Replace Casement Windows?

[MishkaWorries]

Bought a new house recently. The house is a custom build and about 50 years old. The windows are wood and most are sealed shut with caulking (I'm assuming because of rot issues). The windows are double payne and no sign of moisture between the glass. We're in the Louisville area and plan to stay in the home minimum three years maximum of 7. Complete newbie in the window game and have several questions:

1. Anyway to repair the wood around the windows or do we have to do replacements?

2. The home inspector recommended Anderson E series windows and the realtor said to go with Anderson 400 series. It looks like the difference is 400 is vinyl covered and E series is aluminum covered.

3. Any thoughts on vinyl vs aluminum vs composite vs wood? Or another options?

4. Any recommendations for window company or installers in the Louisville area?

5. Is there a tax rebate for replacing double payne windows with double payne windows?

6. Any other thoughts, comments or warnings?

As always,

Thanks for all the help.

[shockwavesfan]

I have a custom home built in the mid sixties and we have been slowly making improvements to it over the years. We have replaced some very large casement windows with new Andersen 400 casement windows and have been very happy with them. We have also replaced some original sliding patio doors with Andersen 400 series sliders and they have been great too.

I believe that the 400 series is a great combo of quality and cost.

I might not have done these improvements if we weren’t planning to live in this house for the long term though. With your timeframe, it might not make sense.

[illumination]

Having just done a window project, my advice is try and keep what you have unless you really are really convinced you need new windows. It's just a messy and really expensive project. Just about every person I know that has had windows or doors replaced has had issues. If you might only be at the home for 3 years, I personally would leave them as is. If there's no leaks, they're already double paned, and they dont really bother you. Seriously consider keeping them. Find someone with experience that can maybe repair what you have if you want to be able to open the casements, but honestly these people are few and far between.

If you do decide to get them replaced, get several quotes. I personally don't like wood windows because of the issue you're having where they rotted. I prefer materials like fiberglass and aluminum. I don't like vinyl or the other composites as I feel they look cheap and are usually bulky. Andersen has sort of two distribution channels, one of them is the kind where you get all the flyers in the mail and they have a high pressure sales person show up at your house. I would avoid that one, but they sell their lines to to other window installers as well. Their E-series is their high end line and I have a custom french door recently installed that I really like. Again though, was a bear of a project. And super expensive.

[MishkaWorries]

I have a custom home built in the mid sixties and we have been slowly making improvements to it over the years. We have replaced some very large casement windows with new Andersen 400 casement windows and have been very happy with them. We have also replaced some original sliding patio doors with Andersen 400 series sliders and they have been great too.

I believe that the 400 series is a great combo of quality and cost.

I might not have done these improvements if we weren’t planning to live in this house for the long term though. With your timeframe, it might not make sense.

Very good information. Thank you.

[MishkaWorries]

Having just done a window project, my advice is try and keep what you have unless you really are really convinced you need new windows. It's just a messy and really expensive project. Just about every person I know that has had windows or doors replaced has had issues. If you might only be at the home for 3 years, I personally would leave them as is. If there's no leaks, they're already double paned, and they dont really bother you. Seriously consider keeping them. Find someone with experience that can maybe repair what you have if you want to be able to open the casements, but honestly these people are few and far between.

If you do decide to get them replaced, get several quotes. I personally don't like wood windows because of the issue you're having where they rotted. I prefer materials like fiberglass and aluminum. I don't like vinyl or the other composites as I feel they look cheap and are usually bulky. Andersen has sort of two distribution channels, one of them is the kind where you get all the flyers in the mail and they have a high pressure sales person show up at your house. I would avoid that one, but they sell their lines to to other window installers as well. Their E-series is their high end line and I have a custom french door recently installed that I really like. Again though, was a bear of a project. And super expensive.

This is the struggle for us. We don't have a single window or door (no screens) that can be opened. I like to be able to get fresh air in the house.

We're thinking of just replacing a couple windows a year. That'll get us some ventilation and not blow a hole in our budget. In fairness we knocked $25,000 off the offer once the windows failed inspection.

Our realtor said we should get 50-75% of the price of the windows at resell. He's a very good guy and he has proven himself to be trustworthy (I've never understood the value of a realtor until we met him).

[cchrissyy]

This is the struggle for us. We don't have a single window or door (no screens) that can be opened. I like to be able to get fresh air in the house.

We're thinking of just replacing a couple windows a year. That'll get us some ventilation and not blow a hole in our budget. In fairness we knocked $25,000 off the offer once the windows failed inspection.

Our realtor said we should get 50-75% of the price of the windows at resell. He's a very good guy and he has proven himself to be trustworthy (I've never understood the value of a realtor until we met him).

1 - that sounds like a safety issue! i would lean to fixing more of them, and sooner. i feel like most(?) houses have a window or two that won't open. but you can't have that be the majority. again, think of emergency egress.

