A “house renovation” phase in your life can be an overwhelming and exhausting experience. Many homeowners think that renovation is all about hammer and nails, but it includes the more complex process.

You need to look at nooks and crannies to understand what outcomes you’re going to achieve with different product combinations.

For example, to soundproof your home with triple glazing, you need to understand how different thickness of glass panes affect noise reduction properties.

When triple glazing is not appropriately treated, it can actually amplify the noise.

Careful planning process applies to all types of renovation projects – roofing, flooring, siding and so on.

Windows replacement is not the exception on this list.

Over the last few years, windows sector has become inundated with countless models and types of windows.

They offer you almost endless customization options, from materials like uPVC to timber, double and triple glazing to versatile design options like shape, colour and hardware choice.

It’s not surprising that many people get stuck at the very beginning stage – namely, choosing the type of window.

Tilt and Turn windows are an exceptional choice for those homeowners, who value high performance, durability and enhanced qualities like energy efficiency, security and safety.

Table of contents:

About tilt and turn windows

Tilt and Turn windows are designed to offer classic and contemporary looks for both modern and traditional houses without compromising on innovative engineering.

Tilt & Turn windows are inward opening, which means you can open them like the regular casement windows from the side or tilt from the bottom so that the top sash is angled into the room.

This allows the windows to offer better ventilation and security.

Add the best hardware and thermal glazing, and you’ll get an unmatched balance between durability, solar protection, soundproofing, security and energy efficiency.

How tilt and turn windows work?

Tilt and Turn windows can be operated in three main positions: turned, tilted and closed. Each position offers a range of benefits. Let’s look at them below.

Turned

A fully opening aperture makes cleaning of both the inside and outside effortless and safer, taking out the need for the unnecessary risk of leaning out of the window or climbing a ladder for upstairs windows.

This position also provides a fire escape in the event of an emergency.

Tilted

Turn the handle 180º to allow a window to tilt inwards and create an aperture of 10cm.

Tilt position is ideal for hot summer days when you need a fresh stream of air through the room without the danger of children falling out or getting fingers trapped while playing near open windows.

Closed

Traditional windows are prone to air and water leakage due to the lack of perimeter clip and flock locking system, and that is one of their biggest flaws.

Tilt & Turn windows are built with nearly invisible hinges, which reinforce the air-tightness of the window, keeping your house warm and unaffected by frigid weather.

Why do tilt and turn windows open inwards? Tilt and turn windows open inwards to allow flexible ventilation, cleaning and fire exit in the case of emergency.

#1 Environmentally friendly

Tilt and turn windows produce less waste with 100% recyclable, BPA free, fire-resistant uPVC plastic.

The windows are made of uPVC or unplasticized polyvinyl chloride.

This type of plastic is known for being extremely durable and high-performance material.

uPVC plastic requires little maintenance, which helps to extend your windows’ life service for up to 25 years, and with VEKA profile system for up to 40 years.

Other tremendous advantages of uPVC material include thermal efficiency, sound insulation and great value for money.

#2 Flexibility

Flexibility comes from the varied types of usage, whether it’s in turn, close or tilt positions.

For example, you can ventilate your room using a tilt position.

The tilt position also cuts back on allowing strong breezes into the room.

Many windows are equipped with Roto NT’s wind-proof closure mechanism, which prevents the window from being closed by the strong wind gusts.

This add-on feature is convenient if you live in an area with strong winds.

Easy cleaning is another benefit that makes tilt and turn windows so flexible in use.

Thanks to turn position, you can safely clean the outside part of your windows while inside your home. No more leaning out or climbing ladders to reach the hard spots.

#3 Enhanced safety

Tilt and turn windows are fitted with a multi-opening system which lets homeowners open the window only halfway.

This feature comes in handy when you want to ventilate a room with fresh air but don’t want to compromise on the safety of your children or pets, who might be playing by the windows.

15% of major trauma patients admitted to Alberta Children’s Hospital in 2016 were children who fell out windows.

According to a report, 15% of major trauma patients admitted to Alberta Children’s Hospital in 2016 were children who fell out windows.

Surprisingly, but many modern windows still lack basic safety components.

Even a simple child safety window lock will do the job of reducing the risk of children falling out of windows.

