Guide to Defects in Slider or Glider Windows
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List of common window defects where glider windows or slide windows are installed
How to inspect slider or glider windows
Questions & Answers about gliding / sliding window problems
Window & door manufacturers list: where to buy windows & doors, flashings, skylights

This article describes common defects (air or water leaks, out of square, operating difficulties) found in slider windows used in residential buildings

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Sliding Windows or Gliding Windows - Inspection Guide

Sliding and casement windows (C) DanieL Friedman

See our Window Types, Guide article series where we describe the selection and installation of windows and doors, following best construction and design practices for building lighting and ventilation, with attention to the impact on building heating and cooling costs, indoor air quality, and comfort of occupants. We review the proper installation details for windows and doors, and we compare the durability of different window and door materials and types.

See WINDOWS & DOORS our home page for window and door information, and also see WINDOW TYPES - Photo Guide for a photographic guide to window and door types and architectural styles. Our links at page left provide in-depth articles on window and door selection, inspection, installation, problem diagnosis, and repair.

Slider windows such as the page top installation on a cabin in Northern Minnesota and at left at a New York home can offer large horizontal expanses of glass and operable sash that do not interfere with interior or exterior space.

Our photo shows Andeson gliding windows (photo-right) that we [DJF] recently had installed during a log cabin renovation in Two Harbors, MN.

As discussed in Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction Chapter 3, BEST PRACTICES GUIDE: WINDOWS & DOORS, designing a window that slides sideways presents some challenges that we list here:

The lower track must rely on weep holes to drain away water, and second, any grit that collects in the lower track tends to impair the sliding action.
If the weeps clog up, water may find its way into the sill or framing over time. Also, pushing a stuck window sideways is an awkward motion that tends to strain the back. (Also see STORM WINDOW WEEP HOLES).
As with double-hung windows, ventilation is limited to rougly 50% of the framed opening, and slide-by weather-seals are less effective than compression seals. And if the slider is large enough it can also qualify as an egress window.

List of Glider / Slider Window Defects

To avoid problems with slider windows, look for high-quality windows that slide freely. Also, consider alternatives such as a picture window with a casement along one side for ventilation. On some glider windows, especially high-volume lower-quality units we [DJF] have observed these defects:

Glider window details (C) Daniel Friedman

Lost window glass seal and condensation in insulated glass gliding windows [see photo below right]
Improper installation of the glider window into a rough opening and ultimately finish opening that is out of square. The result can be poor window sealing, difficulty latching the window shut, and air or water leaks.
Air leaks around the window frame
Water leaks into the building wall and rot or insect damage traced to a gliding window frame that does not drain properly, possibly debris-clogged drain openings
Sloppy flashing or caulking around the window leading to leaks into the building walls
Vicinity caulking at windows - is not a problem unique to gliding windows, our photo (above left ) shows what we call "vicinity caulking" - the installer placed caulk "in the vicinity of" the joint between the window and the building exterior siding.

Rusted out steel glider slider window (C) Daniel Friedman

Openings in sealant around windows allow water to leak into the wall. A casual inspection may see caulk and not recognize that the caulk or sealant was not applied effectively.

Most modern windows include an installing flange that deters leaks into the wall cavity at these defects, but sending wind-blown rain behind the wood siding on the home in our photo above risks siding damage and rot or insect attack on the structure.

Rust-out of the frame or track on steel-framed glider windows. We suspect that clogged sliding window track drain openings contributes to this problem, shown in our photo [above-left]. .

Examples of Antique & Site-Built Slider/Glider Windows

Below we illustrate a wood framed sash multi-light sliding window installed in a stone masonry building in Buenos Aires (below left), circa 1935, and a site-built wood frame slider installed in the same Minnesota green cabin shown at page top, but before renovations (below right).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Sliding or Gliding Windows

Question:books on details of antique metal sliding windows?

Are there any book or article in the website that shows details or sections of an old metal sliding window? (or gliding window, I don't know the correct name) thanks! - M.O.

Metal slider window drain opening clog (C) D Friedman

Metal gliding window (C) Daniel Friedman

Reply:

We call them sliding windows but window manufacturers such as Anderson Windows & Doors calls them gliding windows. Our photos at left illustrate a 19780's metal frame slider window that was one of most on a condominium complex, all of which had lost their seal, leading to fogging between the panes of the double-glazed unit.

