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Storm Windows Part II

darrel | Posted in Energy, Heating & Insulation on October 3, 2003 04:10am

I asked about storms last week and received a lot of good advice.

So, I’ve decided that, yes, I need to replace the storms on my windows this fall.

The question I have is that of the storms I’ve looked at thus far, non of them offer any ventilation. They all completely enclose the window.

In the last thread, a few had mentioned that you need to have some way for moisture to escape from the storms (winter humidity from the house condensing) and water to drain out (summer storms where someone forgets to close the storm).

Would the best way to do this simply be to order my windows about 1/8″ short to leave a gap along the bottom above the sill? Or are there storms specifically designed to be ventable?

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  1. BobKovacs | Oct 03, 2003 05:18pm | #1

    Darrel-

    Every storm window I've ever put in has 2 weepholes at the botom of the frame to serve the purpose you've described.  Some folks like to drill them out a little to make them larger, but the key is to keep them clear.  They tend to clog up with dirt, etc., and before you know it, the water's sitting on the sill and rotting it away.  Make sure you don't caulk over the holes if you decide to caulk the storm units to the frames!!

    Bob

  2. User avater
    goldhiller | Oct 03, 2003 05:43pm | #2

    Are the storms you're looking at metal track windows, metal one-piece, or wood one piece?

    If metal, do they apply on top of the exterior casings or sit "inside" against the stoppings of the prime windows?

    Knowledge is power, but only if applied in a timely fashion.
    1. darrel | Oct 03, 2003 06:08pm | #3

      I don't plan on caulking the storms in (if for not other reason than when the next homeowner has to fix something on the window he doesn't destroy the storms like I did ;o)

      The storms I looked at didn't have any weep holes that I could see, but maybe they were just small.

      Goldigger...you're using window terms that I haven't figured out yet ;o)

      The storms I'm looking at are metal, 2 and/or 3 track. They's sit just inside the brickmoulding on some trim (part of the framing) that is maybe 1/2" x 1/2"

      Some of the windows offer a flush-mount option which appears to include spacers that allow the front of the storm to be flush with the brickmoulding surface.

      Other than slightly less winter weatherproofing, would there be anything wrong with leaving a gap at the bottom? It would seem to be the best way to protect the old wood sills in this case from having water/condensation sit on it.

      1. User avater
        goldhiller | Oct 04, 2003 03:20am | #4

        Some sort of drainage should be provided for condensation, if any should develop….or for any rainwater that may enter in the summer. You may not have much of a problem in the condensation regard. Your new track windows might "breathe" (leak) enough air to compensate for the amount of moisture that migrates in there.

        Anyway, if you want to be sure, you could as you suggested either leave a running crack under the bottom or use a short level to help determine the best spots to drill some weep holes.

        From what you're describing, I'm seeing these storms as being mounted against the exterior/blind stops. If so, the inside surface of the bottom rail would then encounter/bump against a sill ledge if your current windows have them. If this is the case, it could well be that you'll also have to slide a few small shims in between any sill ledge and the storm window or the water would get trapped there and never make it to the bottom edge crack to drain out. Since the sill is sloped, you won't need the windows much short of ideal if you insert the "bump out" shims as a bottom crack will develop as the bottom rail of the storm is pushed outward a tad.

        Whether or not your prime windows have this sill ledge will depend a great deal on their age and the maker. Newer windows have much shallower ledges (3/16" or so) or no ledge, while old windows frequently had 1/2" or even 3/4" of ledge. This ledge served to back up the bottom rail of a storm or screen.

        The attached illustration from an old book I had laying around here doesn't show this sill ledge, but if you have one, you'll recognize it. It will align with the exterior side of the exterior stops on the side of the jamb and run across the sill.

        Traditional wooden double-hungs have interior (or inside) stops, parting stops (the ones that separate the two sash), and exterior stops. They're the strips that keep the sash in their respective positions and provide tracking as the sash are opened or closed.

        Knowledge is power, but only if applied in a timely fashion.

        Edited 10/3/2003 8:22:22 PM ET by GOLDHILLER

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