OLD HISTORICVENT DOUBLEPANE WINDOWS HOW TO
OLD HISTORICVENT DOUBLEPANE WINDOWS INSTALL

For starters, many of them don’t come close to operating as effortlessly as old sashes hung with counterbalanced weights. To me, the much-more-expensive method of installing replacement-window units also has disadvantages. While storm windows can be installed to look unobtrusive, they are a pain to operate.

OLD HISTORICVENT DOUBLEPANE WINDOWS INSTALL

Most people who want to address the issue of leaky windows tend to have a knee-jerk reaction: Either install storm units over the existing window opening, or remove the old sashes in favor of replacement windows (new units that insert in the old jambs). You can have smooth-working windows original to the house that don’t rattle in the wind or make you dread next month’s energy bill. With the resources available today, boosting the efficiency of old sashes doesn’t mean tearing them out or painting them shut. All the sashes I see are made from locally milled cypress, a wood that has long been prized for its strength, its workability, and its rot-resistant qualities: ideal characteristics in this hot, wet climate. Like me, my client understands the important role that original windows play in preserving an older home’s historical integrity.Īs a carpenter who specializes in restoration projects in New Orleans, I’ve come to appreciate not just the beauty of old windows but also their solid construction. He wanted to stop the noise as well as the air infiltration, but he didn’t want me to replace the windows.

OLD HISTORICVENT DOUBLEPANE WINDOWS HOW TO

Magazine Extra: View a photo essay where Davis shows you how to fit new sashes into old jambs.Ī client recently complained to me about how badly the old windows rattled in his historic home. Davis begins by disassembling the windows repairing and/or upgrading parts sealing gaps to halt air leaks then tuning up the channels, weights, ropes, and pulleys. New Orleans restoration carpenter John Michael Davis describes his methods for upgrading traditional double-hung windows to make them energy-efficient and smooth while also keeping them historically authentic. Even the best old windows can use a little help, though. Synopsis: There’s a good reason why traditional double-hung windows have long lives: They use a simple layout and have basic operation.

Old historicvent doublepane windows