It has been said that eyes are the window to the soul. I would argue that original wooden windows are the soul of an old house. So why would you replace them with vinyl windows and toss them in a landfill?
In an effort to save on heating cost and reduce their carbon footprint, well-intentioned homeowners are often convinced by replacement window manufacturers that if they want to save money, new windows are their only option. This simply isn't true. What these manufacturers neglect to mention is that studies show most homes lose more heat through inadequately insulated walls and roofs than through wooden windows, and that it could take a century or more for an investment in replacement windows to result in energy savings. What can a homeowner do?
If you still want to tackle your creaky, leaky old window problem, here are your primary options:
1) Window Replacement entails removing the entire window including the frame, trim, and molding inside and out and replace it with a brand new window that is often custom-built. This is the most expensive option and as I already stated, you would never live to see the return on your investment in energy savings.
2) Sash Replacement can run the gamut from inexpensive PVC replacements to high-end name brand kits. Unfortunately, homeowners often do not realize the hidden costs of those seemingly inexpensive kits until it is too late. For example, if you remove the storm windows and sash and replace it with a double-paned vinyl window to save money, the sill that accommodated the absent storm window is exposed to the elements and is prone to rot, which can lead to expensive repairs down the road. You also may not realize that since this sash is set into the existing window opening, you reduce the viewing area and the amount of sunlight that shines into your home.
3) Window Restoration can include repairs, glazing, weatherstripping, and the addition of an exterior storm window. Once restoration is completed, it returns the window to the way it was originally designed to function, and the R-Value of your restored window is comparable to most replacement sash kits. If you are interested in doing a faithful restoration of your home, this is your best option. With this method, the cost of the service I offer is generally on par with a high-end sash replacement, and you are preserving the integrity of the building, which is priceless. Historic wood windows can easily last more than 100 years if properly maintained, and studies have shown you can save 30-40% on heating costs by just repairing failed glazing or adding weatherstripping. Window or sash replacement is not necessary in most cases.
The Greenest Windows are in Your House
In these difficult times, economic and environmental concerns dovetail nicely with the historic preservation movement. Many of us in the building industry have embraced the saying, “The greenest building is already built.” The same can be said of your old wooden windows. A properly maintained wooden window that has a storm window and is weatherstripped can be just as energy efficient as a replacement window or sash, and it has less of an impact on the environment when you think of the energy used during manufacturing and shipping the new windows. A more serious consideration is that vinyl replacement windows contain poly vinyl chloride which is becoming a growing environmental concern. Not only can PVC windows emit harmful gases into your home, but their manufacture creates toxic by-products. They are hardly a “green” option.
Why Restoration Matters
I am fascinated by what an old building says about the person who built it and the people who have owned and cared for it over the years. By saving an old house-or its windows-you are preserving a piece of history, conserving natural resources, and being environmentally responsible by not contributing debris to a landfill. I believe it is important to be respectful of the history of the house, whatever period it may be from. Once the original windows have been replaced, the integrity of the home has been compromised in the name of alleged energy efficiency. This is too high a price to pay.
Judson Aley is President of R.J. Aley General Contractors of Westport, CT and is a proud member of several preservation organizations including the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation. This “Old House Specialist” is a second generation contractor who specializes in sensitive restorations of vintage homes. He is licensed to work in Connecticut (#570003) and Westchester County, New York (#WC13151H02). For more information, visit: http://www.rjaley.com or call (203) 226-9933. Go to http://cttrust.org/index.cgi/10754 to read an interview with Jud on our new CT Trust Blog.
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Part 1 of the CT Trust's new restoration blog.
Judson Aley of R.J. Aley, a contractor based in Westport, generously offered to restore the windows at the Eli Whitney Boardinghouse (c. 1827) pro bono. While he was here, I had an opportunity to talk to Jud about preservation. What I found most interesting in speaking with him, was that no matter what our backgrounds or how we came to preservation, we both shared a common goal: protecting our culture one preservation project at a time.
Jud grew up around construction (his dad was a contractor in the Westport/Weston area). Although his dad did new construction, Jud was always a fan of historic buildings. The house Jud grew up in was a 1918 Dutch colonial house and his grandparents lived in a 1790s farmhouse, which Jud feels had a great impact on his desire to preserve old buildings.
After high school, where Jud's favorite and best subject was history, he went on to get a degree in landscape design. While at school, instead of living on campus, he rented an old farmhouse, further deepening his respect for historic buildings. In his free time, he would drive around and check out old buildings.
