I was hoping someone here might be able to suggest sources for some good replacement storm windows. So far I’m coming up short.
I’m working on a very nice Georgian Revival that has wood six-over-sixes. The windows are all original and all in excellent condition, but they’re obscured by butt-ugly aluminum storms.
The owner just bought new triple-tracks for a couple of the windows, and they’re unfortunately much worse than the old storms. The frames are super chunky and actually project out almost an inch from the exterior casings.
What we desire for this house are storm windows that have at least some, if not all, of the functionality of triple tracks, but are a bit more appropriate for a very authentically Palladian house. Screens are important, and totally invisible would be nice. Maybe just little force fields in front of each window to keep out the drafts.
Thanks.
Replies
"What we desire for this house are storm windows that have at least some, if not all, of the functionality of triple tracks, but are a bit more appropriate for a very authentically Palladian house. Screens are important, and totally invisible would be nice. Maybe just little force fields in front of each window to keep out the drafts."
In my experience aluminum storm windows always detract from the nice lines of a well designed home....hence the farcible of the "force field" is your best resolution.
The next best resolution involves a return to the past and the use of seasonally changeable wood screens and wood storms....which usually translates to custom building same.
If neither of the two above resolutions are not good for you then I'm afraid you are stuck with the usual Butt-Ugly Aluminum Triple Track Storm.
I've never seen, sold, or installed an aluminum/vinyl storm window that did not alter the shadow lines if the windows architecture.
Hence IMHO, making the goal of "authentic Palladian house" unattainable!
Maybe someone else on BreakTime has another suggestion/experience.
.....................Iron Helix
You should contact Allied window, Inc in Cincinnati OH. 800-445-5411 http://www.invisiblestorms.com. They have a great sellection of exterior and interior storm windows that are almost invisable. I have installed thier interior magnetic storms numerous times and they work great. Their storms have been used on dozens of historic sructures both public and private.They can be ordered with a custom colour to match your house.
Theres been a lot of debate about interior storm windows here.
I just removed some track from a series of windows in an old house around here....the rot on the inside was intense from the condensation.
At one point I had an idea to use self stick velcro of industrial strength to the small areas out side my windows just on the inside of the trim and the reverse velcro on industrial strength plexi glass...I reasearched it on the net and saw I could even get velcro in all different colors.
Would be easy to get in and out as well. HAven't tried it yet so I can't say how it'd work.
The cost to cover one of my 12 over 12's about 4'X 6' I figured out to cost about $80 each.
Right now I have wood storms that are a serious pain to put up and then take down...I have a real lot of windows..so much of a pain that this year I'm too busy to even think about doing it.
BE warm
andy
My life is my practice!
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
Magnetic interior storms have an almost air tight seal. I have never seen a condensation problem with them. And the shiped cost is compareable to your plexi idea.
I know your dilemma all too well
when TDL insulated units might begin at $800 a window ( or easily more ) and the other options aren't attractive makes for a difficult scenario
we have a 1900 shingle / Victorian w/ a lot of potential many leaded windows, some stained glass and big double hungs w/ those three track screens and storms
too frugal to have ever purchased the place without some storm application - anyway I don't think the storm stands proud of the 5/4 casing but we painted out the window trim in an off white and painted the aluminum and the window sashes another color and they way surpass palatable also painted the interior perimeter sash of storm units the white of our interior trim did it we like it now and get on w/ other issues on the abode good luck w/ what you come up with John
i take out perfectly good windows and triple tracks all the time and replace with andersen knowing they had a better r-value [3'' air gap] little maintenance but lots cheaper than paying me. ive got double hung andersen with the combo unit[triple track] but they tell me they are doing away with it. hope i can get replacement parts 20 years from tn
If you want it to look right and work well, the HO will have to go for the original style wood storm window. Look at the photo attached. If he wants something like this, e-mail me and I'll hook you up.
These windows are not a pain to install or take out each year; they go in from INSIDE the house, hanging on two open hooks screwed to the exterior trim and are held in place by hook-and-eye sets on the inside of the casement. They're built with modern darted weatherstripping mounted on the inside face of the window to crush against stop bars nailed to the casement. Initial installation takes about 30 minutes per window if you have to install the stop bars; 10 minutes if they already exist or if there's a rabbet.
The window in the pic has single-pane 4mm glass in the lites; thermo-pane can be specified instead (this will avoid frosting when the interior windows are closed), but it's expen$$ive....
Dinosaur
'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?
Din
Nice storms
the previous owner on my 1680 house had wood storms made for all the windows and what a pain to install the upper ones.....I never thought of installing the uppers from inside......a-duhhhh....and I should store those in the attic rather than the basement.
Be warm
andyMy life is my practice!
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
I learned that trick when I was a kid staying at my Grandma's house. Didn't know there was any other way until I saw some poor fool up on a ladder struggling with 45 lbs of window....
They make the house look the way it's supposed to. When I have to take them out in the spring each year, I swear to myself I'm gonna build some 6-lite screens to replace 'em with, but, well, ya know...that's when things start gettin' busy.
And my kid loves scratching little doodles into the frost on the glass. I wouldn't change them for thermopane even if I could afford it....
Dinosaur
'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?
always seems like the simplest things pass one by in a complicated world sometimes doesn't it?
My only issue is none of the storms are stamped with numbers and the sizes are so close its gonna be a jig saw puzzle this time around but after their in I'll mark each one.
They look well made at least, just filthy and some big broken panes of glass......what did I expect with this house....things were gonna be easy? Bwahahahahaha
Be well
andyMy life is my practice!
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
If it was easy, bro...they wouldn't need us.
Dinosaur
'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?
kinda like when a customer says to me," its not that hard to do, is it"? grrrrr
I say, well, then you should be able to tackle it yourself! <Wink> ; )My life is my practice!
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
Yeah I just love when they watch over my shoulder. Problem is to make it look easy--otherwise they figure we don't know what we're doing--without making it look too easy...or they figure they're being ripped.
Had a BIL once who was a locksmith. Used to do 24-hour service to unlock your car doors if you locked your keys inside. He told us a story once about a blonde lady who called him out to a place 20 miles past Sukafrozenmukluk at 2am to unlock her SUV. He got there, pulled out his jimmy bar, and popped the door open in about 20 seconds (this was about 10 years ago; the locks were easier then). He then reached in, pulled her keys out of the ignition and handed them to her. She looked at him incredulously, tossed the keys onto the seat and slammed the door again (auto locking, natch!). 'Do that again!' she said. 'It was so fast, I didn't see it the first time!'
He got back in his truck and drove off toward home with her standing in the middle of the road screaming until he was out of sight....
Later he told us he'd decided as a result of that event never to unlock a door in less than 5 minutes, no matter how easy it really was.Dinosaur
'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?
great story!!!!!My life is my practice!
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM