Windows don’t only let beautiful sunshine into your home, but they also serve as a means of ventilation. If you do not have central air conditioning or want to reduce your reliance on central AC, good ventilation may be one of the key qualities you look for in new windows.

Air flow is also vital in rooms like the bathroom and kitchen where the window may be used to let vapor or heat out of the space.

If great ventilation is on your list of optimal window features, there are three key styles of windows to consider for your home.

Casement Windows

Casement windows are a type of window that is mounted on a hinge, either on the left-hand or right-hand side. When you turn a crank at the base of the window, the window pane hinges outward at an angle.

Breezes that cross the open window pane are funneled into the home. Because of this cross-breeze effect, casement windows offer superior ventilation to hung windows, which open by sliding up and down within the frame.

You can use casement windows throughout your home. Though they are popular in bathrooms and kitchens, they look just good in a living room or dining room. As an added benefit, when you close a casement window, the sash seals so tightly into the frame that air cannot leak through.

For this reason, casement windows are quite popular with homeowners who value energy efficiency. They keep the home cool without air conditioning in the spring and fall, and they prevent chilly drafts and high heating bills in the winter.

Awning Windows

Awning windows are hung on hinges along the top of the frame and hinge open when you turn a crank at the base of the window frame. When the window is open, the glass pane forms an awning-like projection over the window opening-thus the windows’ name.

Awning windows are typically only used in small, rectangular window openings, like those above counters and in bathrooms. Some homeowners also place small awning windows over larger hung or fixed windows in living rooms, dining rooms, or bedrooms.

Awning windows aren’t quite as good at catching cross-breezes as casement windows, but they have another big benefit. You can leave them open for ventilation even when it’s drizzling outside or rain is expected. The awning keeps rain from coming in through the open window. If you want the freedom to leave a bathroom or kitchen window open for ventilation while you’re away for the day, an awning window is a perfect choice.

Bay Windows

Bay windows are a series of three side-by-side windows that project from the home’s exterior wall at an angle. The central window is often a fixed window, but the windows on either side can be casement or hung windows. In either case, bay windows are great for ventilation because the two side windows, placed at opposite angles, catch breezes flowing in multiple directions.

You do need a rather large window opening to accommodate a bay window. They tend to be the focal point of a room, so they are common in living rooms and dining rooms, though you sometimes see them in large kitchens. If you currently have a picture window, your window replacement team can put a bay window in its place to enhance ventilation and add character to the room.

If your windows are not providing you with enough ventilation, replacing some or all of them with casement, awning, or bay windows will help bring more fresh air into your home. Contact the experts at  Fischer Window and Door Store to learn more about our options and window replacement process.