Window replacements? New const. Or replacements

[Notgrownup]

I know the basic difference on them but is there a disadvantage to putting replacement windows instead of re-installing new construction?
My house is 17 years old and I can't get replacement screens anymore and I am thinking of getting crank out casement windows or at least double hung and upgrade the quality a bit...
Isn't the size of the glass smaller when you get replacement windows? and what about the sealing around the window? I want to have efficiency as well as quality...

What say you...

 

[SGKent]

some places just cut the glass out of the frames and put new windows in with caulk. It is better however to put new frames in as well. You can't see the difference but with a new window properly installed there is less chance of leaking or less transfer of heat. But putting in windows with full flanges takes a lot more work.

 

[Toolfool]

If it fits in your budget, and/or your skillset , I'd go with new construction windows. I'm not big on shortcutting. I learned a long time ago, I usually regret it later.

 

[66Caprice]

I say a whole new window! They did the cut and splice job on my house before I bought it. Was walking through the dining room one stormy morning and my socks got wet. The caulking started to shrink so the water was running down the side and right into the house. I pulled everyone out and replaced with new ones.
It's a good time to figure out if you would like to change how any of them open or don't open.

 

[Chevota Guy]

I had replacement windows (vinyl) installed a few years back in my 1974 built home with single pane glass in aluminum frames. The glass area does get reduced but in my case there was no disruption to the exterior siding (stucco in my case) nor to the interior trim which was all clear pine with a stained finish.

The cost to install new construction would have been prohibitive not to mention the stucco repairing wouldn't have ever truly matched the original. The cost or my time to re-trim and refinish the windows was not worth it.

For vinyl windows there are two typical types. One is a slim line that maximizes glass but is a little weaker in the framing, or a slightly thicker and more rigid frame construction.

Sealing the replacement windows is critical and a good installer is a must. In my case they used a polyurethane sealant and zero leakage problems resulted. Those windows made a HUGE difference in sound reduction and thermal management. I should have done it many years earlier.

 

[vavet]

I put in all new vinyl replacement windows in our previous house (still a rental house for us). I would go order 3 windows. They'd show up a week later. I'd usually order the next 3 at about that time. This allowed for a steady supply of windows without requiring an enormous storage footprint.
I bought American Craftsman from Home Depot. I felt the Pella units from lowe's were more expensive for the same features and probably paying for the name.
I didn't look at installing new construction as I figured the vinyl siding had to be removed and I wasn't interested in doing that. I installed everything from the inside. This is key for someone who is not comfortable working on a ladder.
Yes, the glass gets smaller because you're installing a new frame inside the old frame. Your mind and eye will play trick with you and you never actually see it once it's installed.

 

[larry4406]

Following along on this....

I have brick on the front which may pose a challenge for me. Two sides are nasty vinyl siding so new construction windows there no problem. Fourth side is garage door so nothing to do there.

 

[evildky]

I'm a bit confused as to why a 17 year old house needs new windows? Most anything in my area built from the 80's on had double pain windows from the start, granted until the 90's they had aluminum frames, which ****. General rule if you can use new construction windows, do. Usually that's not practical without opening a huge can of worms. You generally get better service and a similar price dealing wiht a local supply house over the big boxes, and if you buy a bunch you'll often spend less than the big box stores.

 

[strutaeng]

It really depends on the exterior material.

Easier on siding. The window should be accessible if the exterior trim is removed. Flash and reinstall trim. Inside will likely need trim adjustment too.

More difficult on brick, since cutting brick is not an easy task. Salvaging brick to reuse makes it even more challenging. Doing head and sill flashing on brick correctly, puts this on the "difficult" scale in my opinion, but still doable. Involves mason work, so more money.

In both cases, new windows allows you to do waterproofing and flashing to today's standards, which has gotten more complicated than back then.

I'm not familiar with retrofit windows, so can't comment on that.

 

[Notgrownup]

Windows on the house are cheap contractor grade single hung and I can’t replace the screens anymore. I want Double hung or casement style.
Vinyl siding on the house so it could be peeled back and new construction windows could be used but labor intensive and no guarantee that the siding won’t be damaged.

 

[Falcon67]

We had the aluminum builder single hung units cut out of our house (2001 build) several years ago and replaced with vinyl units. After seeing the trick, it was easy to get the old things out from behind the brick work. The reduction is glass area is unnoticeable IMHO and well offset by the higher quality of window and the better insulating properties. If there's less glass showing I couldn't define it.

