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Testimonials
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Please use our glossary to help become more familiar with the words, terms and phrases commonly found and used in the screens, windows and doors industry. You may either display the set of terms by A-Z or use our search form below to look for a particular term.
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| AAMA |
| American Architectural Manufacturers Association - a window industry organization that establishes voluntary standards, in AAMA/NWWDA 101/I.S.2-97, certification to those standards, and designations, e.g., H-C45. In addition, AAMA developed five well-accepted performance classes - Residential (R), Light Commercial (LC), Commercial (C), Heavy Commercial (HC), and Architectural (AW) – which assist architects, specifiers, and building owners in defining the appropriate window performance required for each application. |
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| Absorptance |
| The ratio of radiant energy absorbed to total incident radiant energy in a glazing system. |
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| Acoustic Windows |
| Windows used to help reduce the amount of sound that enters the home. |
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| Acrylic |
| A general purpose glazing material with excellent optical clarity, weather durability, good chemical resistance and thermoformability. |
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| Active Leaf |
| Usually the first operating leaf in a door having a pair of leaves; the leaf to which the latching or locking mechanism is attached. |
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| ADA Threshold |
| A wheelchair-accessible door threshold. This type of threshold is not to exceed 3/4" in height for exterior sliding doors or 1/2" for other types of doors. |
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| Adjustment Clip |
| Hardware on hung window jambs to align jambs after window installation. |
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| Aerogel |
| A microporous, transparent silicate foam used as a glazing cavity fill material, offering possible U-values below 0.10 BTU/(h-sq ft-°F) or 0.56 W/(sq m-°C). |
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| AIA |
| American Institute of Architects. |
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| AIF |
| Acoustic Insulation Factor, a sound-transmission measure used in Canada. |
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| Air Infiltration Rate |
| The amount of air leaking in and out of a building through cracks in walls, windows, and doors (the lower, the better). Usually expressed as cfm per square foot of window area. |
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| Air Leakage |
| The volume of air which flows through a closed window or door in a given length of time as a result of the difference in air pressure on its opposite faces. |
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| Allowable Stress |
| The maximum unit stress permitted under working loads by codes and specifications. |
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| Alloy |
| A composition of two or more metals to obtain a desired property. |
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| Ambient Temperature |
| Temperature at a given set of environmental conditions. Typically, the surrounding localized air temperature. |
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| Anchor |
| Any device used to secure a building part or component to adjoining construction or to a supporting member. |
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| Anneal |
| To soften a metal piece and remove internal stresses by heating the piece to its critical temperature and allowing it to cool very slowly. |
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| Annealed Glass |
| Glass that has not been heat-treated and is essentially strain free; often referred to as " float glass." |
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| Annealing |
| Heating above the critical or recrystallization temperature, then controlled cooling of metal, glass, or other materials to eliminate the effects of cold-working, relieving internal stresses, ductility, or other properties. |
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| Anodic Coating |
| The surface finish resulting from anodizing. Coatings may be produced by clear, integral color or electrolytically deposited color processes. Also see Anodize. |
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| Anodize |
| The process that provides a hard, durable oxide film on the surface of aluminum, by electrolytic action. |
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| ANSI |
| American National Standards Institute is an independent association of trade organizations, technical societies, professional groups and consumer organizations which establishes and publishes standards at the national level. |
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| Apron |
| The finished board placed against the wall surface immediately below a window stool. |
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| Arch Window |
| Half-circle picture window. |
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| Argon Gas |
| A colorless and odorless gas used to fill the airspace between panes of insulating glass. The addition of argon greatly increases the thermal performance of a window by minimizing heat transfer. |
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| ASCE |
| American Society of Civil Engineers which set standards for materials, e.g., ASCE 7-93 (formerly ANSI A58.1) "Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures." |
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| ASHRAE |
| American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers. |
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| ASTM |
| American Society for Testing and Materials. A nonprofit organization that establishes standard tests and specifications for construction materials; such tests and specifications usually are referred to by the abbreviation ASTM followed by a numerical designation. |
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| Astragal |
| An extrusion that joins two sash which are in the same window track. |
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| Attenuation |
| Reduction in strength of sound measured in decibels (dBs). |
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| Automatic Operator |
| Power-operated, door-activated device and control, actuated by approaching traffic or remote switch. |
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| Awning Window |
| A type of window with a top-hinged sash that swings out at the bottom. |
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