Later, Jud went to SCSU and got a BA in History with an Art History minor. In 1996, he started his own construction company with another carpenter and an Isuzu Trooper. Jud now has six carpenters on staff, including Jorge Lugo and Cesar Lopez (who are both working on the Boardinghouse). He doesn't want his company to grow so big that he can not make site visits and have a hands-on involvement with every project. Some contractors do historic preservation because they must. Jud is the opposite; he does preservation project because he loves to.
One of his first projects was adding a master bath suite to an 1898 Victorian for architect David Barkin. David is an accomplished (and award winning: see CPN May/June 2007) historic architect and had a great influence on Jud. David imparted a sense of respect for the building as a living entity, placing importance on not only its original appearance, but also its evolution over time.
Jud had a great quote; “If you want to be a purist, remove your electricity and plumbing”. Jud qualifies this by sharing a story about a friend of a friend who actually lives like this, right out of 1870, including the clothes, the lack of electricity and plumbing, and getting around by dog sled, in NEW YORK CITY!
I'll leave you all with some parting words by Jud which I think hit the nail on the head:
“Be respectful of the history of the house, whatever period it may be from.”
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Part 2 of the CT Trust's new restoration blog.
Today's “Blog” entry focuses on the nuts and bolts of the window restoration to the windows of the Eli Whitney Boardinghouse (1827). One of the things that make this project more than simply interesting is that the window on the Boardinghouse and their issues are the same issues that many of our readers face with their historic windows.
Caesar Lopez, the lead carpenter on the project was gracious enough to allow me to interview him and talk about the window restoration process. Caesar has been with R.J. Aley for 5 years and has a background in carpentry. Caesar said that he's learned about 70% of how to do preservation through hands-on experience, with the other 30% through workshops and studying. As a matter of fact, when Caesar stopped by to talk to me, he was on his way to the Yale library to do some research on epoxy and router bits (epoxy is used to repair damaged wood, and router bits are used in carpentry, to carve the curves in muntins or trim).
Caesar told me the first things he does when he starts an historic window restoration project is to survey the condition of the glass and the wood to see how badly damaged they are. This site visit is generally followed up with some research. Caesar told me that there is a lot of written material on the construction techniques used in historic windows that can be researched by the building's style or the year of construction.
Even the positioning of the building tells Cesar something. The south and west sides of the building generally face the sun and suffer damage in the form of dried out putty along with faded and peeling paint. The horizontal surfaces, like the sills, usually take the brunt of the damage. The north and east sides, which get less sun, are usually damaged from moisture, particularly where it is trapped in the joints and causes rot.
Window restoration comprises of a number of steps, including an evaluation of the window and surrounding area, some degree of interior and exterior paint removal, removal and repair of sash (including reglazing where necessary), repairs to the frame, weatherstripping and reinstallation of the sash, and repainting.
After careful evaluation, the next step is to remove the existing paint and putty. This can be accomplished through a number of techniques: steaming, scraping, sanding or applying chemicals.
One of the ten basic principles for sensitive rehabilitation, according to the Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation, is “Clean façade [windows] using the gentlest methods possible. Avoid sandblasting and other damaging methods”. Steaming appears to be one of the gentlest methods and is the only method R.J. Aley uses for historic window repair.
Another reason for steaming the windows is to secure the debris for abatement. R.J. Aley's assumes that any and all paint or glass installed or applied before 1980 contains lead and the firm deals with them accordingly. The steamer keeps the lead paint in one place and easy to abate. The steamer heats the windows to a temperature of 212 degrees and after 1-2 hours per window in the steamer, the putty and paint are soft enough to slough off. The technique also saves 90-95% of the glass from breaking, which is a common occurrence with other techniques. The lead debris from the steamer is easy to dispose of safely according to abatement code.
Because historic windows vary greatly in size, the crew builds the steamers custom for each project onsite, according to the window size (although they do have ready-made steamers for projects with standard-sized windows). The steamers are made mostly of wood and use a portable steam generator to produce steam, which is then pumped into the chamber or box with the window. The one they used at the Boardinghouse was big enough for 2 sashes (of the same window) to be steamed at the same time.
After the paint and putty is removed, the windows are set out to dry and the workers jump to the next window. The windows must have 15% or lower of moisture still remaining before the workers can go on to the next steps, which are repair, priming and re-glazing.
The next “Blog” entry will discuss the final steps in the restoration of the windows and some very interesting facts about replacement windows!
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