Another valuable safety feature of tilt and turn windows is their ability to open at the full aperture to create a fire exit in the case of an emergency.

With the optional safety glass, your home will be safe inside and out.

#4 Enhanced security

This type of windows is one of the most secure, if not the most secure product on the market.

A great combination of hardware and rigid materials like proven steel reinforcements to give additional strength for safe functioning and burglar resistance – all add as much security to the windows as necessary.

In the book called The Right Way to Do Wrong, Harry Houdini says,

the weakest point about a house is usually a window, and for that reason it is one of the most convenient modes of entry for the burglar. It's so foolishly designed that it must have been invented by somebody who wanted to break in with as little trouble as possible.

Several studies also point that windows are being one of the most preferred ways into single-detached dwellings.

*5 common points of entry for burglars into a house

Even the sound of breaking glass is unlikely to attract the attention of a neighbour, as people usually ignore this type of noise if they hear it once.

But in 70% cases, a burglar doesn’t even need to break the window because they may simply jemmy the frame or hardware of the window.

If your windows frame and hardware are outdated and produced by a mediocre company, then most likely it won’t provide enough resistance to protect a house from forced entry.

*break down of the most common ways to break in a house

You can have the peace of mind by installing secure locks to keep a determined burglar out.

The current security standard for “burglar-inhibiting windows and doors” in housing construction distinguishes between three Burglary Resistance Grades.

• Burglary Resistance Grade 1: Basic protection against physical force, for example, kicking and heaving

• Burglary Resistance Grade 2: Protection against burglary tools such as screwdrivers, pliers and wedges

• Burglary Resistance Grade 3: Additional protection against tools such as crowbars

Roto NT hardware passes the test for each grade with flying colours.

To ensure your windows meet the highest security requirements, we equip tilt and turn windows with Roto NT hardware which gives the best protection for windows and doors.

#5 Excellent energy efficiency ratings

All tilt and turn windows are made of high quality and durable uPVC profile which helps your house achieve an impressive degree of thermal efficiency.

The lack of energy-efficient windows may surge your energy bills by as much as 45%.

Depending on the condition of your windows, around 18 to 35% of heat can be lost through the windows of a house that is not energy efficient, according to the Government of Canada website.

#6 Perfect for both small and large spaces

If space and small windows constrain your house, then tilt and turn windows will fit into a small room layout ideally.

Again, because of its unique mechanism and design, you will never feel a deficiency in space or the need to require more functionality from your windows.

Whether you need to clean the window or ventilate your room, you won’t be restrained by your desires as with the classic windows which offer only a single-point opening mechanism and less flexibility.

Likewise, if you have lots of large windows in the house, you won’t lose out on functionality and smooth operating of your windows.

Operating hardware in a window frame equipped with the Roto Nt hardware can hold a sash up to 330 lbs (150 kg) with regular hinges and 150 lbs (68 kg) with hidden hinges.

With such flexibility, tilt and turn windows provide an aesthetically pleasing view to the outside – with either large or small glass surfaces.

#7 Customization

Sometimes an ability to customize a product outweighs all the logical benefits that come along with better-performing products.

After all, It’s human nature to perceive uniqueness in certain things.

Tilt and turn windows are being extremely customizable.

You have the freedom to choose anything from the type of glass to window profile material, new to classic styles, exterior and interior colour options of handles.

Some clients even choose the direction of tilt to make it even more custom to their properties.

Are Tilt and Turn windows more expensive?

Eventually, the final price of your windows will be impacted by several factors such as size, glazing, type of frame and any other add-on options.

In their most standard configuration, tilt and turn windows are marginally more expensive than hybrid and traditional windows.

The price bump comes from more complicated operating systems which drastically improves safety, security and energy efficiency characteristics of your windows.

Due to different sizes and additional options, it’s hard to draw a standard number for tilt and turn windows.

The best option is to directly contact your local installer of tilt and turn windows for exact prices.

Our advice is to compare at least three quotes from your local companies, taking into account the following:

• Profile system

• Hardware such as handles, locking system, wind-proof system, security features and so on

• Glazing including laminated and tempered plus any additional features like soundproof glass or Cardinal’s Neat® technology of naturally clean glass

• Any finishing touches like colour, protective film and others