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Window Choices: The Factors You Should Consider

Source Post: http://www.replacement-windows.com/windowbb/viewtopic.php?p=7981

There have been a number of issues that were raised in this thread - good ones - I am going to address several...

I would suggest that people need to ask themselves why they want to replace their windows. Is it aesthetic? Is it energy performance? Is it maintenance? Is it saving money?

All good reasons and newer windows will affect all these questions - and possibly more.

First, and as we all know, energy costs are rising. People are being pinched by the cost of heating and cooling their homes. Many folks take a look at their old drafty windows and immediately consider replacement as a way to save energy. They contact a salesman (or go to the neighborhood big box) and the salesman may offer them these remarkable energy and money savings - often based on phantom numbers - and all they have to do is install these really expensive replacement windows. And installing replacement windows is often a very good idea that will ultimately make the home more comfortable and will ultimately save the consumer money.

Second, aesthetic...as mentioned by other folks, original windows in an older home will usually look better than will replacements. This is especially true in a home that is much older. I might throw out that consideration for a 50's or 60's ranch, but for a turn-of-the-century Victorian there is no question that restoring the original windows may be worth the effort.

While you can buy windows that are virtually identical to the originals, and that may be more energy efficient - you can also pay a pot-load of money for those replicas. I would suggest that for most people that isn't a realistic option.

From an aesthetic standpoint - and assuming that the windows in the home are original and are part of the charm of the home - I may opt to restore the originals and add storms knowing that this is something of an indulgence but understanding that the primary concern in this case is the architectural features of the home. Personally, I really like older windows and I also think it is a shame to destroy the look of a home with poorly matching replacement parts – be it windows or anything else.

From a performance or energy standpoint, the best restoration job available on original single pane windows - and then adding single pane storms - will not get the sort of energy performance numbers that you can get with the top performing windows made today. I know that many restoration fans may not agree with that statement, but it is fact.

A good restoration job with good storms will save energy when compared to the performance of the windows prior to the restoration. There can certainly be energy value as well as visual value when restoring the original windows, but I say again that while you should see energy savings when comparing the before and after condition of the original windows – comparing to replacement windows may be a much different consideration.

When considering window replacement and what people don't always consider - and as FenEx and others have mentioned here before - is that your home is a system and windows are only part of that system.

Installing new windows in an older home probably will save energy-dollars and it will likely make a home more comfortable, but it may also be a matter of throwing money down a well so far as return on investment goes – if you don’t look at the rest of the home as well.

As said earlier, a home is a system and replacing windows without addressing other factors in the home may not be either energy-smart or dollar-smart. As a homeowner you need to determine where your energy dollars are being wasted - and if that is your primary concern.

Before I spent a penny on window replacement – strictly for potential energy and money savings – I would invest in a whole house audit to find out exactly where I am losing energy – and money. Then I would plan accordingly. In a tight, well-insulated house, poor windows can account for 50% or more of energy loss. In a loose, not well insulated house, windows may account for only 20% or even less of the total energy loss.

One suggestion was to keep the original windows and install good quality storms. Obviously, if you want the convenience of little or no maintenance then installing storms becomes a much less attractive option (and btw, there is no such thing as zero maintenance when discussing parts of your home - there may be little maintenance, but never zero).

Installing storm windows – especially on second or third story windows - @#&#$%@%# - in my opinion of course.

One could consider installing permanent aluminum storm/screen combinations, but in that case why bother keeping the original windows since those aluminum things aren’t particularly efficient and they may look even worse than bottom-end cheap replacement windows.

One other option might be interior storms – at least for some windows – but again mounting storm windows is certainly not a fun job – and then you have to have a place to store them when they aren’t being used.

And of course one can install “good” wood combination storms - which may be a workable compromise - but certainly not the cheapest if you go with really quality product.

Finally, restoration with storms will mean some very heavy time and trouble involvement in the operation of the home - something not all people want to do.

 

Source Post: Replacement Windows or New Storm Windows -- HELP!!
http://www.replacement-windows.com/windowbb/viewtopic.php?p=7981

Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2006 6:48 am Post subject: good discussion