Glossary
Spanish window vocabulary, translated and explained
A Spanish window quote can hold fifteen words nobody is obliged to know. This glossary translates them and says what each one means for a home on this coast.
We speak English. Eduardo answers on WhatsApp, 9:00–20:00 Spain time (8:00–19:00 UK time), and replies within 24 hours.
Last reviewed: 26 September 2026
Tu Ventana Costa Blanca, the Benidorm office of Tu Ventana Madrid, wrote this glossary for English-speaking owners replacing windows on the Costa Blanca. It translates the Spanish terms found on quotes, data sheets and community notices, and explains each one for this climate. Questions about a Spanish quote can go to Eduardo in English on WhatsApp, 9:00–20:00 Spain time.
Glass (vidrio)
| Spanish term | English term | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Doble acristalamiento | Double glazing | Two panes with a sealed cavity between them. The make-up is written outside to inside, for example 4/16/4: 4 mm glass, 16 mm cavity, 4 mm glass. |
| Vidrio bajo emisivo | Low-E glass | Glass with an invisible metallic coating that reflects heat back where it came from. It is the minimum for any modern window. |
| Vidrio de control solar | Solar control glass | Glass that blocks much of the sun’s energy but keeps the light. It matters most on large south and west openings. |
| Factor solar (g) | g-value | The share of solar energy that gets through the glass. Ordinary double glazing is about 0.80; solar control glass can be below 0.40. If a quote omits it, ask. |
| Cámara de argón | Argon-filled cavity | The gap between panes filled with argon instead of dry air. It insulates better at almost no extra cost. 16 mm is the usual width. |
| Vidrio laminado | Laminated safety glass | Two panes bonded by a plastic interlayer, written like 3+3 or 4+4. If broken, it holds together. Anti-intrusion laminated glass has more layers. |
| Laminado acústico | Acoustic laminated glass | Laminated glass with a sound-damping interlayer, such as 6+6. It cuts bar and street noise far more than a wider cavity does. |
| Triple vidrio | Triple glazing | Three panes and two cavities. On this mild coast it rarely pays: it adds weight and cost for a small winter gain. |
Insulation and performance (aislamiento y prestaciones)
| Spanish term | English term | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Transmitancia térmica (valor U) | U-value | Heat passing through one square metre per degree of difference, in W/m²K. Lower is better. Uw is the whole window, Uf the frame, Ug the glass. |
| Rotura de puente térmico (RPT) | Thermal break | An insulating strip inside an aluminium frame. uPVC does not need one. An old aluminium frame that burns to the touch in July has none. |
| Permeabilidad al aire (clase 1 a 4) | Air permeability class | How much air leaks through the closed window, tested under UNE-EN 12207. Class 4 is the highest. Here it keeps cooled air inside in August. |
| Estanqueidad al agua (p. ej. E1350, 9A) | Watertightness class | The water and wind pressure the window resists without leaking, tested under UNE-EN 12208. A higher figure means more resistance. |
| Resistencia al viento (clase C1 a C5) | Wind-resistance class | How the window copes with wind pressure, tested under UNE-EN 12210. C5 is the highest. It matters on high, sea-facing floors. |
| Condensación | Condensation | Water forming where humid indoor air meets a cold surface. On this coast it is common in homes closed all winter, often at the shutter box. |
| Gota fría (DANA) | Autumn cloudburst (cut-off low) | Very heavy rain in a few hours, mostly in September and October. It is the day a badly sealed window leaks. |
| Noche tropical | Tropical night | A night when the temperature stays above 20 °C. In August it is the norm here, so windows must ventilate safely at night. |
| Passivhaus | Passive House | A German low-energy building standard. It suits certified new builds; for an ordinary home on this coast it is usually oversized. |
The frame (perfil)
| Spanish term | English term | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| PVC | uPVC | The rigid plastic used for window profiles. Spanish quotes say PVC; in the UK it is called uPVC. |
| Cámaras del perfil | Chambers | The hollow compartments running inside a uPVC profile. Still air insulates, so more chambers usually means better insulation. |
| Juntas de estanqueidad / junta central | Seals / central seal | Rubber gaskets pressed between sash and frame. A central seal adds a second independent barrier, as on the Kömmerling Xtrem 76MD. |
| Galce | Glass rebate | The slot in the profile that holds the glass. Its depth limits how thick the glass can be. |
| Refuerzo de acero | Steel reinforcement | A galvanised steel section inside the profile. It stops wide sashes dropping over the years. |
| Foliado | Colour foil | A coloured or wood-effect film bonded to the uPVC. Dark foils suit sheltered façades. |
| Lacado | Lacquered finish | A coating applied to aluminium in the factory. On a dark, sunny front-line façade, it keeps colour longer than a foil. |
| Salitre / niebla salina | Salt air / salt spray | Sea salt carried by the breeze. It does not harm uPVC, but attacks steel hardware and screws. Ask for anti-corrosion hardware. |
Opening types and shutters (apertura y persiana)
