across Greenville find their ideal window solutions, we’re confident that we can do the same for you. From the moment we arrive until our team leaves, we’re committed to providing you with expert support.

If you would like to schedule a consultation to begin discussing casement or double-hung windows for your historic home, contact us today. 

While Greenville is an incredibly beautiful place to live, you may want to enjoy the views and weather conditions without having to sit outside. Many homeowners who want to achieve this may invest in a new sunroom or screened-in porch build. But, as an important part of this process, you need to consider which windows are best for this space. 

Not all window styles are created equal, and you want to ensure you’re choosing the right style when building your dream sunroom or screened porch. Although it might not seem all that consequential, choosing the wrong windows for this space can majorly affect the appearance and comfort of this space.

In this blog, we’ll discuss the most common window style options to help you ensure you’re choosing the best windows for your Greenville home. 

Why the Right Window Style Matters for Outdoor Living Spaces

As you begin looking at window styles for your sunrooms and screened-in porches, you may be overwhelmed by how many options are available to you. You may be anxious about making the wrong choice for this space, and then spending thousands of extra dollars to replace them. It is true that the wrong window styles can majorly affect these rooms. 

Your windows act like an architecture bridge between your home’s interior and your outdoor living area. Your chosen window style can help create a more open, connected space, perfect for hosting your family and friends. Additionally, choosing the right window styles can boost airflow, which may be of the utmost importance to you. 

Finally, the right window styles can provide you with unobstructed, panoramic views. Whether you want views of your backyard, pool, or surrounding environment, the right windows can help you reach this goal. That’s why it is so important to take your time when going into the window selection process, and to not make a knee-jerk decision. 

Why Sliding Windows are a Practical Choice for Your Home

As you begin browsing through different window styles, one of the most common styles homeowners will consider is sliding windows. They are a popular choice due, in large part, to the fact that they are often the most practical addition to sunrooms and screened-in porches. These windows don’t require exterior clearance for everyday operation. 

This sliding function allows you to open windows without worrying about furniture placement in your home. These windows also allow for great ventilation and can maximize natural light. For homeowners who are prioritizing this natural light and ventilation, something like Eze-Breeze windows can perfectly meet this need. 

Finally, unlike some other window styles, sliding windows are lower maintenance than some other options on the market. If you are looking for a low maintenance option that is easily operable, it may be best to speak to your chosen window contractor about their sliding window options for your Greenville property. 

Casement and Awning Windows for Maximum Ventilation

While sliding windows are a good option for sunrooms and screened-in porches on your property, they aren’t the top option for anyone trying to maximize their in-home ventilation efforts. In situations where homeowners are trying to optimize their ventilation, it may actually be best to invest in casement or awning windows for your screened-in porch or sunroom. 

These windows open outward, either from the side or bottom, and can catch breezes as they blow past your home. This air is then funneled into your indoor living spaces. You also don’t need to worry about potential pest, dust, and debris intrusions. With interior screens, you can keep tiny insects and other loose debris out of your home. 

However, it is important to consider where you want to place your outdoor furniture and the maintenance of these windows. These windows are generally higher maintenance than other window styles, which may not be appealing to you. Additionally, if your outdoor furniture is situated right next to the windows, casement and awning windows may not be ideal. 

Picture Windows to Showcase Greenville’s Scenic Views

When you live in a place as beautiful as Greenville, you want to be able to capture every beautiful view you can see. That’s why, when considering your window style options, you may find yourself considering picture windows. When you live in historic neighborhoods like North Main, you want to take advantage of every beautiful view you can get. 

Picture windows will provide you with plenty of unobstructed views, allowing you to take full advantage of your beautiful neighborhood. However, these windows may also require more frequent cleaning. Even minor debris buildup can obstruct these views, so it is important to consider this before making the final choice for your home. 

How to Choose Your Perfect Window Styles

If you’re still on the fence about a few window styles, it may be in your best interest to reach out to your window contractors for support. However, before reaching out, consider each of the following to begin eliminating options for your sunroom or screened-in porch:

• Maintenance requirements
• Upfront cost
• Energy efficiency 
• Frame materials
• Window type and function
• Local climate
• Installation

With all of this in mind and the support of a trusted and trained window installation team, you should be able to make the best decision for your home.

Let Us Deliver Expert Windows Today

No matter what window styles you’re considering, our team at Surface Bella is here and ready to help. Our team is committed to providing you with expert support from the moment you reach out to us. Whether you’re on the fence about a specific window style or you’re ready to purchase and schedule installation, we are dedicated to making this process as simple and stress-free as possible. Don’t spend another day working on your own when our team is here and ready to help.

If you are ready to schedule a no-obligation consultation, contact us today. 

Living in Greenville, you get to enjoy quite a few beautiful, sunny days. On average, the city sees over 215 sunny days per year. While this is great for enjoying hikes along the Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail Network or kayaking on Lake Placid in Paris Mountain State Park, this near-constant sunshine can take its toll on your home. 

