What is a transom on a patio door?
By Sophia Dalton
What is a transom on a patio door?
Transom windows (also called transom lights) sit above an entry, patio or interior door, or other windows. Typically non-operating and used to add style and increase natural light, transoms span the width of the opening they top and can be placed above single or double doors and sidelites.
What was the purpose of transoms over doors?
Transoms historically were used to allow passage of air and light between rooms even when doors were shut. They make perfect sense in row houses, which typically have long, narrow floor plans with windows only at the front and back.
What is a horizontal window above a doorway called?
In architecture, a transom is a transverse horizontal structural beam or bar, or a crosspiece separating a door from a window above it. This contrasts with a mullion, a vertical structural member. Transom or transom window is also the customary U.S. word used for a transom light, the window over this crosspiece.
What is the purpose of a transom window?
In modern architecture, transom windows are more commonly used to increase the light in a room. They can also be used as a purely decorative element to add a classic, nostalgic feel to a home.
Are transom windows worth it?
They are often just ornamental, but some transom windows do serve a purpose by letting more light into an entryway or living space. Some styles of transom window even open, giving you both light and ventilation. If used on interior doors, transom windows can allow for airflow even if the doors are shut.
What is transom above?
Some high-end units come with moisture sensors that automatically close the window if it begins to rain. Interior models recreate a nostalgic look while increasing the feeling of openness between rooms, an effect that makes a space seem larger. Interior transom windows come with both non-operable and operable options.
Are transoms outdated?
Though transom windows fell out of fashion in the 1970s and 1980s, homeowners now are rediscovering how they can add a distinctive touch to a space—not to mention a little more natural light.
What is transom and mullion?
A mullion is a vertical element that forms a division between units of a window or screen, or is used decoratively. Horizontal elements separating the head of a door from a window above are both a head jamb and horizontal mullion and are called “transoms”.
Do transom windows need to be tempered?
In general, any glass in a door, or glass within a 24” arc of a door, is required to be safety glass. The exception is if it is more than 60” above the floor; so a window above a door (a transom), often does not need to be safety glazed. 3.
Are transoms out of style?
Transom windows fell out of fashion for several decades, but are making a comeback with the resurgence of other contemporary styles.
Can transom windows open?
Typically a transom window used above an entry door does not open, because the area above a door is so hard to reach. Transom windows that open are typically an awning window placed above the transom.
What is a transom drop?
The transom drop is measured from the top of the outer frame and then down to the centre line of the horizontal bar of a window. The standard transom from South Coast Windows is 400mm.
