If you live in a coastal area, then you are probably familiar with Jalousie Windows, they are typically made of glass, wooden or acrylic louvers, that actually somewhat look like blinds, with each louver sitting on top of the other in an overlap pattern to form a large pane of glass. A track is used to lock the louvers together, which allows them to be titled open or to close them and this is how you control the amount of airflow that comes through the window. To operate them you will either need to use a turn screw or crank mechanism. To open the window you will turn the crank in one direction that will open the louvers outward and to close the window you would just turn the crank in the opposite direction which will fold the slats down.
They are best suited for rooms that do not need to be climate controlled or for homes that are in regions that have mild weather conditions. Here are a few pros and cons about jalousie windows and why you may want to consider replacing them with impact resistant windows in your home:
Pros of Jalousie Windows
They provide great ventilation for any room in your home and this because of the slatted design, which basically means the entire windows from top to bottom can be opened and as a result you will get a larger amount of air flowing through the windows which will also improve the circulation of air and the air quality in your home. And if it rains and these types of windows are open then you don’t have to worry as the design of these windows with the slats being slanted will keep the water out of your home, while at the same time allowing cool, fresh air in.
These types of windows provide an open view, which means you will have a much larger viewing area. And when it comes to repairs you will love these windows as it’s really easy to take out a broken glass slat and replace it with a new one. So unlike other windows where you may have to replace the entire window if the glass pane breaks, with Jalousie windows all you need to do is change the broken panel. Even the mechanism to open and close the window is easy to repair.
Cons of Jalousie Windows
The biggest advantage of Jalousie windows, which is maximum ventilation is also its greatest disadvantage, as you can’t seal these windows so they are not energy efficient and if you have them you are probably already paying higher energy cost each month just for having these windows and they are not secure from intruders as they can silently and easily remove the slats. These are just some of the reasons that in some areas the building department will no longer approve a permit to install Jalousie windows.