If you are building or remodeling a house, the first thing that comes to mind might not be your region, but it should. Your home might need different types of windows depending on where you live. This guide will help you make sure you choose the right type for your area.

The Southwest

This is the area where you have gorgeous deserts and a lot of heat. It cools down at night, so there's a constant shift in temperature to worry about. For this region, your windows need to be well insulated. Wood-framed windows work well for this region because there isn't much moisture. You'll find that these windows are not as likely to rot as they would in climates with more moisture.

Coastal

When you live on the coast, you are dealing with that amazing sea air. That air is full of moisture and salt, so you'll need to take that into consideration when choosing windows. Living on the coast, you'll need storm windows to go over the windows you install. The best material for storm windows is aluminum because of its sturdiness. This is true for your interior windows as well. For the windows on the inside, you'll also want to get a glass that's impact resistant.

The Midwest

The Midwest is the home of the prairie and high winds. The summers are warm and the winters are freezing. A good choice for this region is casement windows which stand up better to the strong winds. Casement windows are hinged on one side and open towards the outside like a door. Most are opened by using a hand crank, but some of them just push open.

The best material in the Midwest is fiberglass because of the harsh elements. It will stand up better than wood, which will become warped, and aluminum which doesn't do well insulating. 

The Northeast and the Northwest

The Northeast is cold and snowy in the winter with the summers being humid. Storm windows are also recommended for this region and can help keep out the harsh elements when needed. Wood is the suggested material because of its insulation abilities, but fiberglass is also a good choice for frames.

The Northwest doesn't have much snow, but it is a very humid place. The best materials in the Northwest for frames are fiberglass and vinyl. Summers are short, so windows that are insulated enough to get through the winter but let in a lot of heat in the summer are a perfect balance.

You can look at the different specifications on a window to know if it will work for your home. The U-Factor is how well it blocks heat coming into the home. The SHGC is the ability the window has to provide shade. The VT lets you know how much light the glass will let in and the AL will tell you the resistance the window has to air leakage. Looking at these specifications and knowing a bit about the best windows for your region will help you make the best choice for your climate.