Better airflow: An operable window in a dormer works well for ventilating warm air out and fresh air in.Increased living space: The interior area behind a typical dormer window can be used as a sleeping or reading nook, or serve as a spot for a dresser or bench. ![]() Interior illumination: Attics and lofts are naturally dim without a window to brighten the interior.If you’re considering adding dormer windows to a new house or having one retrofitted on your existing home, the following benefits and drawbacks might help in the decision-making process. Photo: Dormer Window Pros and Consĭormer windows are desirable not just for bringing in natural light but also for their exterior aesthetic appeal. If the main roof has asphalt shingles, for example, the roof over the dormer window likely will as well. The type of roofing material on a dormer window typically matches the roofing material on the main roof. A house with a gable roof can have a gambrel dormer, a shed dormer, or another style, depending on architectural preference. Often, a dormer roof matches the style of the house’s main roof, but there are plenty of exceptions. From inside, there’s no indication that the dormer is present. From the street, a blind dormer looks identical to an ordinary dormer window, but instead of the dormer opening into the interior of the house, it merely attaches to the surface of the roof. Blind dormer: While most dormer windows permit light into the loft, a blind (or “false”) dormer is for appearances only.Most feature gable roofs above the windows. Lucarne dormer: Inspired by those found on Gothic cathedrals, residential lucarne dormers are typically tall and very narrow.Instead of setting back in the middle of the roof, the siding on the main part of the house continues right up into the dormer, making the front of the dormer flush with the front of the house. Wall dormer: This type of dormer can feature any one of the above styles of roofs, but it’s defining feature is that the front of the dormer is an extension of the exterior wall below.It’s common to install arch-top windows in bonnet dormers so the top of the window matches the arch of the bonnet. Bonnet dormer: A bonnet dormer has a curved roof and vertical walls on either side of the window.An eyebrow dormer has no additional vertical wall sides and can give the impression of an eye peering out from under a hooded lid. Eyebrow dormer: Instead of flat roof planes, an eyebrow dormer roof features a gently curved wave that extends up and completely over the window.Some slope is necessary, however, to allow water to run off. The pitch of a shed dormer is sometimes so slight that it appears to be almost horizontal. ![]() Shed dormer: This dormer has only one roof plane that slopes in the same direction as the slope of the main roof, but with a much shallower pitch.All three planes slope upward and meet at a common point at the peak of the roof. Hip dormer: A hip dormer features three roof planes, one on each side and a third parallel to the front of the dormer.This gives the gambrel dormer a barn-like look. Gambrel dormer: The roof on a gambrel dormer features a gable at the peak of the roof, but then descends into two steeper roof slopes on the sides of the roof.Gable dormer: The most common style of dormer window, it features a gable (a triangular roof with slopes of equal pitch) over the window.The following dormer window styles are commonly found on today’s homes: The style of a dormer window is defined by the style of the roof above the window. They’re still valuable for bringing light into attics and lofts, but today, homeowners are more interested in choosing a style of dormer window to complement their house design. In residential construction, the use of dormer windows hasn’t changed much over the last few hundred years. ![]() While the lucarnes of old didn’t have glass windows, tall narrow dormer windows today are sometimes called “lucarne dormers.” A good example of Gothic lucarne architecture still exists on the Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford. They were designed to promote fresh airflow through the tops of the spires, which could get quite hot during summer months. Lucarnes-tall, narrow roofed projections-were often found on the tall spires of Gothic Cathedrals. The word “dormer” comes from the French “dormeor,” which means “sleeping room.”ĭormers have an even earlier predecessor, however: an architectural feature called a “lucarne” that first appeared the 12th Century Europe. Dormer windows first appeared in residential roofs in 16th Century Britain, where they were used to direct natural light into attic sleeping areas.
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