One of the aspects about our business of which we are particularly proud is that we custom-make every Breezway Altair Louvre Window order.
This allows us to offer an endless variety of adjustable louvre window customising choices to meet the varying needs of our customers. Not all of our customers make use of these customising choices though, partly because of the time and thought we put into deciding the standard louvre window configurations. The standard positioning of louvre handles is a good example.
STANDARD LOUVRE WINDOW HANDLE POSITIONS
Unless otherwise specified, we position our louvre handles to the left of the glass (viewed from inside) so that they are easy to operate using the right hand. With studies suggesting that 70-90% of the population is right-handed, this handle position will suit the majority of users.
Additionally, based on the height of the aluminium or timber louvre window, we make some assumptions about the height at which the window will be installed and then position the louvre handles to be within easy reach. For example, we assume a window 1,200mm high will be installed with the bottom of the window around waist height, so position the top handle lower on the window to be within reach. Similarly we assume a window over 2,000mm high will be installed with the bottom of the window around floor level, so we position the lowest handle to be reachable without having to bend too far over.
View Altair Louvre handle types.
THREE LOUVRE WINDOW HANDLE CUSTOMISING CHOICES
1. Handles on each Altair Louvre Window bay can be positioned to either the left or the right of the glass.
2. Handle positions can be adjusted vertically.*
3. Additional louvre handles can be added.*
*Notes:
- At least one louvre window blade must always be above or below each handle
- Each handle can operate a maximum of 9 blades
- Not available with the Breezway Innoscreen Window System
CUSTOMISED LOUVRE WINDOW HANDLE POSITIONS – 6 FACTORS TO CONSIDER
1. Left-handedness
While adjustable louvre window handles positioned to the left of the glass will not be difficult to operate, left-handed homeowners or building occupants may find it a little more comfortable to operate handles positioned to the right hand side of the glass.
(Fun fact: Being left-handed gives some advantages in one-on-one interactive sports like tennis, fencing and judo, but no advantage in sports like golf or swimming where competitors are not required to react to an opponent’s actions.)
2. Group handles together
Breezway Altair Louvre Windows with multiple handles in close proximity will be quicker and easier to open and close as both handles can be operated simultaneously using both hands. The obvious application for this is to position handles ‘back-to-back’ on side-by-side windows.
3. Avoid obstructions
If building fixtures like hand-rails, towel rails (damp towels dry much quicker next to an open window), or built-in desks are close to Altair Louvre Windows, attention should be paid to the handle positions to ensure that they are easily reachable. Simply adjusting the vertical position of a handle can make the difference between a window that can be effortlessly opened and a window that remains forever closed because it is too awkward to get to the handle.
The aluminium louvre window behind this built-in desk is a great example – a handle in line with the desk would be difficult to operate, as would a handle just below the desk.
4. Windows to corners
Remembering that when the louvre window is open, the handles protrude to the inside of the window, it is a good idea to avoid positioning handles side-by-side in corners.
5. Windows besides doors
Handles should be positioned away from the hinged side of a door to maximise the angle to which the door can open. A fixed door stop is also a good idea to prevent interference between the door and the handles or clips.
6. Windows over counters
Deep counters can limit how high up an aluminium or timber louvre window one can reach. In these situations it’s a good idea to have the top handle control the top 9 blades and position the handle as low as possible, even if this results in a louvre window with the lower 3 blades controlled by one handle and the upper 9 blades controlled by another handle which is positioned lower down on the window.
NO HANDLES
In some instances the most convenient option is a Powerlouvre Window with no handles at all (while not strictly speaking a handle customising option because there are no handles, still relevant to this topic). Altair Powerlouvre Windows remove any need to think about the positioning of handles and, if paired with the Powerlouvre Apptivate Control Unit, allow you to control the windows remotely from your smartphone or set them to operate automatically in response to timers or the in-built temperature sensor. Visit www.breezway.com.au/powerlouvre/ for more details.
