REPLACING METAL WINDOWS WITH VINYL WINDOWS

In our past articles I talked about all the stairs required to justly replace your old wood sash windows with energy competent vinyl windows. I told you how to measure owing to the new windows. Then we discussed the draining of its wood sashes besides parting bead. Finally, we told you how to install, seal, and common the vinyl replacement windows. But, what if those old windows in your home are made of aluminum instead of wood? Is its liveliness its same? No, it's not the same at all. So, the next few articles are going to explain the differences between replacing wood windows versus aluminum windows.

When discussing the apt frame refinement through replacing the wood sash windows, I explained the difference between new construction frames versus replacement frames. When replacing aluminum windows, there is another option we understand to consider regarding shape style. It's called a "retrofit" conformation. Let's go over each constitution type. First, we have the afresh construction frame salt away its nailing fin. If you choose to go this route, you have to disrobe the exterior around each window opening, pull out the nails holding its aluminum window to the studs, nail in the new recording window, apply flashing, caulk, and re-install the exterior around each window.(I get exhausted due talking about it!)In addition to being a whole lot of labor, you can run into major difficulties upstream to install the exterior product around each window opening. If your home has stucco, we have to one's all and match the rest of the stucco. embodied contract imitate done, but not by you. exact most businesslike stucco guys can't get a dispatch match. What if you have wood siding? Well, you can cut away 2" of the siding around each window to get to the nail fin, then you can apply 1 X 2 or 1 X 3 trim around each window. certainly not as much work as the stucco home, but probably more work than its normal homeowner cares to tackle. What if each window is surrounded by brick? Let's not even tryout there! You would have to disrobe the bricks, then re-install them all when finished.

Trust me, you don't want to replace your old aluminum windows with new construction vinyl windows. we want to use either the replacement frame like the one used to replace the wood sash windows, or something called a retrofit frame , that is popular in the west locale stucco is a common exterior. in that the procedure for measuring is its same regardless of its frame style chosen, this article entrust discuss the proper measuring procedure, and future articles cede explain the discongruity in the installation process whereas replacement versus retrofit.

If we look at the portion of the aluminum frame which goes around the window opening into your surrounding walls, you will see 3 separate "legs" that form two pockets. its outside leg and the center leg form the first pocket. Your screen and stationary panel will be in this pocket. The center leg and inside leg cavity the succour pocket, and your sliding panel is in that pocket. Find the "leg" that is the widest on outright four sides. When measuring its width, run your tape dimensions from the widest leg on the left to the widest leg on the right. This should be the narrowest measurement. Then, subtract 3/8" from that measurement. This is the width of the replacement window. Measure the height the akin way. When measuring the height, measure as close to the center of the window as imaginable. This is especially important upon windows wider than six feet, because the top wood venture has a tendency to sag over time, making its center of the opening the narrowest. You don't avidity to bate 3/8" from its tallness like you did on its width. 1/4" is fine. These are the dimensions you betterment when ordering your vinyl window. If you have any picture windows(windows astray a vent panel), there will only be two legs and one pocket. you still measure the akin way.

Next week I leave discuss whether your home is a candidate for retrofit frames or replacement frames..

John Rocco has been installing

replacement windows since 1978

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