| Spanish term | English term | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Ventana oscilobatiente | Tilt and turn window | One handle opens it inwards fully or tilts it from the top. The tilt position ventilates without leaving the home open. |
| Practicable | Casement (side-hung) window | A window that opens on hinges. It seals better than an ordinary sliding window. |
| Corredera | Sliding window or door | A sash that slides along a track. An ordinary slider seals with a brush and rarely passes air class 2. |
| Corredera elevable | Lift and slide door | The sash lifts off its seals to slide, then presses back to close. It stays airtight for years; the Kömmerling PremiDoor76 is one. |
| Umbral enrasado | Flush threshold | A track level with the floor, with no step. The terrace must drain outwards, or storm water comes in. |
| Antilevantamiento / antipalanca | Anti-lift hardware | Parts that stop a sash or shutter being levered out from outside. Important for homes left empty for months. |
| Persiana | Roller shutter | The outside roller blind stored above the window. It can be manual or motorised. |
Installation (instalación)
| Spanish term | English term | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Cajón de persiana / capialzado | Shutter box | The box above the window that houses the rolled shutter. Old brick boxes are uninsulated and leak air, heat and noise. |
| Cajón compacto / monoblock | Integrated shutter box | An insulated shutter box made as one unit with the window. It closes the weak point in the same job. |
| Premarco | Subframe | An auxiliary frame fixed to the wall that the new window sits on. If it is sound, the job needs little or no demolition. |
| Vierteaguas | Window sill / drip sill | The outside sill that throws rainwater away from the wall. Without a drip edge, water runs back into the joint. |
| Sistema de triple barrera | Triple-barrier seal | Sealing the window to the wall in three layers: watertight outside, insulated in the middle, vapour-tight inside. |
| Medición | Site survey | Measuring every opening in the home. Photos help, but they do not replace it; a fixed price needs one. |
| Instalador | Fitter | The person who installs the windows. The perimeter seal is their work, and it decides whether a window leaks. |
Buying, paperwork and your building (compra y trámites)
| Spanish term | English term | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Presupuesto | Quote | The written offer. It should name the profile system, the glass for each opening, the hardware and the VAT. See how window quotes work. |
| IVA | VAT | Spanish value added tax. Our price is final, with VAT included. The quote states the rate applied: 21 % by default, 10 % only when the legal conditions are met. |
| Marcado CE (UNE-EN 14351-1) | CE marking | The legal marking for windows and external doors sold in the EU. It is the Spanish-side equivalent of the evidence FENSA gives in the UK. |
| DoP (Declaración de Prestaciones) | Declaration of Performance | The document listing the tested classes of the window: air, water, wind and more. Ask for it. See FENSA and A-rated windows in Spain. |
| CTE (Código Técnico de la Edificación) | Spanish building code | The national building regulations. The Costa Blanca coast is climate zone B4: mild winter, demanding summer. |
| Garantía legal de conformidad | Legal guarantee of conformity | The guarantee Spanish consumer law gives on goods and their installation: 3 years. |
| Comunidad de propietarios | Community of owners | The owners of a building acting together. Façade changes, such as colour or terrace enclosures, may need its approval. |
| Administrador de fincas | Community administrator | The professional who manages the community of owners. Ask them about approved window models and works rules. |
| Licencia de obra / declaración responsable | Works licence / prior notification | Town hall permissions for building work. Requirements vary by town and type of work, so check before you start. |
A word on your quote you cannot find here?
Send it to Eduardo in English on WhatsApp, 9:00–20:00 Spain time (8:00–19:00 UK time). You get a reply within 24 hours.
Eduardo answers in English on WhatsApp, 9:00–20:00 Spain time (8:00–19:00 UK time).
Questions we are asked
Frequently asked questions
Last reviewed: 26 September 2026
What is an oscilobatiente window?
A tilt and turn window. The same handle opens it fully inwards or tilts it from the top for safe ventilation.
What does 4/16/4 mean on a Spanish quote?
It is the glass make-up in millimetres, from outside to inside: a 4 mm pane, a 16 mm cavity and a 4 mm pane. "6+6" means a laminated pane made of two 6 mm sheets.
What is a persiana and a cajón?
A persiana is a roller shutter; the cajón is the shutter box above the window that houses it. Old brick shutter boxes are often uninsulated, so it pays to replace them with the windows.
What is the Spanish equivalent of FENSA?
There is no equivalent scheme. The evidence is CE marking under UNE-EN 14351-1 and the Declaration of Performance (DoP), which lists the tested classes. See our FENSA guide.
What does RPT mean?
Rotura de puente térmico: a thermal break. It applies to aluminium frames. uPVC does not need one, because it does not conduct heat.
Who is the administrador de fincas?
The community administrator, who manages the community of owners. Ask them whether your building has an approved window or enclosure model before ordering.