by Bob Yapp

• Wood Quality. New wood windows are made with new growth lumber that is not as strong or rot resistant as the old growth lumber in windows made before the 1950s.

• Repairable Glass. Insulated glass seals tend to fail in 2 to 6 years allowing condensation between the panes. Most insulated glass panels cannot be replaced once they fail. The entire window must be replaced.
• Restore Shutters and Storms. Primary window sashes were never intended to take a direct hit from the weather. In early years they had shutters then storms to protect them.
• Air Infiltration. Air infiltration is the biggest energy issue with windows. Vinyl windows, by their nature, have weep holes in their bottom rail to let the moisture seep out which allows massive air infiltration.
• Health. PVC or vinyl is the most toxic consumer substance manufactured today. It can’t be recycled, off gasses toxic fumes and has excessive contraction and expansion issues. It fades, cracks and has a maximum lifespan of 16 to 18 years.
• Anti-Rot. Metal clad windows are designed to allow water to seep behind the cladding. This causes early rot of the often finger jointed, new growth lumber underneath.
• Counterbalance Weights. The vinyl jamb liners that are needed for tilt-in windows have cheap spring balances and cheesy foam backing that have a lifespan of about 6 to 10 years.
• Proven Passive Cooling. Double hung windows were invented in the 1400s as an air conditioning system. Lower the top sash and raise the lower sash. This lets the hot air and humidity out the top and brings the breezes in through the bottom. Most replacement units don’t have a full screen to allow for this process.
• Insulation Properties of Wood. Aluminum, self-storing storm windows are not even a good windbreak. Metal conducts heat and cold while wood insulated against heat and cold.
• Proper Maintenance Improves Efficiency. Sash weight pockets are only a problem if a house has not been caulked and painted properly.
• Single Pane Laminated Glass. Quarter inch thick, laminated glass has better UV protection than all the low-e coatings. It also approaches the same thermal capabilities as insulated glass, is more soundproof, is safer and cost less than insulated glass. If retrofitting glass into an old sash is something you feel must be done, install laminated glass.
• Historic Significance. Original window sash is a part of the footprint of your old house or building. Replacements often have different dimensions and sometimes the window contractor wants to reduce the size of your openings. This has a negative effect on the overall texture and look of the original footprint of your building.

If you don’t want to lift a finger to maintain or rehab your home then hire a contractor to restore your windows. Your restored windows will cost less, have a better payback, be easily cleaned, have a nice track system, and stop air infiltration, which means greater energy efficiency.
Restored wood windows have another 100-year economic life before total restoration is needed again. Replacement windows can never be restored effectively.

The text on this page is posted/adapted with permission of Bob Yapp. All material on this page remains Bob Yapp's intellectual property and as such is copyrighted. Any use of this material is prohibited unless permission is specifically granted by Bob Yapp.

Bob Yapp was raised in Des Moines and was an early Sherman Hill rehabber and Sherman Hill Association Board member. Bob is a furniture maker, old house restorer, author, teacher, preservation consultant & hosted the national PBS series “About Your House with Bob Yapp”. Bob lives in Hannibal, Missouri and can be reached at yapperman@msn.com. More detailed information is available on Bob's website, www.bobyapp.com which will be up and running March 1, 2009