WINDOWS Recently I hadproblem about a cat entering and sitting in the store room of my homeelongating it’s body and entering through grill work of the sit-out. It wasdecided to provide net over the grill work to avoid the menace. After the workand painting done, my wife desired painting of two single pane windows of thekitchen. At that time itself I was thinking of writing about the windows. Somenostalgic information only. Not much informative part is there in my posting.
Gopala Krishnan29-9-21 1 Windows with double sash and iron roads fitted inthe frame. In my boyhooddays there were two types of windows. One with standard four feet height andthree feet width and two sashes hinged to sides and locking them with bolts. In ManyGovernment schools, no iron rods were provided as guards. In homes iron rodswere provided, inserting to frame vertically. Naughty Studentsused to get in and get out through opened sashes. Window sashes were mostlyjack wood planks. Glass panels in sashes were there in some aristocraticbuildings and bungalows. The othertype was smaller ones with 2 feet height and 1.5 feet width, mostly provided inkitchen. 2 Instead of vertical rods, horizontal rods The iron rodsused to corrode due to rain water falling etc. at the bottom of the windows andbecome very thin and might break. Removing them and setting right with new rodswas herculean task. In olden days wooden blocks were inserted and nailedremoving corroded portion of the rods. Some body’sthinking, new homes started appearing with windows having horizontal rods.Instead of rods even hard wooden rods were started appearing in widows. 3. Windows having an upper framework with rods abovethe normal one. Thisfacilitated sunlight to certain extent when window was closed. Especially in bed rooms. There was an argumenthot air might pass through this area, and cold air would get in through thebottom of the window. Some windows had a closure to this portion also, butnormally kept open. I recollect answering question about the advantage of the upperframe in windows in middle school. My high school and college buildings werehaving windows of this type. Many doors too had an upper frame. 4 More sashes for windows Instead oftwo sashes three and four sashes windows started appearing. It increased lightin the room. In the added sashes they were either fixed to frame or hingedtogether. 5. Whether windows should open to inside or outside Where as inKerala window panes opened to outside, in Tamilnadu they opened to insideearlier. Now in Tamilnadu also windows are opening to outside. At one time thespace in the bottom of the window was used to keep comb, brush, powder etc. Itwas not the period of separate dressing table. Men used to keep purse, keys,spectacles etc. in that space. In Tamilnadu windowframe is kept in line with inner wall where as in Kerala it is kept in linewith outer wall, giving this space. I recollect my father keeping his snuff,reading glass etc. in the bottom of the frame. When I went to college my studytable was close to a window and ink, different pens etc. were kept in thebottom of the window. 5. Change in window height. Especially inBangalore it started windows with 5 feet height especially in drawing room.However it was not adopted much in Kerala and Tamilnadu 6. Instead of rods grill work It was a bigchange. Now most homes have windows with grill work in the frame. This grillwork was earlier screwed to frame. While it was easily possible to enter unscrewingthe grill frame for thieves, the screw head was jammed with hammer as a safetymeasure. Later the grill work started appearing inserting into wooden frame work. Earlier the grill work was with flowersor other designs, nowadays simply grill cross roads welded and inserted toframe work. 7. Window sashes with granulated glass in frames Havingscarcity of wood now mostly granulated glass is inserted to window sash. Onefrom outside cannot see through this glass. This glass is strengthened by reinforcementof other materials during production. This continues now. 8 Air hole in the top of rooms Especially inKerala large air holes were provided in Kerala during building works, below RCCon top of wall at definite intervals. Not only air, light also appeared in daytime through air hole. Now with air-conditioning in many homes in Kerala it isclosed partially. Tamilnadu somehow did not provide air holes in buildings. 9 Metal net. Though costlyaluminum wire net in frame work is fitted inside window now as another sashinside. One can freely open the window, the metal net prevent any thing gettingin. This net of course reduce 50% flow of air, initially one may feel less air,but in course get accustomed. In fact many may not feel the net provided unlesscarefully watched. 10 Single sash, split and small windows In modern homessingle pane windows are provided in kitchen, small windows in work area The sash is splitin to two in bed rooms. By closing bottom sash, without any worry dressing canbe done in bed room by women if no separate dress room is there. 11. Bottom fixing of tiles If the windowis fitted in par with inner walls, the bottom of the window may collect dust inthe outside. If tiles are provided there, cleaning of tiles is easy. 12 Provision of curtains The windowsare invariably provided with curtains. During rain with lightening, lighteningmay refract through glass, curtain avoids the effect this. 13. Window with front door. In place ofmagic eye a side window of single sash is provided with grill work and glass insash. On hearing call bell, safely onecan open the window and see the person outside before opening the door. One caneasily dispose a stranger talking from closed sit out. This is importantespecially in cities. 14. Opening glass pane. If split ACis functioning in night in the bed room, ensure one window sash is opened atleast 45 degrees so that fresh air is sucked by AC Unit. In the day time ensure one window is openedfully so that no creatures get in for the chillness in to bed room. In Many homessashes are opened once a while in store room etc. However cleaning once a monthall sashes and grill work and window frame might ensure more hygiene andappearance -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/1859684834.256353.1632920001226%40mail.yahoo.com.
