Ethan and Natasha purchased an older home in their city that needed a lot of love and remodeling.
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From the outset, they knew they would need to update the windows and doors. The home was almost 70 years old when they bought it and, like most older homes, their windows only had a single pane of glass. Some of the windows had been fitted with exterior storms. While improving the efficiency, they were rather unattractive and difficult to use. The existing windows were losing heat in the winter and letting it in during the summer.
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This front view of Ethan and Natasha's home shows the old bay windows. |
Their window upgrade and new paint color added dramatically to their home's curb appeal! |
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Window Insert Panels |
Instead of replacing the entire bay window with replacement windows the couple opted to go with wood window insert panels. |
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Their old windows were not only drafty, but they also rattled with passing traffic. "They were awful!" Natasha stated. "We had to stuff them with paper towels." Other windows were cracked and had silicone holding them together.
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Natasha and Ethan decided to go with wood frame windows because they wanted the higher quality over vinyl. These came pre-primed and they preserved them with two coats of white paint before installing the windows. |
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Painting Tip: |
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Before you install wood windows or exterior doors all sides (6) should first be primed and painted (with two coats), including the tops and bottoms of each. Make sure that you also paint all edges, and any knob and lock holes. Doing so will protect the wood from water damage. |
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"Inserts were the way to go," Ethan said as he explained their choice for the bay window. "They went in quickly and easily and we were able to keep all of the window casings and trim both inside and out." |
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Energy Tips: |
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Many older homes need to replace their old windows and exterior doors for more energy efficient ones. Look for the Energy Star® and for the NFRC (Nation Fenestration Rating Council) rating. Evaluating the summer and winter performance traits of each window will enable you to better choose windows that are most suited to your region's climate.
Getting a window with a low SHGC (Summer Solar Heat Gain Coefficient) rating will mean that less of the sun's radiation will be allowed to pass through the panes. This will translate into a cooler home that demands less of your air conditioning.
You will also want to get windows with a good winter U-Factor. A window with a low U-value will lose less heat through them and as a result your furnace will not have to work as hard to restore lost heat.
Also look for the VT (Visible Transmittance) and the Air Leakage numbers. A high VT number will give you a clearer pane of glass to look through. |
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The couple had already replaced their lower windows when they remodeled the basement and made it into a rental suite. They went with vinyl, as opposed to wood, on this lower level because the windows were almost at grade. |
While the front bay windows received inserts, the rest of the home was retrofitted with new replacement windows. The pair are now enjoying the beauty and function of their new windows and are very much looking forward to lower energy bills this year. |
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French Doors |
Natasha and Ethan wanted to open up the back of their home with french doors to allow more light into their living space. This change made a significant improvement on their home's exterior and allowed access to the backyard and future deck. |
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The small opening from the former back window had to be enlarged to accommodate the new french doors. Old bricks were salvaged and used to frame the door opening with clean precise brick lines. After the rough opening was made and the doors were tilted in. |
The contractors then set about working the frame to fine-tune the installation. The frame was tweaked with shims to make sure that all elements were plumb and that the doors were even and opening freely. Foam insulation was then sprayed in between the RO and the frame. |
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French Door Tip : |
French doors are very heavy because they are so wide. To ensure that the french-door's own thresholds don't move, causing the doors to bind or let water in, it is vital that the subfloor of the rough opening is both solid and perfectly level. |
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| We hope that Ethan and Natasha's story has inspired you to finally replace your older windows and doors. If so, our contractors can help you with your project! |
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