Windows take a beating because they're exposed to the elements and have so many joints where they can become wobbly. As a homeowner, at some point, you’ll most likely decide whether to repair or replace them.
The very first step: don’t assume replacement is your only option. Although replacement sometimes is the best choice, in some cases you can repair a window to make it as snug as a new one — or nearly so—for a fraction of the cost.
What to Consider
The window’s quality. With windows, older is often better. Windows built before 1940 used old-growth timber, which is harder and more rot resistant than wood harvested today. They were built to last for a century before needing repair, and can last another century if properly repaired. Windows made of lower-quality materials are not worth repairing. In this group are windows built after about 1960 that have metal frames or lower-quality new-growth wood that is clad in metal or vinyl.
Whether it can be repaired. An old wood window has many components, so it’s possible to take it apart and repair or replace just one section, instead of scrapping the whole thing. Depending on the design, newer windows often cannot be dismantled and repaired. For example, leaking seals of double-paned windows — revealed by condensation between the panes—can’t be fixed.
How extensive the damage is. If it’s a good-quality window, next determine how much work it needs. With older wood windows, most of the repairs are minor, even if the window looks pretty bad. Common repairs include removing layers of paint so the window opens smoothly; fixing a loose joint where two main pieces meet; filling in rotten areas—usually the bottom wood piece—called the bottom rail — with epoxy; replacing sash cords so the windows open and close properly; replacing broken panes; and replacing the putty, or glaze, that surrounds each pane of glass on the outside. If the window needs a lot of work done, it’s worth getting an estimate and comparing the cost to a replacement window.
Window Repair Secrets
A window can seem dauntingly complex if you’re a first-time homeowner or not handy with repairs. But it is an ingenious device with a pretty straightforward design. Here are some window repair tidbits:
- Often, a neighborhood hardware store can do minor repairs if you remove the window and bring it in. How you remove the window depends on the style.
- If the horizontal bottom piece (called the bottom rail), and the side piece (the stile) are separating but the wood isn’t rotten, a super-easy short-term fix is to snugly fasten them together with a flat corner brace.
- Many great wood epoxies are on the market for filling in rotten areas. Usually, you mix them right before applying them. Follow label directions exactly, including the safety instructions.
- To protect your wood windows from the elements, add an outer storm window with built-in screen. You don’t have to swap out the screens and storms in spring and autumn, like people did in the olden days. And modern, high-quality storm/screen combinations are far superior to the rickety aluminum ones that were popular 40 years ago. Wood windows combined with a new high-quality storm/screen windows are nearly as energy efficient as new windows, and last longer.
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