 

[nutjob]

The latest edition of Fine Homebuilding has an article on replacement windows.

https://www.finehomebuilding.com/issue/2019/09/issue-286-october-november

Kevin

 

[Bretny]

Windows on the house are cheap contractor grade single hung and I can’t replace the screens anymore. I want Double hung or casement style.
Vinyl siding on the house so it could be peeled back and new construction windows could be used but labor intensive and no guarantee that the siding won’t be damaged.

Before you do anything else. See if you can match the siding you have. After useing new construction windows il use nothing else. For the ease of install, sealing ability and maintenance free aspect i dont see a real benifit of any other type of window with vinyl siding.

Casements gear box is prone to failure. I suggest you stay with double hung.

 

[mike93lx]

Screens can be custom made to any size.

I went with all new construction windows on my 1970 ranch because we were doing insulation and siding at the same time. It was a no brainer. If you don't have trim around the windows that can easily be changed, then replacements may be in order

 

[u2slow]

On one 1950's house I had, it made sense to do the custom replacements. The front windows were large, multi-panel single-pane wood framed... taking up ~75% of the wall in the living and dining room. The bedroom windows were 6-7' wide and only 2' tall.

After standard (aluminum) pre-made windows became the norm, just do new-construction windows. Usually much cheaper. I always want bigger ones anyway. Stucco can be cut back with a masonry wheel on a grinder. Trim out with 1x4" or 2x4" to hide the install. Caulking, paint, etc..

 

[Notgrownup]

I am pretty sure I can still match my siding...I know how to peel it back and do all that but it don't know that I want to do it myself and to hire somebody to do it for me would be labor costly... I need to investigate to see if my original windows have the built in J channel or was it applies by the vinyl guy.

 

[ScottsGT]

I had replacement windows (vinyl) installed a few years back in my 1974 built home with single pane glass in aluminum frames. The glass area does get reduced but in my case there was no disruption to the exterior siding (stucco in my case) nor to the interior trim which was all clear pine with a stained finish.

The cost to install new construction would have been prohibitive not to mention the stucco repairing wouldn't have ever truly matched the original. The cost or my time to re-trim and refinish the windows was not worth it.

For vinyl windows there are two typical types. One is a slim line that maximizes glass but is a little weaker in the framing, or a slightly thicker and more rigid frame construction.

Sealing the replacement windows is critical and a good installer is a must. In my case they used a polyurethane sealant and zero leakage problems resulted. Those windows made a HUGE difference in sound reduction and thermal management. I should have done it many years earlier.

Same exact experience I had. Got the Low E where the sun hits the hardest, makes all the difference in the world. I cannot even hear one of my AC units below the kitchen window now.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

It really depends on the construction and the windows. The replacement windows I did for my brother weren't much less work than new construction windows. With new construction windows I was also able to get exactly the size I needed and improve insulation, sealing and in one case have a larger window. They also look better.
I do have one that is an odd size with cabinets on both sides of it. I'll probably wait until remodeling the kitchen.

 

[larry4406]

We had the aluminum builder single hung units cut out of our house (2001 build) several years ago and replaced with vinyl units. After seeing the trick, it was easy to get the old things out from behind the brick work. The reduction is glass area is unnoticeable IMHO and well offset by the higher quality of window and the better insulating properties. If there's less glass showing I couldn't define it.

Falcon67 - what is the "trick" you mention for removal of window from behind the brick?

 

[Notgrownup]

I was looking at my current windows and the siding...The window has built in J channel in them so I would have to have them cut out then how would it look with caulking around it?

 

[yeldogt]

There are so many variables ... what's actually wrong with a 17 year old window?

Replacement windows came about as a way to replace/ restore/ weatherize -- traditional wood sash windows. Those from over 100 years ago to before WWII. Remove the sash and weights -- insulate the frame space where the weights hid --- install the new thin frame and sash. The best "replacement" had thin frames .. just enough to proving sealing and guiding surfaces. The old frame gave the support. This way all the interior and exterior trim stayed in place. It also eliminated the storm window -- another maintenance item.

Traditional double hung sash windows w/ weights ( the old ones) have thin stile and rails w/ lots of glass -- Those built after WWII with springs have thicker sash and less glass area. It was the AL window makers that started the replacement craze .. I'm talking the 50's. It's still the case today. If you are tying to fix an old window from before WWII you need thin frames and often AL looks best from 20'.

Vinyl was always the budget solution and the problem was most manufactures used stock window glass -- the sizing was done with either thicker frame extensions or adjusting the stile or rail of the sash. Vinyl has inherent strength issues.

Some of the new materials are strong enough to make reasonably thin.

So it goes back to .. what's wrong with your windows? What's the inside and outside trim/ how much do you want to spend? Will it effect resale ?

I live in a traditional area of the east coast and windows are a big thing -- doing wrong can effect resale. SC is an area where AL works well -- my parents vacation home had them and my brothers current does as well -- when I was looking recently ... many of those built in the 80's 90s had AL. It's difficult to fix many of them ... and it's a problem in the "cheaper" developments.

 

[yeldogt]

I was looking at my current windows and the siding...The window has built in J channel in them so I would have to have them cut out then how would it look with caulking around it?

You can't "seal" with caulk ..... best you post a picture. What's the inside?

 

[59 wagon man]

not sure how it is in your part of NC but we just had impact slider windows replace our old crank out windows and what a difference. much quieter in the house and if you get any kind of storms it is a relief not having to install panels, cover some openings with plywood etc. size does not seem to be an issue as they are made to fit the opening

 

[theoldwizard1]

Isn't the size of the glass smaller when you get replacement windows? and what about the sealing around the window? I want to have efficiency as well as quality...

The amount a square inches that you lose is a combination of how small the frames were to begin with (mine were 1950s aluminum, so very small) that the manufacturer of the replacement (one of the best on the market, Renewal by Anderson, actually bigger than usual). In my case, the windows were large enough that the loss of glass area was insignificant. The quality of the installation was "top notch" ! Over 30 years old and not one pane has leaked (as opposed to my sister's custom built new home that is about 10 years old and 4 or 5 panes have leaked).

My son's house has mid-price replacement windows that are about 10 years old. No leaks.

Personally, I love slider windows.

 

[yeldogt]

The amount a square inches that you lose is a combination of how small the frames were to begin with (mine were 1950s aluminum, so very small) that the manufacturer of the replacement (one of the best on the market, Renewal by Anderson, actually bigger than usual). In my case, the windows were large enough that the loss of glass area was insignificant. The quality of the installation was "top notch" ! Over 30 years old and not one pane has leaked (as opposed to my sister's custom built new home that is about 10 years old and 4 or 5 panes have leaked).

My son's house has mid-price replacement windows that are about 10 years old. No leaks.

Personally, I love slider windows.

The loss of glass area is really only a problem with double hung -- the better manufacturers have more glass sizes to work with. It's all a question of what you have and what a particular manufacturer can make. Some throw the whole widow out of wack. When I was doing my personal home in Philadelphia -- there was a local manufacture of insulated glass. They sized the glass .. this is typically not the case.

I like sliders as well -- I have twin and quad 4' x 4' marvin's TDL on my kitchen addition. They don't look right in many places

 

[theoldwizard1]

When I was doing my personal home in Philadelphia -- there was a local manufacture of insulated glass. They sized the glass .. this is typically not the case

There are 3 or 4 replacement window manufacturers in SE MI. Each makes their own insulated glass panel. The frame is standardized as it is usually extruded vinyl or composite plastic.

Once the glass panels have been made, and the extrusions cut/mitered, the actually assembly takes less then a minute. All joints are heat welded.

 

[larry4406]

I found this article on replacing windows in brick to be informative. Download the PDF version as its formatted better and the images are clearer.
https://www.jlconline.com/how-to/exteriors/replacing-windows-in-brick-veneer-homes_o

Here is another article by the same author for installing new construction type finned windows in brick. He pads the rough opening inwards to reduce the opening to enable fin install method. Some good pictures of the effort he goes thru to the seal the window to the existing asphalt felt paper. He then builds a PVC trim to cover the fin and caulk to brick.
https://www.finehomebuilding.com/membership/pdf/7666/021230050.pdf

 

[jkeyser14]

There are 3 or 4 replacement window manufacturers in SE MI. Each makes their own insulated glass panel. The frame is standardized as it is usually extruded vinyl or composite plastic.

Once the glass panels have been made, and the extrusions cut/mitered, the actually assembly takes less then a minute. All joints are heat welded.

This is how it's normally done these days. There is so much other misinformation in this thread. Nobody uses stock glass sizes and then makes a custom frame for each window. The glass is cut to fit and a standard shaped extruded vinyl is mitered and welded around the glass.

Vinyl windows can be stronger and much more energy efficient these days. They can get as low as U.10 whereas vinyl clad wood like Anderson 400 series are only U.27. That's 3x more energy efficient in a vinyl window that can be rated for hurricane winds.