Angie's List Tips > Restore or replace wooden windows?

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Restore or replace wooden windows?

Posted: 6/16/2009 12:19:27 PM | 10 comments
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Tips to help you decide if restoration is right for your wooden windows?
  • Wooden windows built before World War II were typically custom-made for the house. Exchanging them with standard vinyl replacement windows can drastically affect the look of your home.
  • Excess paint and broken pulley systems are the most common problems with wooden windows, but they are easily fixed. Stripping and refinishing the wood, as well as replacing the rope in the pulley system with a chain, can make your window work like new.
  • Rotted wood doesn’t necessarily mean window death. Window restoration specialists can usually repair it using epoxy that can be sanded and painted to blend with the rest of the window.
  • Properly maintained wooden windows and storm windows work together like the two pieces of glass in a doublepaned window. Add weather stripping to wood windows and storm windows to achieve similar energy ratings to that of double-paned replacement windows.
Comments
Susanna
Please make this posting more prominent in your emails and on your website. This perspective on wood windows is often overlooked in mass marketing!
6/17/2009 5:13:21 PM
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Kay Whitley
Would like to contact someone for window restoration. Saw your info on your website. Thanks.
6/17/2009 9:21:46 PM
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margaret murray
A carpenter is going to add inside storm windows to my house. It is similar to his and he stated he saved one third on the fuel bill. I live in Vermont
6/18/2009 1:02:07 PM
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Sue
I would like to contact someone besides Chosen Wood Windows for window restoration.
6/18/2009 2:09:02 PM
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Patricia Fitzgerald
some historic designated neighborhoods require permits before window installation.

This is to ensure the requirements to meet the historic preservation of the designated neighborhood.

Window installers should be aware before working in a possibly designated historic district.
6/18/2009 3:01:43 PM
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Patricia Fitzgerald
no, thanks
6/18/2009 3:02:21 PM
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Jim Dolan
Good advice, to maintain attractive older home restoration takes time but is best choice.
6/20/2009 12:00:47 PM
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Hugo
hello, my name is Hugo. i've been in the window business for over 15 years already. We manufacture vinyl windows for about one third of it's cost at a retail store.
7/15/2009 1:33:35 PM
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Edward Ganshirt
I came across this article after I had my windows restored. I DO recommend that window restoration be considered.
1). develop a plan for what and why do you want to make changes to your windows.
2). what are your options?
3). what is the cost?
4). are your windows restorable?
5). Then do it!

I was looking for energy efficiency with minimal visual changes to the style of the home.

I got quotes at various levels

$250 per window to replace pully/weights with springbalances and weatherstripping.
$600 per window to do that plus double pane coated glass.
$1800 to replace the entire window assembly from a well known name brand window company.

I settled for the middle option and had my windows done by a company called Boston BI_Glass.
They use a more up to date better quality window stripping material and a routing process that holds the glass more securely than the old fasioned glazing putty process used by the standard window restoration process. Also the Bi-Glass panes have a coated glass on the inner pane.

The restoration done by Boston Bi-Glass is not elegible for the tax deduction but the savings is significantly greater than the deduction compared with new windows install cost.

If I had new windows installed I would loose the storms. The net result would be 2 sheets of glass. With the Bi-Glass system I keep my storms and the end results is 3 sheets of glass between inside and outside.

The end result is an equal to or better energy efficiency than a top of the line replacement window for a lot less cost.
7/16/2009 1:10:59 PM
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nancy
who do i call for restoration of wooden windows?
7/16/2009 4:40:49 PM
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