If you’re like many homeowners here in the Minneapolis area, you have double hung windows in your home. Do you ever give them a second thought? Have you ever wondered about their history?
Most people make use of windows throughout their homes without ever really considering where they first originated or why we have windows at all. The story behind early windows is an interesting one, and something that’s worth learning about. Take a few minutes to go over how early windows came to be, and how they developed over time.
Initially windows were just holes in the walls of a house. They were designed to allow light and air into the space. Most of the time these holes were closed off using hides, board, wood or cloth, and then they were opened up as needed.
After centuries of using covered holes as windows, shutters were developed. These made it easy to allow light and air into the home, and to block off bugs and other critters during certain times of the day. A quick hand movement is all it took to open or close these creations that work very similarly to blinds used today over top of standard windows.
After shutters were developed, people began experimenting with materials that would allow light to shine through without actually letting in air, pests and other things. Many windows started out as a translucent paper material that did just that. There was also a material called isinglass (mica) which let in light, but it was semi-opaque and so you couldn’t see out of it. Eventually clear glass was created and people began using thin panes of the material to create basic windows.
Basic windows were relied upon for centuries before they were advanced to the sophistication that they are today. Slowly window frames came in use and methods to open and close the windows were incorporated. Double hung windows as we know them today were developed in the United Kingdom and moved over to the United States through colonization. They originally relied on counter weights to go up and down, but have since been developed to use simpler frame designs that allow the user to slide them up and down without heavy weights and pulley systems.
(Double hung windows are a variation of the single hung window where only one sash moves.) Here are some differences between double and single hung windows you should be aware of.
Modern-day windows have been in development for centuries now, and they are still being enhanced and modified to work even better than they already do. It’s interesting to see the progression that they went through to reach their modern-day counterparts.
Are you ready to get new windows put in your home? Call us here at Window Outfitters to get started. We are a licensed Minnesota home remodeling company serving the entire Minneapolis and St. Paul metro area, and we specialize in replacement windows and entry doors. We’ve got plenty of double hung windows for you to choose from, plus a lot of other styles, too.
Window Outfitters is a premier Window Replacement, doors, siding contractor and installer. As Contractor in the St Paul, Minneapolis, (Twin Cities) Minnesota (MN) metro, we proudly serve, but are not limited to, the following areas: Minneapolis Energy Efficient Vinyl Windows, Replacement Window Contractors Minnesota, Burnsville, Apple Valley, Lakeville, Savage, Bloomington, Edina, Richfield, Eagan, St Paul, Hastings, Minnetonka, Plymouth, Maple Grove, Eden Prairie, Farmington MN, Chaska, Shakopee, Chanhassen, Victoria, Mendota Heights Anderson Windows Minneapolis, Marvin Windows Minneapolis.
