Why Sliding Windows Are Installed in the US
An immigrant who has moved to a foreign country immediately notices many unusual little things that prevent him from quickly adapting to the new place. This is also felt in the USA, where many things are arranged completely differently from ours. Americans eat unusual food, do not take off their shoes in the apartment, do not use the metric system that we are accustomed to. There are also less significant differences, for example, sliding windows.
In other countries, with rare exceptions, no one would think of installing windows with sashes that rise upwards. But if you watch American films, you will very rarely see windows of a different design in American homes and offices.
The secret of Americans' love for unusual window frames is hidden in the history of their nation. Everyone knows that the indigenous population of the United States is made up of Indians and Eskimos. All other citizens are descendants of colonists who arrived from different countries of the world. Among the first to appear on the territory where the United States now lies were the inhabitants of the British Isles.
These people got used to sliding windows in their good old England and kept their preferences in the colonies. It turns out that everything is simple! But where did the love for windows of such an unusual design come from among the inhabitants of Foggy Albion? Here everything is more complicated and is connected with the climate typical for Great Britain.
The English do not know severe, snowy winters, but they are very familiar with rain and gusty winds. Casement windows are not the best solution where a strong wind suddenly blows, and often with rain. The glass of windows with upward-opening sashes does not break from gusts of wind and can be closed without much effort, without overcoming the resistance of the elements, even during a real hurricane.
But this is not the only advantage of such windows. Those who like to grow flowers on windowsills highly value them because when airing, there is no need to remove flower pots. There is also an opinion that it is much more difficult to accidentally fall out of a window with an upward-opening sash.
But don't think that sliding windows are a standard in the United States. They are prevalent in the central part of the country, and there are far fewer of them in the south and north. In the northern states, the climate is not much different from ours, and in the south, there is almost Central Asian heat. In such conditions, windows with horizontal opening are much more effective.
So this oddity of Americans has a very reasonable explanation. And our compatriots who are fond of flowers, especially those living in the western part of the country, can be advised to take a closer look at the experience of US residents in order to make their lives a little easier.