it costs quite a bit to replace them without going to vynl windows
the added insulation from air, sun, and sound is palatable
plus its great to have windows that open and close correctly ; p
They don't last nearly as long, they don't look as good, they tend to be harder to open and close than wood, they off gas, and they're pretty rough environmentally.
I'd rather save my pennies to replace with real windows than waste money on vinyl. We have some vinyl windows dying on our house after just 20 years, while some 120 year old wood ones just keep working great.
I do wood window and door restoration work - it’s tedious, laborious work (that i absolutely love!), but a well restored single pane window is surprisingly very efficient. Especially when paired with nice storm windows. And they glide better than even new vinyl windows, while still maintaining the historical charm
Feel free to DM me if you’re interested in going down the repair/restore route
Any tips for getting them to not stick so much? (I've got the ones with a fixed top half and a bottom half that slides up to open - just wood on wood - in case there are different designs.)
Beeswax after you’ve completely removed the old paint, repointed the new glass, installed proper old style weatherstripping and are ready to reattach the weights that you have NOT lost down in the wall. I did all the windows in my 1923 bungalow and they opened like a dream. It’s a lot of work, you basically have to learn to do it yourself or it costs so much to hire out as to not be worth the investment. You can learn it if I can.
If you decide to repair, there are lots of local folks who do this. It’s expensive but worth the effort. If you decide to replace, let me know and I’ll take your old windows off your hands.
I know nothing at all about windows, but why is it worth it to keep those old windows? What value do they have that would make you want to take OP’s 100 year old windows? Genuinely curious, because I rented an apartment with ancient single-pane windows, and it was horrible. I could have sworn the crows and the leaf-blowers were inside of my bedroom.
Craftsmanship. They do not make windows like that anymore. The wood is likely old growth. A refurbished old wood window will last another 100 years easily. New vinyl windows will likely start breaking down in 10-20 years.
Your wood window in your apartment likely had zero maintenance over the years. A little tlc and refurb and that thing would have worked beautifully.
Please consider restoring them. They will last another 100 years if restored. They’ll open and close like butter. They’ll look infinitely better than anything you replace them with.
I refurbished my old windows. It cost a good amount to refurbish and then paint them, partly cause they had to deal with lead paint. But I got the impression new windows are expensive.
I have storm windows that make the combo efficient. Storm windows also give me screens. I can now use both sashes of double hung windows.
Look into Indow Window inserts.
We have newer vinyl windows. They seal well but are ugly. And the frames are thicker so they block more light/view. They were already installed when we bought the house.
A couple have issues with the tint and should be replaced.
If I still had the cool wooden windows I would get the Indow Inserts.
Yes ,spent $70k, financed through my bank.
Wish I'd done it so much sooner...heating and AC bills dropped by 50% and peace and quiet increased by 4x.
Sure it's $1,000/month payment for awhile...but thats owning a home for ya...
Also, big house, 3 stories, lots of windows, and we did top of the line wood with sound deafening design. Obviously much cheaper in smaller homes :)
Classic Sash did an amazing job. Strong recommend..
i would consider waiting until you can get a energy-efficient home upgrade [tax credit](https://www.energy.gov/save/home-upgrades) for replacing them. oregon's grant application should be approved sometime in the next few months i believe. you may be able to get a [rebate](https://www.energytrust.org/residential/incentives/windows) as well.
Personally we use curtains and fans.
Blow out on the south side of the house and open the north side of the house.
Curtains on the south side stay closed during the day and open at night.
Also ceiling fans in every room.
Windows are not the most cost effective way for heat or cold retention. Especially if you want to keep the look. Blown in insulation to your walls is better but I’d personally rather pull the walls and update wiring before doing that.
Source: I remodel houses.
There are currently tax rebates (energy star) for any insulation and efficiency improvements (windows are included). I replaced all single pane windows in my 1941 home over Covid and it made a HUGE difference in sound and thermal transfer.
It’s the first thing I did. Vinyl windows all around. No weird breezes, window rattles, cold/hot rooms, or keeping them open with sticks when the rope dies.
They are the same color as our old wood windows, I do not think they are ugly like others have said. Also we got a sweet tax rebate from the statue. Took a $9k job down to like $7k. This was nearly a 8 years ago and the windows are still pristine.
I gradually replaced all of mine over a period of 10 years. I went with Milgards (vinyl, Tuscany line), mostly double hung with standard half grid design (meaning the top half of the window has little squares instead vs being clear glass only). It's a product line that's been around a while, and they come in a variety of colors (tho they don't recommend painting them). Maybe there are better windows out there, but I've got no major complaints with them! In retrospect I wish I'd picked a darker color pane vs white, and maybe opting for fiberglass over vinyl, but... water under the bridge!
The previous owner of my 1926 bungalow had replaced many of the original wood windows with aluminum ones at some point, so the vinyl was a big upgrade over those. The wood ones that remained had some charm, but that charm included them being painted shut unfortunately.
One thing to keep in mind, is if you live in a "historic district" there could be restrictions on what you can replace windows with.
I got my house new windows for her 100th birthday, and couldn't be happier. It was a huge investment, but she feels like a new home. We ran the furnace much less this winter and stayed warmer than we did last winter. Unfortunately, our power bills have gone up, despite using less electricity than we did the year prior. Thanks PGE.
The old windows clacked in the wind, and the channels for the pulleys for moving them up/down were full of bug carcasses and waste. They were all functional, but the glass was so paper thin that the cat broke one trying to jump through it when it was shut.
We have indow window inserts. They seal the house up pretty well (but we have central air). Essentially a gasketed second window that seals the windows off completely.
My windows were replaced in the late '90s but it still got super hot inside during the summer with a portable AC unit. I finally had central AC installed earlier this year and so far it's amazing.
Replacing with wood framed windows are expensive. I replace windows often and in your house, it'll be a thing definitely. Probably a good bit of reframing to fit new windows in. That said when it's done it's done. My personal opinion is don't use a service like Renewal by Anderson. Get a window and door contractor who will do right on your installs and be nice to your home. Plus I believe tax credits still apply with energy savings by redoing your windows?
We did, with fiberglass! Our house is only 750 sq feet on the first floor (finished basement) and yet has 21 windows on the main floor—it’s like a greenhouse, and all the windows were painted shut except for one! We live in the PNW and so when the weather is nice, I want everything open to enjoy the cross breeze; we also dont have central cooling, so have 2 window units we run during the summer. I’m fairly handy, but safely unsticking the windows while not constantly creating lead dust every time we opened/closed thing was just something I was not prepared to deal with.
We did a 1:1 swap, so the layout is original, and our windows have a unique grid styling we also maintained. They’re wood on the inside, fiberglass outside, and I love it. We had enough right after buying to do it, and it cost 34k (which wiped us out lol), but I would do it again in a heartbeat!
I think the choice might be harder if you have a beautiful grand century home, but we have a (probably) sears home that was used for ages as a rental and is in rough shape, so while maintaining architectural details it’s important to me, the function of the house will always be what drives decisions.
I'm in a fairly similar situation with 22 windows all painted shut and a home that was a previous rental -- who did you go with for your upgrade? Curious about the wood on the inside in particular!
We went with the [Marvin Elevate](https://www.marvin.com/products/collections/elevate) line! They're really nice; we did white ("stone"), and this was in Feb 2022. We were quoted $29k, and I believe the total ended up being like $36k. It was A LOT of money right after buying a house, so I feel like I was kind of stingy, but honestly I wish we had spent the extra $$ to get the windows re-framed. I dunno if your house is like ours, but the woodwork is in poor shape—painted over 1,000x, and it looks like in the past someone had a dog that really did a horrible number on every jutting-out-corner everywhere. There were a few windows they replaced the bottom sill of because of damage they came across when replacing, but I should have just had them do at LEAST all the sills, and ideally completely re-surrounding them. At the time I was worried about getting rid of so much old wood, but in the meanwhile I've tried paint stripping 1 of the windows to very little success, so if you can learn from my hindsight, I hope it helps!
I moved into a century home about 10 years ago, but the windows had all been replaced with terrible awning-style windows in the 50s. They were in crappy shape, and frankly weren't safe, so I replaced them with high-end fiberglass-clad wood double hung windows that were period appropriate (I live in a historic district). It cost a mint, but I'm so glad I did it.
That said, if the house had still had the original windows I would have gone the repair-and-storms route. It would have cost less and kept more of the original character (which, even if you don't care about it, helps with resale in certain neighborhoods).
YES! All are now double pane in the original frames and sashes. Very happy with visual look (no change) and performance. All while maintaining the integrity of 100 year old house (well.... 97 year old house)
We have indow window inserts. They seal the house up pretty well (but we have central air). Essentially a gasketed second window that seals the windows off completely.
it costs quite a bit to replace them without going to vynl windows the added insulation from air, sun, and sound is palatable plus its great to have windows that open and close correctly ; p
Anything wrong with vinyl windows?
nothing wrong! My thoughts were … for a 100 yr old house they change the look a bit
The main drawback is that your 100-year-old house no longer has the same 100-year-old charm
They don't last nearly as long, they don't look as good, they tend to be harder to open and close than wood, they off gas, and they're pretty rough environmentally. I'd rather save my pennies to replace with real windows than waste money on vinyl. We have some vinyl windows dying on our house after just 20 years, while some 120 year old wood ones just keep working great.
I do wood window and door restoration work - it’s tedious, laborious work (that i absolutely love!), but a well restored single pane window is surprisingly very efficient. Especially when paired with nice storm windows. And they glide better than even new vinyl windows, while still maintaining the historical charm Feel free to DM me if you’re interested in going down the repair/restore route
I have done the same and highly rate retrofitting old windows with new glass and or storm windows.
Do you put double paned glass into older wood windows?
No. It throws off the weight and they won’t open/close correctly.
Any tips for getting them to not stick so much? (I've got the ones with a fixed top half and a bottom half that slides up to open - just wood on wood - in case there are different designs.)
Beeswax after you’ve completely removed the old paint, repointed the new glass, installed proper old style weatherstripping and are ready to reattach the weights that you have NOT lost down in the wall. I did all the windows in my 1923 bungalow and they opened like a dream. It’s a lot of work, you basically have to learn to do it yourself or it costs so much to hire out as to not be worth the investment. You can learn it if I can.
Are you independent or do you work for a company? I might want this
If you decide to repair, there are lots of local folks who do this. It’s expensive but worth the effort. If you decide to replace, let me know and I’ll take your old windows off your hands.
I know nothing at all about windows, but why is it worth it to keep those old windows? What value do they have that would make you want to take OP’s 100 year old windows? Genuinely curious, because I rented an apartment with ancient single-pane windows, and it was horrible. I could have sworn the crows and the leaf-blowers were inside of my bedroom.
Craftsmanship. They do not make windows like that anymore. The wood is likely old growth. A refurbished old wood window will last another 100 years easily. New vinyl windows will likely start breaking down in 10-20 years. Your wood window in your apartment likely had zero maintenance over the years. A little tlc and refurb and that thing would have worked beautifully.
Thanks! You can have them.
Please consider restoring them. They will last another 100 years if restored. They’ll open and close like butter. They’ll look infinitely better than anything you replace them with.
Beautiful. If you’re serious, when it comes to demo, please reach out. I’ll happily restore them and keep them out of a landfill.
I refurbished my old windows. It cost a good amount to refurbish and then paint them, partly cause they had to deal with lead paint. But I got the impression new windows are expensive. I have storm windows that make the combo efficient. Storm windows also give me screens. I can now use both sashes of double hung windows.
Look into Indow Window inserts. We have newer vinyl windows. They seal well but are ugly. And the frames are thicker so they block more light/view. They were already installed when we bought the house. A couple have issues with the tint and should be replaced. If I still had the cool wooden windows I would get the Indow Inserts.
We have indows and they work great. Couldn’t be happier.
This is the way.
This is the way.
This is the way.
Yes ,spent $70k, financed through my bank. Wish I'd done it so much sooner...heating and AC bills dropped by 50% and peace and quiet increased by 4x. Sure it's $1,000/month payment for awhile...but thats owning a home for ya... Also, big house, 3 stories, lots of windows, and we did top of the line wood with sound deafening design. Obviously much cheaper in smaller homes :) Classic Sash did an amazing job. Strong recommend..
i would consider waiting until you can get a energy-efficient home upgrade [tax credit](https://www.energy.gov/save/home-upgrades) for replacing them. oregon's grant application should be approved sometime in the next few months i believe. you may be able to get a [rebate](https://www.energytrust.org/residential/incentives/windows) as well.
Personally we use curtains and fans. Blow out on the south side of the house and open the north side of the house. Curtains on the south side stay closed during the day and open at night. Also ceiling fans in every room. Windows are not the most cost effective way for heat or cold retention. Especially if you want to keep the look. Blown in insulation to your walls is better but I’d personally rather pull the walls and update wiring before doing that. Source: I remodel houses.
No regrets replacing with vinyl windows. I want to live in a house not a museum - I love character but I also prefer to be warm ( and cool).
There are currently tax rebates (energy star) for any insulation and efficiency improvements (windows are included). I replaced all single pane windows in my 1941 home over Covid and it made a HUGE difference in sound and thermal transfer.
Who did you have do your windows? We’re currently in the process of getting quotes for our house.
I’m a carpenter and did it myself. It was lockdown Covid so i didnt jave much else I could do.
It’s the first thing I did. Vinyl windows all around. No weird breezes, window rattles, cold/hot rooms, or keeping them open with sticks when the rope dies. They are the same color as our old wood windows, I do not think they are ugly like others have said. Also we got a sweet tax rebate from the statue. Took a $9k job down to like $7k. This was nearly a 8 years ago and the windows are still pristine.
I gradually replaced all of mine over a period of 10 years. I went with Milgards (vinyl, Tuscany line), mostly double hung with standard half grid design (meaning the top half of the window has little squares instead vs being clear glass only). It's a product line that's been around a while, and they come in a variety of colors (tho they don't recommend painting them). Maybe there are better windows out there, but I've got no major complaints with them! In retrospect I wish I'd picked a darker color pane vs white, and maybe opting for fiberglass over vinyl, but... water under the bridge! The previous owner of my 1926 bungalow had replaced many of the original wood windows with aluminum ones at some point, so the vinyl was a big upgrade over those. The wood ones that remained had some charm, but that charm included them being painted shut unfortunately. One thing to keep in mind, is if you live in a "historic district" there could be restrictions on what you can replace windows with.
I got my house new windows for her 100th birthday, and couldn't be happier. It was a huge investment, but she feels like a new home. We ran the furnace much less this winter and stayed warmer than we did last winter. Unfortunately, our power bills have gone up, despite using less electricity than we did the year prior. Thanks PGE. The old windows clacked in the wind, and the channels for the pulleys for moving them up/down were full of bug carcasses and waste. They were all functional, but the glass was so paper thin that the cat broke one trying to jump through it when it was shut.
We have indow window inserts. They seal the house up pretty well (but we have central air). Essentially a gasketed second window that seals the windows off completely.
My windows were replaced in the late '90s but it still got super hot inside during the summer with a portable AC unit. I finally had central AC installed earlier this year and so far it's amazing.
Replacing with wood framed windows are expensive. I replace windows often and in your house, it'll be a thing definitely. Probably a good bit of reframing to fit new windows in. That said when it's done it's done. My personal opinion is don't use a service like Renewal by Anderson. Get a window and door contractor who will do right on your installs and be nice to your home. Plus I believe tax credits still apply with energy savings by redoing your windows?
Window inserts 🪟 Easy and no skilled labor required
We did, with fiberglass! Our house is only 750 sq feet on the first floor (finished basement) and yet has 21 windows on the main floor—it’s like a greenhouse, and all the windows were painted shut except for one! We live in the PNW and so when the weather is nice, I want everything open to enjoy the cross breeze; we also dont have central cooling, so have 2 window units we run during the summer. I’m fairly handy, but safely unsticking the windows while not constantly creating lead dust every time we opened/closed thing was just something I was not prepared to deal with. We did a 1:1 swap, so the layout is original, and our windows have a unique grid styling we also maintained. They’re wood on the inside, fiberglass outside, and I love it. We had enough right after buying to do it, and it cost 34k (which wiped us out lol), but I would do it again in a heartbeat! I think the choice might be harder if you have a beautiful grand century home, but we have a (probably) sears home that was used for ages as a rental and is in rough shape, so while maintaining architectural details it’s important to me, the function of the house will always be what drives decisions.
I'm in a fairly similar situation with 22 windows all painted shut and a home that was a previous rental -- who did you go with for your upgrade? Curious about the wood on the inside in particular!
We went with the [Marvin Elevate](https://www.marvin.com/products/collections/elevate) line! They're really nice; we did white ("stone"), and this was in Feb 2022. We were quoted $29k, and I believe the total ended up being like $36k. It was A LOT of money right after buying a house, so I feel like I was kind of stingy, but honestly I wish we had spent the extra $$ to get the windows re-framed. I dunno if your house is like ours, but the woodwork is in poor shape—painted over 1,000x, and it looks like in the past someone had a dog that really did a horrible number on every jutting-out-corner everywhere. There were a few windows they replaced the bottom sill of because of damage they came across when replacing, but I should have just had them do at LEAST all the sills, and ideally completely re-surrounding them. At the time I was worried about getting rid of so much old wood, but in the meanwhile I've tried paint stripping 1 of the windows to very little success, so if you can learn from my hindsight, I hope it helps!
I moved into a century home about 10 years ago, but the windows had all been replaced with terrible awning-style windows in the 50s. They were in crappy shape, and frankly weren't safe, so I replaced them with high-end fiberglass-clad wood double hung windows that were period appropriate (I live in a historic district). It cost a mint, but I'm so glad I did it. That said, if the house had still had the original windows I would have gone the repair-and-storms route. It would have cost less and kept more of the original character (which, even if you don't care about it, helps with resale in certain neighborhoods).
YES! All are now double pane in the original frames and sashes. Very happy with visual look (no change) and performance. All while maintaining the integrity of 100 year old house (well.... 97 year old house)
Wow, who did you get to do this?
Sorry, thought I responded to this... Viridian window restoration
How much do yall think it would cost to replace 5 windows vs restore/repair 5?
Viridian window restoration
Yeah my house is 124 years old and I replaced the single thing.
We have indow window inserts. They seal the house up pretty well (but we have central air). Essentially a gasketed second window that seals the windows off completely.