Window Sashes

By Tim Carter
©1993-2008 Tim Carter

Summary: Window sashes can be found in just about every home. Some go up and down, while others swing out like a door. You can buy window sash replacement kits in case your window sashes can't be repaired. If you want to save energy dollars, you are a candidate for high-efficiency window sash replacement kits. Tilt-in sash kits are popular because they make it easy to clean windows from inside the house.

DEAR TIM: Some window sashes in my home are in good shape while others are falling apart. Can I purchase window sash replacement kits that will allow me to maintain the character of my older home? Will the replacement window sash still use the old rope and cast-iron weight? I would love to get a replacement tilt-in window-sash kit to make washing windows easier. Do you think I can do window sash repair, or is it a better idea to buy a new one? Melissa D., North Andover, MA

DEAR MELISSA: Window sashes can absolutely be replaced in many instances without having to alter the actual window frame. The best part is you can buy new window sashes that look old. A window sash consists of the frame that holds the window glass, and the actual glass you look through. Typically the window sash moves while the window frame that surrounds the sash is stationary. The best analogy is to compare a window sash to a door.

These window sashes have a vintage look, but they are less than six years old. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

Window sash replacement kits have been available for years. These marvelous products allowed me to replace broken or rotted window sashes with new sashes, while the window frame and all interior and exterior woodwork trim was left untouched. The homeowners who I worked for were amazed at how quickly they could enjoy functioning and energy-efficient windows with minimal mess and disruption to their homes. The new window sashes were able to be ordered to fit the existing openings like a glove fits a hand.

You may be able to find a new window sash that will have the groove to accommodate the rope that attaches to the cast-iron weight, but I would not do that unless this is a specialized historic preservation project where you want the windows to be exactly like the old ones. The new window sash replacement kits come with sleek spring-loaded jambs that connect to the window sashes. These sleek jambs are highly efficient, and keep air infiltration to an absolute minimum.

I feel it is best to remove the old window weights, and fill the void space with special expanding foam insulation that stays flexible. This foam insulation will do a great job of stopping air leaks, and will also help to make the inside of your home quieter. Air leaks around windows are a common source of noise pollution. Sirens, irritating road noise, train whistles, urban din, etc. will disappear when you stop air leaks around windows.

You will love your new replacement tilt-in window-sash kit after it is installed. Cleaning windows has never been easier. I have these type of windows at my own home, and really appreciate not having to use ladders to clean second-story window sashes. The tilt-in feature allows you to readily remove the entire sash from the frame if you prefer to clean windows or repaint the exterior of them on a work stand within the room. Widow maintenance couldn't be easier with the tilt-in option.

Repairing window sashes may be possible depending upon the degree of damage. If serious rot has caused the window sash frame to be loose or distorted, it may be better to buy a new sash. But if you have some spots of rot, you can buy special epoxies and injectable wood fortifiers that will make the old window sash like new. The epoxies are sandable and paintable once cured.

The decision to repair or replace should also focus around your fuel bills. Window sash replacement kits can make a considerable difference on your heating and cooling bills as the glass within the sash can be ordered with a Low-E coating and special inert gases between the glass panes. This glass option coupled with the air-tight jambs makes for a highly efficient window. You will be more comfortable inside your home, and the upgraded windows will be more attractive to a future buyer.

One of the great features of window sash replacement kits is that they are do-it-yourself friendly, and they can be done one or two windows at a time. You can save thousands of dollars in installation fees if you try to install the new window sashes by yourself. It is possible to build installation confidence by starting with a smaller window on the rear of your home or some other window that can't be seen from the road.

Be sure you select a window sash replacement kit from a name-brand window company that has made this line of products for years. This will be vitally important if you choose to replace only so many window sashes a year. This may be your plan, if you have a tight budget. If at all possible, try to replace all window sashes at the same time so the job gets completed. At the very least, always replace all of the sashes on any given side of your home at the same time for a more uniform look.

Keep in mind that measurements are very critical. If at all possible, get the window dealer to come to your home to take the actual measurements. If you supply the measurements and make an error, you will have to purchase new window sashes to replace the ones that don't fit.

Comments

T.F.
02 Feb 2008, 16:57

We have an 1898 Victorian house and invited a Marvin Window salesman over to give us a quote on replacing old sash windows with new sash kits. Wow! So much for saving money with sash kits! Marvin sash kits are expensive so we are still shopping around at this point. We contacted a company called Kolbe & Kolbe but their people said we have no distributor in our region of the country. Any sash kit company leads would be helpful.

AsktheBuilder
02 Feb 2008, 17:52

TF,
The kits are pricey, I'll grant you that. My guess is you will discover most are priced about the same.

david tenzel
16 May 2008, 08:57

MY home is from the 1970s and the window is a 36x36 with 3 horizontal sashes 12x36. I think the brand is a Lockmaster. I need to purchase the middle and the bottom sashes. can you help or direct me. thank you. david

chris
25 May 2008, 08:19

The best option is always to repair the sash. It's a lot cheaper and maintains the integrity of the home. You will find that the sash is probably not as bad as you think. Read the department of Interior Preservation Brief 9 on The Repair of Historic Wooden Windows before you start. It has a lot of good information.
If the joints are loose inject epoxy and pin them with hard wood dowels. use a wood stabilizer and epoxy filler to repair dry rot. I suggest Bondo autobody filler. It's a little difficult to work with but is better than most wood putties. You should definitely replace all weather stripping with new spring bronze. It may be hard to find locally but it's easy to find on the Internet. Replacement windows are not that much more energy efficient than a properly sealed wood sash and it's likely you wouldn't even recover the cost of replacement.

bob
13 Jun 2008, 20:45

check a company called BI-GLASS. they dont only fix old windows, but help so they function properly. the company also can make the old window energy sufficent, while keeping the historic look to your home. i know some one who had this done along with some insulation and his energy bill went down 30percent the windows look great, but keep there old appeal. if you were to get something threw pella, anderson , or a sash company you would pay 3x as much.

ugh
15 Jun 2008, 03:34

so much disinformation...

a) even if you buy wooden windows to replace old ones with, new wood isn't as dense or as resilient as old growth wood, so don't expect new windows to be better than your old ones.

b) if you opt for vinyl or aluminum, you can forget about energy savings making the expense worthwhile, wood is a better insulator than vinyl and aluminium isn't an insulator at all, so no matter how many panes of glass you put in you won't be gaining much if anything.

c) window replacement will not make a noticable difference in your utility bills unless the old windows are completely broken or otherwise do not close all the way. if they do, it'll take decades to pay for those new windows in power bill savings. if they don't, the frames aren't square, so new windows in the same frame will have the same problem as the old windows.

d) old double-hung windows will likely have grooves cut in the frame for the sashes to slide in. those are not easily hidden, so replacements will look bad at best, and why would you want to get rid of that? wood interlocking with wood against metal weather stripping creates a better seal than anything a new window jamb will provide, and will last 10x as long.

e) if your house is over 100 years old you likely still have plaster walls which are an infinitely better sound barrier than drywall, i fail to see how spray foam will make them so much better. if your inside trim around the frame is flush against the frame and into the plaster we're back to our previous point...wood is an insulator, there will be no energy savings from putting spray goop behind wood that's sealed on the inside.

old houses are not new houses. the reason the house in the article is still standing and inhabitable after 100 years is because it was built with better materials and better designs than new construction is. replacing functional windows with new ones helps window salesmen, not homeowners.

Jose Almodovar
14 Jul 2008, 09:46

What ever happened to good old fashioned American ingenuity? Seems like companies geared towards improving existing sash windows have gone by the wayside in favor of so called energy star rated replacements. There used to be sash assemblies that would fit in the jamb and not only provide counter balance, but also seal via a groove milled along the length of the sash. Many such products can be found in the U.K. but not here. Even brass weather stripping is hard to find in our so called "home centers"- where the sales clerk knows as much about building products as your trash pickup guy. Often, the result is a wasted two hours going to these places and coming home frustrated and turning to the web and order stuff online.

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Window Sashes

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