What is panoramic glass?
Windows in a panoramic balcony should be the entire wall. In this case, you will get an excellent opportunity to see the landscapes outside the window.
By the way, real estate dealers often raise the price of an apartment precisely because it has a balcony with panoramic windows.
The main thing is that behind the glass there is a pleasant view: a forest, a river, beautiful buildings. After all, a rare person will be interested in looking at a factory, market or parking lot.
Another advantage of panoramic balcony glazing is the rigidity of the structure, which will certainly last longer than usual.
For this technology, exclusively energy-saving glass is used. Not only are they durable and have ideal performance characteristics, but you will also have the opportunity to be soundproofed.
Cold type glazing of balconies
This method involves installing non-sealed windows, the main task of which is to protect the balcony and room from dust and precipitation. Cold glazing is appropriate when the loggia is not connected to the room, but is a separate structure with a hermetically sealed door and a good double-glazed window.
The following can be used as cold floor glazing:
- Frameless glass structures. These loggias look very modern and stylish. They do not at all burden the appearance of the balcony or the load on the concrete slab, since they do not have frames at all. Such glasses are usually installed on metal guides, and it is more convenient to open them using a sliding method. The cost of frameless windows is approximately three times higher than the price of conventional double-glazed windows with plastic frames. But it is these types of balcony designs that give the maximum feeling of spaciousness, visually expand the space, make the apartment brighter, and look expensive and luxurious. And yet, frameless windows will not be able to provide the apartment with good sound insulation and heat conservation. The balcony can only be used during the warm season.
- Panoramic windows with aluminum frames are also classified as a cold type of glazing for balconies. These structures are more expensive than metal-plastic profiles, but will cost less than frameless glazing. Aluminum windows are safer, because the frames themselves are protective elements that prevent people from falling out of the balcony. Unfortunately, it is not possible to install a sealed glass unit in aluminum guides. Soft metal structures can become deformed due to temperature fluctuations. Such a balcony should also be used only in summer; in winter it will not be much warmer there than outside.
Panoramic windows on the balcony
Such loggias are usually made not only in multi-storey buildings. This feature can be used in different ways.
Typically, designers offer frameless glazing:
- creating a presentable appearance of the apartment;
- visual enlargement of the room.
In addition to the positive aspects, there are several disadvantages:
- keeping clean is much more difficult;
- if you live in a high-rise building, you will have to call specialists to clean the glass outside;
- it is necessary to apply a tint film;
- you will have to take care of additional ventilation;
- In winter, to prevent the windows from becoming covered with frost, you need to install an additional convector.
Decoration of a balcony with panoramic glass
The design of a balcony with panoramic glazing can and should be thought through to the smallest detail. This will not be difficult for you, since there are a lot of options. You can verify this by looking at photos of panoramic balconies.
The balcony in which you decorate the winter garden will look gorgeous. In addition, a rather narrow balcony is also suitable for this. You just need to take care of the shelves and flower holders.
There is a larger balcony, so you can organize an office here. The only thing that needs to be taken into account is adhering to the minimalist style.
The balcony will look nice as an extension of the room space.
Disadvantages of panoramic glazing
This type of glazing, despite the abundance of advantages, has some disadvantages.
Design disadvantages:
- the need for a fairly long period of time to restore order, which should be organized on a regular basis;
- difficulties with the ability to reach every outer corner of the structure;
- the influence of climatic conditions, when, under the influence of outside temperature, the room becomes too hot or cold;
- the high cost of creating a design project;
- increased visibility of the interior space from the street.
Systematic care of loggia windows
The panorama fills the entire space from floor to ceiling. This creates difficulties for cleaning the glass surface from contaminants that invariably arise under the influence of dust, precipitation, and wind.
If cleaning is not carried out regularly, there is a high probability that the visibility from such a window, as well as its aesthetic qualities, will deteriorate. This is especially obvious when the house is located close to industrial enterprises, which often produce harmful emissions.
It will be difficult to cope with cleaning the surface on your own. It is much more efficient and safer (especially for residents of the upper floors) to hire special cleaning companies for these purposes. Unfortunately, this will entail additional financial expenses.
Lack of access to the outer surface
The loggia is fenced with panoramic glazing, practically denying access to its external surfaces. This interferes with the safety of the owners, and also creates difficulties in caring for the glass.
An accidental hit by a sharp object can break the glass or damage its integrity, reducing the safety of the entire structure. Falling debris can be quite dangerous, both for the interior and the area around the house.
Important! Installing a single panorama completely eliminates the possibility of ventilating the rooms.
Summer heat
Panoramic glazing of a loggia, in addition to the advantage of the constant presence of daylight, can also create problems of the same nature. In winter, additional light is beneficial, but in summer, it is accompanied by strong heating of the room. This problem especially often occurs in rooms whose windows face south or east, when the sun shines directly on the loggia in the morning.
In extreme heat it becomes simply impossible to stay there. Thick curtains, blinds, and special blackout designs will help improve the situation a little. They will protect the space from sun penetration, but will visually narrow the space.
Important! To protect the room from heating by the sun, but at the same time not to clutter up the space, experts recommend using translucent fabrics and curtains with lifting mechanisms.
Winter cold
The winter period can also create some problems. Despite the fact that the problem of cold penetration can be solved by installing energy-saving double-glazed windows, the cold floor will not go away.
When the cold season begins, window openings will fog up due to the temperature difference between inside and outside. To prevent the situation, warm converters are installed and electrically heated floors are installed. For these purposes, you will have to spend a lot of financial resources, but the expenses will be paid off by the comfort of being on such a balcony.
High cost of design and construction
When assessing the pros and cons of a panoramic window mounted on a balcony, we must not forget about the price factor.
The cost of such devices consists of:
- design complexity;
- use of complex technologies;
- use of a special tool;
- the need to equip this room with insulating equipment.
View of the premises from the street
One of the disadvantages of such equipment is that the panorama creates a complete opening of the internal space to prying eyes. That is, all people passing by the house, or neighbors living in the building located opposite, will know what is happening inside the apartment.
To get rid of this problem, curtains are suitable, but they will also prevent daylight from penetrating inside. As you can see, this device will negate all the efforts of the owners who installed such a structure to save energy.
Important! The installation of ventilation devices that require financial investments is mandatory.
Summarize
So that you can enjoy the view behind the glass, and your neighbors do not have the opportunity to see what and when you are doing in your apartment, you need to take care of a mirror film or install blinds.
By the way, blinds will also help protect the balcony from the sun and summer heat.
The choice is yours!
