Fixed vs Openable Secondary Panels: How to Choose

Escape windows are non-negotiable

Any window designated as a means of escape — commonly a first-floor bedroom in a house built or converted under modern regulations — must remain openable from inside without a key or tool. On those openings we specify hinged or sliding units with an internal thumb-turn. We will identify them at survey; you should not have to know which they are.

• Escape windows: hinged or sliding, thumb-turn only
• Habitable rooms relying on the window for purge ventilation: openable
• Everything else: fixed or lift-out is usually better

What fixed buys you

A fixed panel has no moving joint, so it seals on a continuous gasket with no compromise, which is worth a few decibels over an equivalent opening unit. It has no running gear to wear, costs less, and gives the slimmest sightline. On a front-of-house restaurant frontage or a stairwell window it is nearly always the right answer.

Lift-out as the middle ground

Lift-out panels seal like a fixed unit but can be removed by hand for cleaning or summer ventilation and stored. They suit windows opened a few times a year rather than weekly, and they are our default on leaded lights and stained glass where periodic access to the original is wanted.