Old windows are so worth saving and so much a part of a house’s style and character.
Unfortunately, many old houses have lost their windows after manufacturers claimed thermopaned windows offered such superior
energy effeciency. Civil engineers from the University of Vermont, The Vermont Energy Investment Corp., and the U.S. Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (James et. al, 1996) presented evidence that the savings of removing old windows and replacing with thermopanes is so small, that it may take over 80 years to recoup the investment – longer if the original windows are properly maintained. A well-maintained original wood sash or casement window with storm window offers many other advantages, including the ability to abate a larger amount of ambient and street noise due to the larger distance between each pane. Original windows will also last a lifetime if properly maintained. This justifies repairing the existing window when needed. Sedovic and Gottheif’s report (at traditional-building.com) addresses many of the overblown claims made by replacement window manufacturers and the advantages of well maintained historic windows.
There are also security issues with “vinyl” windows, since they are not as strong as wood frames. Vinyl framed windows cannot normally be painted
either, further detracting from the original character of your home. This is to say nothing of the fact that once you are on the “replacement window” schedule, you can expect to have to replace the thermopanes once the gas escapes and the moisture infiltrates the unit resulting in a lovely “fogged window”.
I guess it is really not necessary for me to directly state my abhorence for vinyl windows, especially since the POs installed a couple of them. I can’t wait for a few of them to start “popping” so I have a reason beyond aesthetics to get rid of them and have custom antique sash windows installed.
Anyways, instead of replacing a wonderful old Queen Anne divided-top window with stained glass, I decided to repair it and have a custom milled storm window made by Hoffmeyer Mills located in Sebringville Ontario. The mill still uses the original machinery dating back to the 1870s. They told me that the storm was one of the largest made in recent memory at the mill and
their work, using traditional mortise and tenoned joinery, was excellent. Given the ambient noise of urban life, I requested that the window be glazed with 4 or 5 mm glass. The mill requested specific measurements and it only took a small number of runs with the hand planer to get a perfect fit. I used a simple compressible foam weatherstripping and antique styled brass fasteners and interior latch locks to hold the window in place. The result is no drafts whatsoever and I cannot even hear a delivery truck rolling by while reading the paper. Well worth it.
Thanks for your post. Nice to have the links you mentioned. I’ve always felt the same way about windows and we have what are original (or near to it) storms on our Italinate house. We are trying to figure out a means to have screens (other than the removable insets available at the hardware store).
We couldn’t agree more. Nothing beats the old wooden storms in combination with double hung sash windows. We invested many hours this summer repairing old putty in many of our original storm windows. Aside from the putty, they were in amazing condition. I’m curious about the storms on your upper floors, though. Will you take them off in the spring and replace them in the fall? Thanks for the review of Hoffmeyer Mills–we’ve had their site bookmarked for ages and it’s good to hear an independent endorsement. For years I’d thought the north skylight in my studio was just getting dirty. Then I read one of the reports about the inevitable failure of thermopane windows, Now I know that my foggy window isn’t dirty, but has failed. High tech solutions are not always better. The newer parts of our house seem to require much more maintenance than the original.
S and N,
The windows on the second floor were unfortunately ‘updated’ with new vinyl double-hung sash windows by the POs. I am interested in replacing them with wood sash and storms, but it is not a priority until we work our way through a, sometimes overwhelming, number of new projects on the horizon. In any case, the thermopanes will fail at some point and require replacement and I will be justified to replace the whole window if I had not done it sooner. Replacing all your storms with framed screens is one option, but perhaps not one of the most enjoyable annual routines. I have also seen storm windows mounted with hinges that can be propped open with a slide latch for ventilation. If central A/C is used in the summer, then it may only be necessary to remove storms from windows in rooms where you would like ventilation. I agree, that it is usually the modern finishes and products in a home that require the most attention and these products never develop old house “patina”, but instead end up looking shabby with no chic.
I hadn’t even thought about using thicker glass in my (eventual) new storms! Great idea! I’m still trying to find a good way to install storm windows on my house, but that’s another matter for another time.
Your restored windows are marvelous, and it’s great to hear that you found a local place to make appropriate storms. The extra-thick glass is genius!
n54th,
Thank-you for your kind words. I also really like the idea of supporting a local mill.