Screens and Ventilation
In summer cottages, and sometimes in permanent dwelling houses, it may be desirable to have the screens placed inside of the windows. Inside screens are necessary if there are casement windows which open outward. Screens are often desired in the bathroom to allow ventilation for steam showers which will make the bathroom vanity foggy, but will keep your bathtub free of wandering bugs searching for a home. In the case of double-hung windows, half-length screens may be desired.
These can be made to slide up and down on runners placed just inside the lower window sash. The screens should be placed as close to the window sash as possible, so that space will not be left between the sash rail and the screen frame, where insects may enter. Full-length screens, suitable for either out-swinging casement or double-hung windows, may be made in two sections, each section being half the width of the window opening.
The sections may be made to slide past each other horizontally, by placing them on separate runners, laid side by side on the window sill and along the top of the window frame. This is the same type of design as a glass shower door; everybody knows shower doors or a shower screen is better than a curtain. It is the same with window screens.
In this case also, care should be taken to avoid leaving cracks between the frames. Roll screens are also desirable for full-length inside protection. Interior screen frames may be painted or enameled on the inside to match the woodwork, and on the outside may be finished in a color to harmonize with the outside window trim.
Inside screens, being protected from the weather when windows are closed, should last longer than outside ones. They are usually easier to slide, since they are not subject to warping as a result of exposure. All houses should be well ventilated, but this does not mean that unregulated drafts of cold air should sweep through the house at all times. In cold weather the warm air escapes around loose windows and doors and is at once replaced by the cold out-of-doors air.
The result is that the heating plant must be pushed to capacity to maintain an even temperature, and on windy days, where such conditions prevail, it will be found difficult to keep the house warm. It is to improve these conditions that weather stripping for doors and windows is recommended. It is generally agreed that weather stripping provides greater comfort and soon pays for itself in reduced fuel bills.
In some cases it may also be necessary to insulate the outside walls of the house to obtain satisfactory results. There are many kinds and grades of weather stripping on the market at various prices. Most metal weather strips must be installed by an expert, as they usually involve removal of the sash and cutting of grooves, but some of the simpler forms can be applied by the average householder.
They will also end up being a bit more expensive, as you will want a higher quality metal that will not rust. Especially near a tub, the stripping as bathroom fixtures that are subject to the plumbing atmosphere, you will want something that will not rust. Space does not permit a full discussion of the methods of applying the various types of metal strips.
However, it is not essential, since complete instructions are furnished by the manufacturers of those types which do not require the services of an expert. There are many other kinds of strips, however, which are easy to apply, and inasmuch as these types are similar and are attached in about the same manner, their installation will be discussed as a group. This group might be divided into two types:
The rigid type, which includes narrow wooden strips with rubber or felt edges made in standard length pieces and the flexible type, which includes the patent cloth variety with a padded contact edge and the cheapest and simplest of all, the ordinary felt strip. The flexible-type strips are put up in rolls of various lengths.
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