By BRUCE L. WILSON
Many Cape Codders live in houses built in the 1970s and early ’80s, when small and medium-size houses were generally fitted with single-pane, double-hung windows with aluminum storm windows affixed to the outside. Since the new energy codes, more modern dwellings generally have double- or triple-pane windows with removable insect screens. Most of these more modern windows also are vinyl-clad, or even have parts made entirely of vinyl, which means they are far less likely to suffer exterior rot, and do not require painting, at least not on the exterior part of the window jamb. Even these newer-type windows occasionally fail, however, mostly because the vacuum or gas-filled seal between the multiple panes of glass lets go. This leads to clouding or etching between the multiple panes, as well as a reduction in energy efficiency. Some of these newer windows have warranties regarding broken seals, but unfortunately for the homeowner, many of the window manufacturing companies operating within the last few decades have gone out of business or won’t replace failed windows past a limited warranty.
Older windows such as wooden single-pane types can present many problems, the most obvious being a lack of thermal efficiency. Single-pane wooden sashes generally have poor quality weather stripping, which tends to erode and rot, thus allowing cold air in and letting warm air out. Additionally, moisture from condensation often accumulates between the sashes and storm window, and then seeps into the wooden sill and creates rot. Finally, many, if not most, of the earlier windows were unfortunately manufactured with finger-jointed exterior casings which, if not kept perfectly painted, will disassemble and rot, particularly at the joints.
Several options are available to homeowners wishing to replace windows. Advertisements for companies offering replacement windows are everywhere but these are often for all-vinyl-type new sashes and glides, which are placed inside the existing old wooden jamb upon removal of the old wooden sashes. No replacement of the interior or exterior trim is done in this type of replacement, so exterior rotted casings or sills as well as air infiltration and periodic repainting are still a problem.
Another option is entire window replacement, whereby the old windows, along with the inside and exterior casings are removed and disposed of and entirely new windows and casings are installed. Additionally, the new exterior casings can be made of PVC (white plastic) dimension boards or the wood encased with aluminum cladding to prevent further rot and do away with future painting of the window exteriors.
Although PVC casings don’t warrant painting, they are often painted to match existing exterior trim colors and reduce the attraction for dust and dirt that PVC seems to have. In instances where cedar shingle or clapboard is butted directly to the window jambs, without casings, the amount of work involved is higher than when the exterior casings are easily replaced within the existing frame of the siding. Another bonus of total replacement is that the new windows are, if properly installed, tightly sealed and caulked on the exterior as well as stuffed with insulation or foam on the inside to greatly reduce air infiltration. Of course, the total replacement method necessarily costs more, since more work and materials are required.
Costs very greatly with installers. Many installers represent large sales companies, which employ, on a commission basis, very aggressive salesmen who are highly skilled at “motivating” buyers with exciting predictions of enhanced value, great beauty, and enormous energy savings. I recently spoke, in a non-sales situation, with a large-volume window salesman; he proudly told me the prices he was able to get for glide and sash replacement. It sounded to me like high prices for total window replacement. The salesman described how, after giving a price that was probably not affordable to excited homeowners, he would, upon not quite leaving, pull a “Columbo”—turning slowly on his heel and saying, “You know, maybe… if I talked to my boss about you guys putting one of our signs on your lawn… I might be able to talk him into giving you these windows for…say, 30 percent off the contract price.” When the salesman revealed the reduced price, I still thought it quite high for the materials and labor involved.
I certainly don’t mean to imply that all large window replacement companies are overpriced or dishonest, but this is certainly a field where this type of salesmanship is not uncommon. In my experience, one should be able to purchase an all-vinyl sash and glide replacement, labor and material, for $250-$350 per average-sized, double-hung windows. Total replacement of individual, double-hung medium-priced windows with a brand such as Andersen 200 series should probably not exceed $550 per unit, particularly when more than a couple of windows are being done. There are lots of exceptions to this, of course, particularly in the case of entire widow replacement when cedar shingles must be woven with the existing siding to meet the new window jambs, or when the window is an unusual, odd size and renovations must be made to change the rough opening.
Installing new windows on an older house is almost always a good way to save energy and create more comfort at home. If you find an installer, make sure to check out references; at least their last two jobs. You may wish to purchase the windows yourself and have the installer provide only the labor and materials (new casings) et cetera. Contractors generally do not get much of a financial discount when buying name-brand windows, so they may be happy to have you deal with this expense. Be aware, though, that special order windows are generally nonreturnable, so make sure that all the rough opening measurements are checked at least twice before ordering. Sometimes it’s a good idea to carefully pry off the upper and lower interior casings to accurately measure the existing rough openings. If you are unclear about any of this, it’s better to leave it to professionals. Windows, particularly the Andersen brand, can often be obtained more cheaply by making a from-the-factory order rather than buying stock items. The factory orders are generally a four-to-six-week wait, but the savings can be substantial.
I wouldn’t advise anyone to personally undertake performing window replacement unless they are skilled at measuring and cutting wood, and are comfortable on ladders and scaffolding. Often the cost of labor charged by a carpenter to install a dozen or so windows, roughly anywhere from $120-$250 per unit, is well worth the cost of having it done correctly. You can save money by painting or staining the inside and outside casings, if this is something you are good at.
Replacing old single-pane or even older, failing, double-pane windows with new energy-efficient ones will certainly make your house more quiet and snug by eliminating drafts and reducing noise. Newer tilt-wash windows with interior grilles are much easier to keep clean than the old single-pane, divided-light (multi-pane) type, and savings on heating and cooling costs will often recover much of the expense of the new windows over time. Most importantly, increased energy efficiency naturally contributes to less spending for, and burning of, fossil fuels. And it all comes with a back-saving bonus; you’ll never struggle with sticky storm windows and screens again.
About the Author: Bruce Wilson of Mashpee has been self-employed in the home improvement industry for over twenty-five years. He can be reached at wil720@aol.com.
A short glossary of window terminology:
Sashes are the moveable part of a window, which on double-hung windows either glide up and down, or in casement windows, crank open to one side. There is also an awning type, which is hinged from the top.
Jamb refers to the sides and top of the part of the window that is within the wall framing, generally either 45⁄8 inches or 65⁄8 inches wide.
Glides are the side bearings on which double-hung windows go up and down.
Casing is the outside material surrounding the window and abutting the siding, as well as the interior trim.
Rough opening refers to the length and width dimensions of the window or door wall framing. A rough opening is usually at least a half-inch larger than the window in order to position it more exactly.