Glossary of Cleaning Industry Terms

Anchorage: A secure point of attachment.

Apron: Inside flat trim member, which is used under the stool at the bottom of the window.

Awning: A window with a sash that is hinged at the top or topsides and opens/swings outward at the bottom.

Bay window: A composite of three or more windows, usually made up of a large center unit and two flanking units at 30˚, 45˚ or 90˚ angles to the wall. 90˚ angled window assemblies are often referred to as "Box Bay" windows (i.e. it looks like a bow in plain view).

Boatswain's chair: A composite of three or more windows, usually made up of a large center unit and two flanking units at 30˚, 45˚ or 90˚ angles to the wall. 90˚ angled window assemblies are often referred to as "Box Bay" windows (i.e. it looks like a bow in plain view).

Body harness:A design of simple or compound straps that may be secured about the wearer in such a manner as to distribute the stopping forces over the thighs, buttocks, hest and shoulders, or any combination thereof, and with provisions for attaching a lanyard.

Bow window:A composite of two or more window units in a radical or bow formation. These window configurations are often installed in a 10˚ angle to the exterior wall surface (i.e. it looks like a bow in plain view).

Brick mould: Outside casing around window to cover jambs and through which nails are driven to install the window. Traditionally used in masonry construction such as stone or brick, the decorative trim or molding surrounding the head and sides of the window frame was known as brick mold (brickmold, brickmould, brick molding, etc).

Butyl(butyl tape): A pliable substance applied between the window sash and the lights of glass to seal against the elements and typically used to adhere the glass to the sash.

Casing:(butyl tape):Inside casing is a flat, decorative molding which covers the inside edge of the jambs and the rough openings between the window unit and the wall. Outside casing (or Brick Mould) served the same purpose, while it also is an installation device through which nails are driven to install the window unit to the wall.

Check rail: On a double-hung window, the bottom rail of the upper sash, where the lock id mounted. The rail sections of the top and bottom sash of a double-hung window where they meet in the middle, when in a closed position.

Circlehead (circle top, radius top): A generic term referring to any variety of window units with one or more curved frame members, often used over another window or door opening.

Clerestory: A window near the top of an outside wall. A window installed in a high location on a wall and generally out of common reach for operable purposes. These windows often use remote operation, such as electric motors or extension pole cranks, or they can simply be fixed or stationary windows.

Controlled descent apparatus/controlled descent equipment: See RDS.

Cottage double-hung: A double-hung window in which the upper sash is shorter than the lower sash.

Cripples:The short 2' x 4" members used to frame under the sill or above the surface of the header in a rough opening for a window in a frame wall.

Curb:A watertight wall or frame used to raise slope glazing above the surface of the roof as a preventative measure against water leakage from melting snow or rain run-off.

Davit:A device used for suspending a platform or seat board from work, storage or rigging locations on the building be serviced. Unlike an outrigger, a davit reacts its operating load into a single roof socket or carriage attachment.

Dormer:A space that protrudes from the roof, usually including one or more windows.

Double rafter: The doubling (side by side) of the roof members to reinforce opening in the roof for a sloping glazing installation.

Double glazing: Use of two panes of glass in a window to increase energy efficiency and provide other performance benefits.

Drip cap: A moulding placed on the top of the head brick mould or casing of a window frame to deflect water away from the window. This is generally a metal flashing material.

Fenestration: A An architectural term referring to the arrangement of windows in the wall.

Finger-jointing: A means of joining individual pieces of wood together to form longer lengths. The ends of the pieces are machined to form a set of interlocking fingers, which are then coated with adhesive and meshed together under pressure.

Fixed:Non-venting or non-operable. Fixed windows are often referred to as Stationary or Picture windows.

Flashing:A metal or plastic strip attached to the outside of the head or side jambs to provide a weather barrier, preventing leakage between the frame and the wall. (See Drip Cap).

French hinged door:Hinged door(s) that have wider panel members around the glass.

French sliding door: A sliding door that has wider panel members around the glass, giving the appearance of a French hinged door.

Gasket: A pliable, flexible continuous strip of material used to affect a watertight seal between sash and frame of roof windows much like the seal around a refrigerator door.

Glazing: The glass panes or lights in a sash of a window. Also the act of installing lights of glass in a window sash.

Glazing bead:A plastic or wood strip applied to the window sash around the perimeter of the glass.

Glazing compound: A pliable substance applied between the window sash and the lights of glass to seal against the elements and sometimes adhere the glass to the sash.

Glazing stop: The part of the sash or door panel that holds the glass in place.

Head board: A flat board cut to fit the contour of a bow or bay window and installed between the head jambs and the flat wall surface to finish off that area which would normally be ceiling.

