Casement Windows–help identifying maker and repair or replace?
pdelvis
| Posted in General Discussion on
Help needed. House has 4 casement windows with rot on lower sash of each. Need to determine if I repace wood–preferred or simply track down replacements. WIndows look to be about 20 years old. Lower sash is let into side rails. They were installed in pocket dormers with lots of snow build up. The pocket dormers are staying so need to make this fix, seal wood better and move on. NO numbers or maker identified anywhere–including no numbers on the metal strips holding glass.
Does anyone recognize these type of windows? My instinct says rebuild lower rail, but I’ve erred on the side of rebuilding many things that should have simply been replaced!
Images attached.
Replies
A close-up of the crank and some of the other hardware elements might help in identifying. But find a good indy lumber yard and ask at the desk what brands were popular in your area back when this house was built. Probably only one or two candidates.
Also, look very carefully at the corners of the glass, especially if you have any that would be safety glass. You may find a brand stamp etched on the glass in the very corner.
By the way, are those after-market storms attached to the sashes?
Reply
Thank you. No after market storms, just thermal pane. There are no markings etched in the glass. I'll check at the local lumber yard. good suggestion.
The hardware is standard Truth cranks--used by many window makers.
Best wishes.
Not aftermarket storms--just thermal pane glass--Thank you for the commets I'll check with the local lumber yard. No numbers on the glass either.
Best,
I would guess either peachtree or crestline. Crestline has a number code etched in the aluminum spacer bar between the panes.
I had the same problem with my casements. Mine are 15 years old. I had 2 that were as bad as shown in your pictures.
I pulled the windows (one at a time) and took them down to my woodshop and rebuilt the frames. It was pretty simple and allowed me the ability to give the wood a good couple of coats of poly and add to the weatherstripping.
I then examined the rest of my windows and found evidence of various stages of water leakage on all but a few. Those that did show rotting usually only needed the bottoms replaced. But again, while I had them out, I sanded, poly'd and improved the weather strippng to prevent water intrusion.
In my neihborhood all our houses were built from 1994 thru 2000 and MORE than 50% have had their windows replaced! Imagine the cost !!! The replacement windows are obvious from the street since the usual replacements are a bit smaller (to fit in the openings and minimize labor costs.
I am confident that my windows will far outlast any of the replacements.
The key is: LOOK NOW for evidence of rot, and FIX /REBUILD them now before they get to the condition that your photos show.
It wasn't hard and the effort is rewarding both in cost and in condition.
rw
What was the brand of your casements?
I ask because it best be known the brands that folks might have a problem with.
thanks.
Mine are "Shelter" brand.
Mine are "Shelter" brand. (Now out of business... imagine that!) However, I have seen the same type of water intrusion damage on many other brands of casement windows. I urge all owners of casement windows to open them and look at the bottom rails for damage. Most will see some water damage beginning or well underway.
rw
I would bet that the vast majority will see no or incomplete paint/sealer on those sash bottoms.
If the water gets in via the glazing seal, often by the time you see damage appearing on the bottom of the sash-it's a bit late.
Usually I'll get a call when they crank in the sash and the bracket pulls out.
Of course, we have 36-year-old Andersen awnings, and no sign of rot anywhere.
ok
and are they painted/sealed on the bottom of the sash?-is that the "of course" part?
One other big problem with almost any brand window-
auto sprinklers.
Consult Champion Windows
Why don't you get a free consultation from spam link removed? They can have a look at your windows and let you know if you need to rebuild the lower rail or go in for another spam link removed. I had hired them and I must say their quality and workmanship was excellent. Or if your current windows are old, it wouldn't be so bad to get new ones which are energy-efficient and will even increase the resale value of your house!
Hey Gloria
Why don't you take your spam inserted links and go find another place to put 'em.
Where the sun don't shine is one idea.
and if I'm wrong about this please accept my apology.
Please tell me you're just a concerned member and didn't have any idea the above post would generate such hate.
Yeah, I was wondering why she was making those random posts. I suspect she thought that Mollom might actually reject her if she didn't do some "clean" posts first. But it only does that for legitimate posts.
Hey calvin,
I was not around for some days. You are targeting each comment i made & making harsh comments on those.
It’s very strange that my post results in such a hate.
I am sorry! I was not having any intention to break rules. But that doesn’t mean you labeled me as a spammer.
Please note “I am not Spammer” but a genuine participant.
my apologies......
but I never knew Champion windows to do a consultation on the repair of rotted sash.
Sell you new, why sure-they'd love to do that.
But give you an unbiased view on repair or tell you the brand of the window so you could get a new sash? not around here.
Your rotten windows
Most likely you have Crestline windows. They are nornorious for bottom sash rot through. If they were made after Jan. 2003, there are a number of web sites that will sell wood or aluminum clad sash replacements as well as hardware. I do not know of a source for pre 2003 sash replacement. Sorry.
Rotting casement sashes
Looks like about 20 year old Marvin's , I could tell better with a better view of the exterior glazing stops, but I'm 90% sure that's what they are, yes, you can rebuild the lower rail on these if your handy with a table saw, the problem with these windows and rebuilding the rails is getting the rail off with the glass intact, I rebuild many lower rails on many different brands with a high success rate, but with these particular Marvin's , I normally just order news sashes for my customers, because of the high probability of glass breakage. Unless their super rotted, like to the point where you can pull the wood away with your hand, your better off just ordering a new replacement sash, generally they run around 3-350, and this would come with new glass as well, just install.
I've posted an example of how they should turn out, these happen to be some 20 year old semco, of course disscontinued, but with a little skill and labor, your not spending $$$$$$ to replace a full window.
my companies in Minnesota , but I'm always happy to give some advice for those willing to actually work and maintain their home
jay
the pictures are before and after