Hello Tim!
I have recently bought a 40 year-old brick house. I am planning on replacing all of the original aluminum windows with vinyl windows. Is there anything different about installing windows in a brick house then in a stick house? Are there certain things that I should look for in the replacement windows that I buy to ensure a better installation? I am doing the work myself, and have installed numerous replacement windows in a stick house without any problems.
Thank you for any advice you can give me.
Kristin Davis
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Kristin,
Let's first talk about the windows. The best replacement windows, in my opinion, are those that carry two different certifications: AAMA and NFRC. I cover the importance of these certifications in a past column about Certified Vinyl Windows. I also speak about energy efficiency in a different column about Vinyl Windows.
High-quality vinyl replacement windows have special locations where you insert stainless steel screws through the jambs into the house structure. This may prove a little more challenging if your house is solid masonry rather than brick veneer. In a brick veneer home you typically can insert the screws into the rough framing wood jambs. If the house is solid masonry, you may have to install an anchor at each screw location.
Tim Carter
www.askthebuilder.com
W3ATB