St. Louis Options?

[Delaware Mike]

We keep every insulation method in the trailer as each situation is different. A good crew knows that conditions change from job to job and we get audibles thrown at us all of the time.

I've been installing the Elements quite a bit recently and it's a very tight window with good manufacturing tolerances.

[toddinmn]

1/4'' is easily foamable, even 1/8'' is no problem ,a ground down tip does help. I pack small and job specific from notes taken at point of measure. I often don't caulk the interior when things fit nice and tight on stained wood. Foaming of weight pockets is nice but would be a bit of an up charge. I'd take the Element with the triple myself, I prefer the stouter build for the long run.

[HomeSealed]

1/4'' is easily foamable, even 1/8'' is no problem ,a ground down tip does help. I pack small and job specific from notes taken at point of measure. I often don't caulk the interior when things fit nice and tight on stained wood. Foaming of weight pockets is nice but would be a bit of an up charge. I'd take the Element with the triple myself, I prefer the stouter build for the long run.

Perfectly stated Todd. Foam can fit in some pretty small spaces, and when it can't, caulking that gap is advisable to prevent air leakage as opposed to stuffing fiberglass. I'd also agree that interior caulking is not always necessary, and many times undesirable for appearance purposes. It really should be for aesthetic reasons when done.

[stlm]

Thanks for the advice and help guys. I got the Elements installed recently and they're pretty nice windows. The slight tint takes a little getting used to but so far they seem like good windows.

I did have a question on the install though. Generally how much damage is done to the wood frame or surrounding plaster/wall? One of my windows had what seemed to be a wood stop/block at the top so the window would stop a few inches from the top when you opened it. It seemed like the installer had a difficult time trying to get that out and after a lot of prying/banging he got it out but part of the pieces of wood that made up frame seems to be splitting, as well as there is a crack in the plaster where the frame meets the wall. (There was another window too where there seemed to be a crack in the plaster where the wall met the frame)

Is that a common side effect of installing new windows?

http://i.imgur.com/uOa2uZQ.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/flMxE24.jpg

[Windows on Washington]

That is a pretty normal occurrence when you remove those older jamb liners.

[stlm]

I figured much of it was probably normal. One of the installers just seemed concerned at the amount of banging and asked the other what he was trying to do, so I figured I'd get an independent expert's opinion. (And I don't mind fixing it up as it gives me something to keep me busy). Thanks again for all the help!

[Windows on Washington]

No sweat.

As surgical as it is, it still requires a bit of "oomph" from time to time to get those guys out.