Over time, UV rays can fade wood-stained fences, older siding, and outdoor furniture. But the problem doesn’t end there. Your indoor furniture, rugs, painting, and more are prone to also fading. But, it doesn’t have to be this way. With low-E glass installed on your home, you can trust that you’re keeping your belongings safe from this fading.

If you’ve dealt with UV damage in the past and want to learn more about how low-E glass can help you keep your home safe from future damage, keep reading. 

What is Low-E Glass, and How Does It Stop UV Damage? 

Low-E glass, also known as low-emissivity glass, is a standard window pane that is treated with a microscopic metallic oxide coating. This coating behaves like a filter, managing solar energy by reflecting infrared heat. Beyond the infrared heat blocking, low-E glass is also capable of blocking up to 99% of harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. But how does it block these rays? 

The coatings on your low-E glass consist of thin layers of silver or tin oxide, and are applied in two or three layers. These metallic particles act like a smart barrier. They allow visible light to pass through, while reflecting UV radiation and infrared heat back, keeping your home cooler and safe from the radiation.

Without a low-E coating on your home, these UV rays enter your home, leading to damage to your carpet, drapes, artwork, hardwood floors, and furniture. This UV radiation can lead to cracking, fading, and discoloring over time, making low-E glass essential for anyone who wants to avoid damage to their home. 

What is the Difference Between Low-E and Tinted Glass?

While low-E glass might seem appealing to Greenville homeowners who’ve dealt with UV damage in the past, they may also consider other protective options. One inexpensive option homeowners may consider is window tinting. But is tinted glass going to provide the same UV protection provided by your low-E windows? 

Although both are capable of blocking UV rays, there are a few significant differences that give low-E windows an advantage. Low-E windows block only select rays, while admitting all other light, whereas tinted glass uses bronze, gray, or blue colorants to absorb solar radiation and blocks all incoming light. 

Additionally, tinted glass doesn’t provide the insulation and energy efficiency boosts that low-E windows are capable of. Finally, tinted glass may darken the view looking out of the window and can reduce the natural light in your room, which can be unappealing to anyone who wants to preserve the view from their home. 

Will Low-E Windows Make Your Home Darker? 

When you hear about low-E windows being coated in microscopic metallic particles, you may worry about the impact it will have on the light in your home. However, this isn’t something you need to worry about. Standard low-E windows transmit up to 80% of visible light and have very little impact on the light conditions in your home.

However, some high-performance windows, with up to 4 coats of the low-E coating, can lead to mild changes in light levels in your home. These high-performance windows may appear slightly darker, either gray or blue in tone. However, this shouldn’t be more significant than window tinting, allowing you to enjoy plenty of natural light. 

Additionally, the incredibly minor change in light levels are used to block the harmful UV rays that may have otherwise damaged your home. The slightly dimmer light levels in your home are going to help you keep your furniture, artwork, flooring, and more safe from future UV damage and restorative costs. 

What are the Disadvantages of Low-E Glass? 

Low-E windows are an incredible investment for your home, making them the best option for anyone looking to prevent UV damage and improve energy efficiency. However, these benefits don’t come without some drawbacks that you’ll want to consider before making the investment. Some of the most significant disadvantages of low-E glass include the following: 

• Higher upfront cost
• Slight reduction in natural light
• Winter heat loss
• Subtle hue or color shifts

While there are a few disadvantages to low-E glass, the major benefits you experience by investing in these windows make them well-worth it. If you’re on the fence, don’t hesitate to contact your window installer for additional support and to ask any questions you may have about their energy-efficient window options. 

Other Features to Look for In Your New Windows

While there are many amazing benefits to investing in low-E glass for your home, this isn’t the only thing you should look for in new, advanced windows for your Greenville home. If you’re considering installing new windows on your home, look for some of these features as well: 

• Quality Frame Materials: If you’re getting new windows, why not look for something with durable frame materials, like vinyl, aluminum, or wood, that are more energy efficient and prone to swelling, warping, and minimal maintenance. 
• Advanced Styles: Window replacement projects allow you to look for a better window style for your home and lifestyle, like casement, double-hung, or picture windows, that are more functional for your space. 
• Ratings & Labels: Consider talking to your window installation team about their Energy Star options to ensure they are rated and certified for the Greenville climate, and the windows U-factor and SHGC ratings. 

Let Surface Bella Install Your High-Quality New Windows

At Surface Bella, we know just how important it is for Greenville homeowners to keep their homes safe, comfortable, and energy efficient. That’s why our team is dedicated to helping you find the highest-quality, most reliable windows for your home. Whether you’re trying to avoid future UV damage or are tired of cool air escaping during the warmest months of the year, we’re confident that our high-quality vinyl windows are the ideal addition to your space. 

If you would like to learn more about our advanced window options, reach out to us today to schedule a no-obligation consultation.