Hopper: A window with a sash that swings inward. Specifically- the sash is hinged at the bottom or bottom-sides and opens/swings inward at the top (opposite of an awning window). These window types were often used in school buildings.

Jack stud: Framing members, generally 2' x 4"s, which form the inside of the window or door rough opening. They run from the sole plate to the header, which is supported by them.

Jamb liner: Metal or plastic covering the inside surface and head jambs of sliding windows.

Keeper: The protruding, hook-shaped part of a casement window lock, which is mounted on the inside surface of the sash stile. This term is also used for locks on other window types, and is simply the female part of the lock which is engaged by the male or rotating part of the window lock.

Lanyard: A flexible line to secure a wearer of a safety belt or harness to a drop line, lifeline or fixed anchorage.

Lift:(Sash Lift): A handle or grip installed on the bottom of rail of the lower sash of a double-hung window to make it easier to raise or lower the sash.

Light:(also spelled lite) Glazing frame by muntins and/or sash in a window or door.

Light shaft:An insulated shaft built to direct the light from a roof window or skylight through the attic to the room below.

Low-E glass:A common term used to refer to glass that has low emissivity due to a film or metallic coating on the glass or suspended between the two lights of glass to restrict the passage of radiant heat

Masonry openings:The openings in a masonry wall to accept a window or door unit, the same as a rough opening in a frame wall.

Mobile scaffold, manual:A scaffold assembly supported by casters and moved manually.

Mortise:A slot or rectangular cavity cut into a piece of wood to receive another part.

Mortise-and-tenon:A strong wood joint made by fitting together mortise in one board and a matching projecting member (tenon) in the other.

Mullion:The vertical or horizontal divisions or joints between single windows in a multiple window unit.

Muntin:A short bar used to separate glass in a sash into multiple lights. (Also called a windowpane divider grille).

Operator:A metal arm and gear that allows for easy operation or closing or projecting windows.

Outer frame member:The exterior protruding portion of a window frame that has no exterior casing.

Panel:Usually refers to the separate panel or panels in a doorframe.

Passive solar collector:Any glazed area in the walls or roof of a building pointed to the south to take maximum advantage of the sun's heat without a mechanical (or active)method of storage or distribution of the heat.

Picture frame casingThe use of casing on all four sides of the interior of a window, replacing the stool and apron at the sill. Also known as full-bound casing.

Pitch:The pitch of a roof is the degree of the inclination upward from horizontal or flat. It may be expressed in degrees or as the ration of the number of inches it rises in each 12 inches or horizontal span: 4/12 means the roof rises four inches every foot span.

Pivot:A mode of operation for ventilating windows, which generally means the sash, pivots on a central axis and turns 90 or more degrees.

Power platform:A manned platform which is suspended by wire rope and operates by power to access areas of a building in the up or down direction for the purpose of building maintenance.

Rafter:Structural members of a roof that support the roof and run from the ridge to the eaves (overhang).

Rails:The horizontal members of a window sash or door panel.

RDS (Rope Descent Systems):An assembly of components that when properly configured will provide means to descend a drop in a manner whereby the acceleration forces of gravity are controlled, permitting the operator to slow or halt his/her descent on a synthetic fiber rope at any desired moment (aka, CDE, CD A).

Reverse Cottage double-hung:A double-hung window in which the upper sash is taller than the lower sash..

Rough opening:The opening left in a frame wall to receive a window or door unit.

Rough sill:The horizontal rough framing member, which forms the bottom of the rough opening. It is toenailed into the jack studs and is supported by cripples.

Sash balance:A system of weight, cords and/ or coiled springs which assist in raising double-hung sash and tend to keep the sash in any placed position by counterbalancing the weight of the sash.

Sash cord:In double-hung windows, the rope or chain that attached the sash to the counter balance.

Sash lock:Generally, a cam-action type lock applied to the check rails of a sliding window or at the open edges of a projecting window to pull the check rails tightly together or to seal the sash tightly to the frame, both for security and weather tightness.

Sash weights:In older double-hung windows the concealed cast-iron weights that are used to counterbalance the sash.

Scrapers:

Seat board:A flat board but to fit the contour of a bow or bay window and installed between the sills and the flat wall surface, providing a seat or shelf space.

Shims:Wood wedges (often wood shingles) used to secure the window or door unit in a rough or masonry opening in a square, level and plumb position during and after installation.

Shoe covers:Heavy duty Nylon fabric polyurethane coating applied inside the fabric, making them waterproof. They slip quickly on/off and wrap tightly around the shoe, or boot using an elastic strechable opening.

Side lights:Tall, narrow, fixed or operating sash on either or both sides of a door to light an entryway or vestibule.