It’s not uncommon for people to believe that residential and commercial windows are interchangeable. Windows are windows, and the only real differences are in size, style, and how they’re installed, right? However, this isn’t the case. Residential and commercial windows actually have a fair amount of differences due to their own unique purposes in what residential vs commercial windows are expected to do. Here’s what you need to know about residential vs commercial windows and why they’re not interchangeable.
Residential Vs Commercial Windows? What Are The Differences?
For something that shares a name and purpose, you’d be shocked to learn just how different residential vs commercial windows are. While technically you could try to install residential windows in a commercial building and commercial windows in a residential building, you’d run into a lot of challenges due to their differences in structure, thickness, build, designs, and more. The differences between residential vs commercial windows are as follows.
Glass Strength
Commercial windows need to be stronger than residential windows because they’re subject to higher wind speeds and more exposure to the elements. Since commercial buildings are usually a lot taller than houses, they can take a significant beating from Mother Nature, and commercial windows need to be able to withstand that. They also need to provide more security, for protection of the building, products, and information in it.
On the other hand, residential windows can get away with less glass strength because they’re lower to the ground, typically take up a lot less square footage than commercial windows, and are protected by surrounding trees and other homes. If you tried to install residential windows in a commercial building, you’d likely run into a lot of issues, ranging from less protection, more damages, and a lessened capability to be able to work with the structure, since they are made for smaller structures that don’t need as much glass strength.
Solar Heat Gain
A significant difference between residential vs commercial windows is that they serve opposing purposes when it comes to solar heat. Commercial buildings generate a lot of internal heat from all the electricity, from the larger amount of people going in and out, and if commercial windows didn’t block excessive solar heat, this can lead to overheating and other problems within commercial buildings.
On the other hand, in residential buildings, you want your windows to be able to let solar heat in, in order to reduce your energy expenses. Plus, residential buildings have far less people than commercial buildings, and don’t generate anywhere near as much interior heat.
Because of this, when it comes to residential vs commercial windows, commercial windows are coated and glazed to have higher U-factor ratings, in order to ensure that the interior of the building remains comfortable. Residential windows don’t need to have that specialized coating and glazing that commercial windows do because they can get away with having lower U-factor ratings, as they’re already energy efficient in smaller spaces.
Durability
While both windows are meant to be very durable, a key difference between residential vs commercial windows is just how durable they are. Commercial windows are a lot more difficult to install than residential windows and must withstand a lot more pressure from structural load and the elements. As such, commercial windows must be more durable than residential windows, which are easier to replace by comparison and don’t have to deal with the same amount of pressures.
Aesthetics
Residential windows can be customized in a wide variety of ways. You can mess with the shapes and styles and where you have them installed in order to create the home of your dreams. Commercial windows don’t have that luxury, because they have a specific purpose, place, and must be functional, allowing as much light as possible into the building.
Installation And Cost
Residential windows are smaller, take less material to make, and although they can be customized, they’re usually already made for people to just choose from. Commercial windows are usually bigger, requiring more materials to make, and typically need to be customized to each building. Residential windows usually don’t take too long to install, but commercial windows need special equipment to install and require a much more involved process to ensure they’re done right.
This makes the pricing between residential vs commercial windows significant, because the prices account for the differences in materials, as well as the varied difficulty in the installation process.
Do You Want To Learn More About Residential Vs Commercial Windows?
While this article lists some of the differences between residential vs commercial windows, it isn’t a comprehensive list. If you’d like to learn more about residential vs commercial windows and their unique purposes, don’t hesitate to contact Moyes Glass today! We offer residential and commercial windows, so we’re well versed in their strong suits and why one is less suited to one kind of building than the other.