Our slider windows above show a clogged drain opening in the lower track of a 1980's vintage metal-frame sliding window (above left) and an aluminum framed gliding window in an apartment in New York (above right). If you can describe a specific question or concern we'll be glad to do more research - no fees are involved.

Also see ARCHITECTURE & BUILDING COMPONENT ID for aid in identifying and estimating the age of building components including windows.

Here is a link to Anderson's information on window gliders: http://www.andersenwindows.com/servlet/Satellite/sliding-windows-for-your-home.htm

Skylight & Window Manufacturers & Product Sources

Andersen Windows and Doors www.andersenwindows.com Skylights and roof windows with exterior sash clad with glass-fiber-reinforced material

Milgard Windows and Doors www.milgard.com Skylights with aluminum frames (thermal break optional) with vinyl subframes on operable models; optional motorized controls with rain sensor

Pella Windows and Doors www.pella.com Wood interior, aluminum exterior, optional motorized controls, and manual or motorized fabric-pleated shades

Roto Frank of America www.roofwindows.com Wood interior, aluminum exterior, optional motorized controls, and manual or motorized fabric-pleated shades; Sweet16 model fits 16 in. o.c. framing

Velux America Inc. www.velux.com Skylights and roof windows with wood interior and aluminum-clad exterior. Options include insect screens, blinds, motorized controls and shades with rain sensor, electrochromatic glass, and flashing kits for metal and tile roofs and mulled units

Skylight Light Tube Manufacturers & Sources

SolaTube www.solatube.com Light tubes from 10 to 21 in. in diameter; options include electrical lighting, daylight dimmer, and integral bath fan

Sun-Tek Skylights www.sun-tek.com Light tubes from 10 to 21 in. in diameter; options include electrical lighting and multitube Spyder skylight

Velux America Inc. www.velux.com Sun Tunnel light tubes from 14 to 22 in. in diameter with flexible or rigid tubes

Industry Associations for Windows & Doors

American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) www.aamanet.org

Efficient Windows Collaborative www.efficientwindows.org

National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) www.nfrc.org Sustainable by Design www.susdesign.com

Shareware calculators for sun angles, solar heat gain, and shading

Window and Door Manufacturers Association (WDMA) www.wdma.com

-- Adapted and paraphrased, edited, and supplemented, with permission from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction.

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Technical Reviewers & References

InspectAPedia.com^® - Daniel Friedman - Publisher & Editor.
Steven Bliss served as editorial director and co-publisher of The Journal of Light Construction for 16 years and previously as building technology editor for Progressive Builder and Solar Age magazines. He worked in the building trades as a carpenter and design/build contractor for more than ten years and holds a masters degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Excerpts from his recent book, Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, Wiley (November 18, 2005) ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, appear throughout this website, with permission and courtesy of Wiley & Sons. Best Practices Guide is available from the publisher, J. Wiley & Sons, and also at Amazon.com.
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SLIDING GLIDING WINDOW DEFECTS - see detailed links at page left

Basic Housing Inspection, US DHEW, S 352.75 U48, p.144, out of print, but is available in most state libraries; New York State version, ca 1955, source of our window parts and window repair sketches.
Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss. John Wiley & Sons, 2006. ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, Hardcover: 320 pages, available from Amazon.com and also Wiley.com. See our book review of this publication.
Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 info@carsondunlop.com. Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, for permission to use illustrations from their publication, The Illustrated Home which illustrates construction details and building components. Carson Dunlop provides home inspection education including the ASHI-adopted Home Inspection Training Program (home study course), publications such as the Home Reference Book, report writing materials including the Horizon report writer, and home inspect ion services. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.

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Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
Decks and Porches, the JLC Guide to, Best Practices for Outdoor Spaces, Steve Bliss (Editor), The Journal of Light Construction, Williston VT, 2010 ISBN 10: 1-928580-42-4, ISBN 13: 978-1-928580-42-3, available from Amazon.com
The Journal of Light Construction has generously given reprint permission to InspectAPedia.com for adaptations, quotations, or reproductions used at this website. All rights and contents of the JLC material are ©Journal of Light Construction and may not be reproduced in any form.
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Sliding Windows or Gliding Windows - Inspection Guide

List of Glider / Slider Window Defects

Examples of Antique & Site-Built Slider/Glider Windows

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Sliding or Gliding Windows

Question:books on details of antique metal sliding windows?

Reply:

Skylight & Window Manufacturers & Product Sources

Industry Associations for Windows & Doors

Questions & Answers regarding this article

Ask a Question or Search InspectAPedia

Technical Reviewers & References

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair