Recommendations needed for basement windows. Have 3 single pane, 20 x32 lift up (hinge on top), in simple wood frame, set in concrete block foundation (house built 1952), and wood framing extends 5-1/2 in with another 7 in of concrete further out. (?12-1/2 in foundation – does this seem right?) Basement is unfinished (very low ceiling)
Basement is especially cold in winter and I do the laundry there. Thinking about replacing them completely. Looking for other less costly remedies. Have tried heavy plastic on inside but didn’t help. Friend recommended putting a sheet of exterior plywood same size as window, butted up from outside. Problem is one window has duct for clothes dryer through the glass.
Cold in CT and going to be another brutal winter!
Replies
If you'll never have to pass anything long down to that basement that you can't anyway else.......how bout glass block, maybe with a small vent window for some air? A drag to lose even a little nat. light in a basement.
For temp fix, 2'' foam, cut snug and crammed from outside.
Insulate the exposed box on top of the foundation.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Thanks for your reply. I don't want to lose the natural light if possible, but during the winter it would be dark most of the time anyway. This house does not have a bulkhead or other access to the basement from outside, just stairs from the kitchen, so never knowing what the future might bring, I don't want to permanently block the windows.
While I have plastic window well covers, what would protect the rigid foam from the elements?
Nothing would protect it from the elements.
If after a dozen winters it decomposes as it is prone to do in the sun, then cut anther pc from the leftovers you stuck up in the attic of the garage.
Get the dense foamboard like the blue Dow, not the coarse white.Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
What kind of budget do you have?You can get vinyl basement windows for about $50-70. Don't know if any of the sizes are close to what you need.
If your basement is uninsulated replacing the windows will make almost no difference whatsoever in comfort levels or heat loss. Purchasing new windows is the worst way you can spend your energy dollars! Spend it on Air Sealing and Insulation!
gio,
prairieHOUSE Restoration
Vinyl gliding replacement windows....View Image
Well I phoned a local window place my neighbor has used and found them to be competitive with other companies and much nicer to deal with......they want $320 for a vinyl window installed. So scratch that idea for this year! Plus I have read that vinyl windows are not energy efficient so was surprised this is what they offered.
I'll go to HD this weekend and try to make the foamboard as recommended for one window. So tell me, how would be the best way to place this?
My windows are wood, in a wood frame, with top of window at the top of the sill. The current framing sides are 5-1/2 inch of wood, but the foundation extends another 7 inches further out. Walls are cinder block. Should I use a caulk to 'glue' the foamboard to the wood framing on the outside thereby covering the entire window and the wood frame? Should I then caulk all around the now placed foamboard too? Should I cut a circle out to accommodate the dryer vent piping to the outside?
A number of years ago I did put fiberglass insulation between the joists from the sill up to the floor level - you know like 12 inches from sill to ceiling. But once I finished wrapping the metal heat ducting (I have forced hot air) main channel that runs the length of the basement, the basement was much colder last winter. Each year I try to do more to tighten up this old house.
Thanks everyone for your input.
I have a similar situation.Last year I had the rim joist sealed up to the foundation wall (mine is limestone rubble, built in 1910). using 3" of polyurethane foam installed by professionals. This cost me $450 Canadian. I have also been installing sheets of styrofoam on the upper part of the walls. We will see how that part goes. If I get a bunch of cracking and mortar decay in the top of the foundation wall I will know that the original studies on this foundation type were correct.I just put heavy plastic up over the windows.Without the insulation... your're just throwing it away.BTW. Don't forget the floor if you want a nice toasty warm space.If my house wasn't a 100 years old... there would go a really fine hobby.
As Calvin suggested, I got the blue Dow dense foamboard and completely covered 2 of the windows. For the window that has the dryer duct through 1 of the 3 panes, I cut the foamboard to cover the first 2 panes and used Mortite to butt and seal the end next to the 3rd pane. It also provided an opportunity to thoroughly clean the 3rd panel, which had been replaced with sheetmetal years ago, and the dryer duct pass through.
Now I need to look for a dryer flapper end component that seals better than this metal one - it has warped some and does not seal completely down. Since metal conducts the cold too, does anyone recommend another material?
Now I am working up in the attic and have removed 1/4 of the plywood flooring and taken up the very old insulation - amazing what I am finding that accounts for a cool second floor last winter after having new venting put in when roof was completely redone. Am considering having cellulose insulation placed in the attic but only after all these breaks in the attic floor sealed properly.
Thanks for all your help.