What Is a 3 Lite Window? We Have Answers!

Most homeowners in San Diego don’t think too much about their home’s windows—until it’s time to replace them. Then, they start doing a bit of research into windows and realize how much there is to know about the different styles of windows and the available options. Most window manufacturers offer multiple styles of windows, all with slight variations.

Take, for example, a 3 lite window. You may have one or more of this type of window in your home currently, but never knew what it was called. A 3 lite window is also sometimes called a 3 lite slider, or it may also be called a 3 panel window, depending on the manufacturer of the window.

What Is a Lite?

We should start by explaining what a “lite” is. When it comes to windows, a lite is an individual pane of glass, surrounded by a frame. You might occasionally see it spelled “light,” but most of the time it will be spelled the former way in the window industry. Every window in your home has one or more lites.

What Is a 3 Lite Window?

Now that you know what a lite is, it’s pretty easy to figure out what a 3 lite window is. It is a window unit with three glass panels. In a 3 lite window, two of the three panels are operable, and one panel is fixed. The two outside lites are able to slide horizontally in front of the middle lite. When both operable panels are opened at the same time, it allows a lot of fresh air to enter the room.

Where Would You Have a 3 Lite Window Installed in a Home?

These types of windows are most often found in larger rooms, such as living rooms or master bedrooms. This is because, with three panels, they take up a lot of wall space.

What Are the Benefits of 3 Lite Windows?

As mentioned earlier, when opened, 3 lite windows let in a good amount of fresh air. They also let a lot of natural light into a room—especially through the fixed center panel, which has no window screen behind it.

Unlike the older sliding windows you may have in your home, the panels of the sliding windows we sell at BM Windows glide with ease! All you have to do is keep the tracks free from debris, and you will never have to struggle to open or close you windows.

If you decide to go with a 3 lite window, make sure you purchase one that is very energy efficient. Otherwise, you will find the room heating up substantially on a hot day. At BM Windows, we only sell 3 lite windows with great energy-saving technology built in. This way, you won’t have to worry about your room getting too hot, and you can still enjoy the sunlight these large windows allow in.

A 3 lite window is just one of the many styles of windows we sell at BM Windows. You can see our full selection of window styles on our Window and Door Products page. If you’re not sure what types of windows will work best in your particular home, don’t worry! The window experts at BM Windows can help. Schedule your free, in-home consultation today and we can answer all your questions and help you select the perfect replacement windows for your San Diego home.