WINDOW REPLACEMENT ALTERNATIVES

PICTURE THIS:

After years of renting, you’ve finally saved up enough money to buy a home. Not just any home either. You found a 1981 house that has good bones and the classical charming aesthetic you love. You know, crown molding, exposed brick, real hardwood floors, the whole nine yards. The kind of unique craftsmanship that you wouldn’t find in a cookie-cutter, newly-built suburban neighborhood.  

After living in your recently purchased home for a short while, you start to notice fog accumulating on the glass panels of your windows. Upon further inspection, you see that the wood around the glass has cracks and shows visible signs of moisture damage. 

You knew that an older home would come with its fair share of upkeep, but you didn’t realize you’d have to worry about a window replacement. Now you’re concerned about how much this might cost. Not to mention, all of the original windows are over 25 years old. Will you be able to match the style and quality if you replace them? Do you need to replace them all? Can you replace windows without replacing the frame? In no time at all, you find yourself overwhelmed in the whirlwind of questions, thoughts, and concerns.  

SOME BASICS ABOUT WOOD WINDOWS

As we mentioned under the “Wood Windows” section above, at Fenster Components we work exclusively on wood windows. That’s where our area of expertise is and where we can create the most value for you. 

What you may not realize is that even in unique homes, wood windows often fall into a “production-line” category. That is to say, in many homes, no matter how original or cliché the design is, whether it’s custom-built or manufactured, wood windows don’t typically vary much in how they are built or installed. In fact, the technology is largely the same today as it was fifty years ago. So what does that mean?

Well, it’s actually good news, especially when it comes to window repairs and replacements. It means in most instances, there are industry norms and guides for how to replace or repair your windows. Think of it like a car. The more specific modifications and customizations you install under the hood, the harder it is to find someone who can help fix or replace the hardware once it begins to fail. However, with a typical “off-the-lot” model, there are standard protocols and manufactured parts for replacing the more common hardware. The same is true for windows. 

One tricky part for wood windows, however, is that from the time a window is installed to the time it needs to be repaired, many companies either change their product lines or go out of business. That means it can be difficult to find a replacement or repair that matches the other windows in your home. That’s where Fenster comes into the picture. 

We specialize in manufacturing and recreating window components that match your original equipment. That means even if your windows are no longer being offered by the manufacturer, or if you only want to replace a few instead of the whole house, you can rest assured that we can provide windows that are an exact match. Not just that, but we can offer alternatives to replacing entire windows that are cheaper and reduce your hassle. However, before we can explain how exactly we do that, we need to talk a little bit more about wood window terminology. 

(Wood) Window Terminology

When we talk about wood windows (and windows in general) there are several key terms and components that you will need to know. Knowledge of the following terms will help you understand exactly what we can offer at Fenster, how it works, and why it might be the right solution for you.  

• Sash- This is the operable part of the window. This is the part that slides, opens, or moves.
• Casement- The type of window that cranks open
• Double Hung- The type of window that slides up and down
• Awning- Also known as a Hopper, this is the type of window that swings open from the top
• Slider- Also known as a Glider, this is the type of window slides open horizontally
• Stile- The vertical side of a sash frame
• Rail- The horizontal side of a sash frame
• Jambliner- The plastic sidetracks of a double-hung window that the sashes slide up and down in
• Balance- The spring mechanism in the jambliner that holds the sash up
• Casing- The decorative molding or framing around the exterior of a window that covers the space between the framing and the wall.

Now that we have some basic terms defined, we can start explaining what we do in better detail. 

What Goes Into Our Solutions?

As we mentioned earlier, the reason we work on wood windows is because that’s where we can create value for you, the customer. Common issues with wood windows include rotting or cracking of wood as it gets older, allowing moisture to fog the glass window. At Fenster, we provide window repair solutions that simply replace the problematic wood pieces instead of replacing the entire window. As promised, we can finally get into the nitty-gritty about the window replacement alternatives we offer at Fenster Components. 

To put it in window terms from above, we offer sash replacements and sash packs. This type of replacement entails the removal of the operable components of the window as well as the replacement of the jambliners, balances, and sashes (sash frames as well as glass) with newer components. This saves you time and money, by only replacing the parts you need. It also saves the hassle of a full-on window replacement. In some cases, it might even be the only way to ensure that all of your windows match without replacing each one of them. To get a better sense of why this combination of repair and replacement is better, let’s contrast it with the two main replacement solutions on the market today. 

What Goes Into a Normal Window Replacement?

Mainly, there are two window replacement solutions widely available on the market today. The first is full-frame window replacements (also known as new construction windows), and the second is window inserts (also known as replacement windows). As we break down each one a little more thoroughly, keep in mind some of the glossary terms from earlier. 

Full Frame Window/New Construction Window

This one is pretty straightforward. With new construction windows, you or a contractor have to essentially rip the existing window frame and components out of the wall. This entails cutting back to the original siding material and tearing the frames out. 

This is a labor-intensive method and can be particularly challenging for homes with brick or stucco siding. It tends to be the most expensive solution and can cause damage to the areas around the windows if not done properly. 

One advantage of new construction windows over window inserts (which we will get to next) is that they won’t reduce your view the way replacement windows will. Also, theoretically, if you wanted to change the framing material of your windows, new construction methods allow you to do so. However, that would be an awful lot of money, time and hassle just to change from vinyl to wood, etc. It is worth noting that sometimes, if the frames (regardless of material) are in bad shape, you may have no choice but to adopt new construction windows. 

Replacement Window Inserts

What is a replacement window insert, you may be wondering. Window inserts, like new construction windows, live up to their name as well. The idea behind a window insert is that the existing frame (typically vinyl,) must be structurally sound and in no need of repair. This is not necessarily true all of the time though. We’ve seen with our own eyes other crews cover up rotted wood frames with aluminum wrap around the insert.  Discount vinyl window companies might cut corners on the installation to stay within the discounted quoted price with an “out of sight, out of mind” mentality. 

Once the frame’s integrity is confirmed, new windows are inserted within that existing frame. These inserts consist of an entire framed unit sized smaller than the frame it’s being inserted into.  Since window inserts have to fit within the existing frame, they provide reduced glass openings by as much as 30% compared to the original (or completely replaced) windows. 

While this method is less labor-intensive than total replacements, because window inserts are one whole unit, it can be hard to match them to the existing windows of the home. Again, these are typically used for vinyl windows as well, limiting their effectiveness with wood windows. One thing we hear from customers who use window inserts is a common refrain of buyer’s remorse. Sometimes they don’t fully understand what they are getting, and don’t realize until it’s too late that they are essentially signing up for a smaller window inside their old one. From the street, that’s exactly what it looks like and the curb appeal can take a hit.  

An insert vs. full frame window replacement cost can differ by thousands of dollars, so make sure you know what return you hope to get on your investment before committing to one option.