2 - i doubt you get it back on sales price, but still, your comfort and safety in the meantime matters, and you just saw for yourself that not being able to open any windows is worth a 5 figure discount, so i agree you get back some value when they next person doesn't have the same experience you just did.

only other thing i wanted to ask is in your first post

1. Anyway to repair the wood around the windows or do we have to do replacements?

you don't mean the wood trim, do you? because yes, wood trim on doors and windows is cheap and easily replaced.

[bbqguru]

I’d look at fiberglass windows. They are the best of both worlds in terms of windows. No maintenance, they’re strong as all get out, and medium price point.

They don’t feel cheap like vinyl and won’t rot/degrade overtime like wood. We’re replacing our wood windows with fiberglass Marvin’s as needed. Our old house, which we custom built, were fiberglass Pella windows and sliding doors. Zero issues with either brand. Like HVAC, I think it comes down to the person installing it, not necessarily the window itself.

We had looked at aluminum clad wood, but didn’t want the hassle of finishing the interior side of the window, which is wood, etc… I try and buy everything I can with zero maintenance in mind.

[lthenderson]

The windows are wood and most are sealed shut with caulking (I'm assuming because of rot issues). The windows are double payne and no sign of moisture between the glass.

plan to stay in the home minimum three years maximum of 7.

Are you referring to the glazing on the window panes? That is not caulk and holds the window in place and prevents draft, not hide rot issues.

Windows typically take 30+ years to pay back, I'm not sure why anyone would replace them for a time frame of less than 7 years, especially if they aren't showing signs of failure. You saved money by getting your purchase price reduced. Why spend all that saved money on windows in the hopes of getting it a small part of it back when you sell it in a handful of years? There are a lot of things you can do to an older house that have much greater paybacks than windows.

[Sandtrap]

Bought a new house recently. The house is a custom build and about 50 years old. The windows are wood and most are sealed shut with caulking (I'm assuming because of rot issues). The windows are double payne and no sign of moisture between the glass. We're in the Louisville area and plan to stay in the home minimum three years maximum of 7. Complete newbie in the window game and have several questions:

1. Anyway to repair the wood around the windows or do we have to do replacements?

2. The home inspector recommended Anderson E series windows and the realtor said to go with Anderson 400 series. It looks like the difference is 400 is vinyl covered and E series is aluminum covered.

3. Any thoughts on vinyl vs aluminum vs composite vs wood? Or another options?

4. Any recommendations for window company or installers in the Louisville area?

5. Is there a tax rebate for replacing double payne windows with double payne windows?

6. Any other thoughts, comments or warnings?

As always,

Thanks for all the help.

To OP:
Home inspector and Realtor are not "window professionals" nor are they familiar with all that is available for you and so forth.
thus....

***Suggest contacting and visiting a showroom of a "window/door" contractor supply center in your area.

Find the one that is popular and has a large showroom. Have a customer service person visit your home and make suggestions. They will be able to give you a range of products and prices, and also, importantly, refer you to reputable licensed window install contractors that they work with.

To OP:
Question:
1
If you are only going to be in the home for such a short time, why spend the $$$ for window upgrades?
2
Are the window upgrades being done with expectation of more than recovering the value of the work, etc?

j

[HomeStretch]

If you don’t have a single window that opens, you have a safety issue in any room (such as a bedroom) where the window is intended to be a point of egress. If this is the case, consider prioritizing replacement or repair of those windows.

[carolinaman]

I have wood casement windows in our sun room that are over 30 years old. Due to my neglect, I had wood rot with one of our 5 windows that I could not open. I could not find a replacement for this size. A custom replacement would be very expensive. I had difficulty in finding someone to repair the window. I finally found someone through referral from a building supply store (not big box store). It cost $200 to repair and it is too fragile to open regularly, but it looks nice.

You may want to consider a partial replacement of those you most want to be able to open, also considering safety of escape in case of fire. A full replacement may not be financially feasible for the length of time you will be in the house.

I totally agree with Sandtrap's recommendation of where to find windows and installers. Windows and doors require a much higher skill level than most carpentry works, so you need to have skilled people doing that. A high quality window and an average carpenter probably will not give you the result you want.

[bradinsky]

Depending on where you live, check out a company named Apex Window Werks. They rebuild wood windows right at your house. They can actually reproduce moulding styles with the equipment they carry in their vans & they do a nice job.

[ClevrChico]

5. Is there a tax rebate for replacing double payne windows with double payne windows?

6. Any other thoughts, comments or warnings?

As always,

Thanks for all the help.

Having just gone through this exercise, the 2023+ tax credits for windows require they meet the "Energy Star most efficient certification requirements". A standard energy star certification isn't enough. My make/model of window qualifies, but the size of the window disqualifies it. You'll likely be on your own for making sure they qualify. It's complicated.

If you're okay with vinyl and your local Window World franchise has good reviews, consider getting a quote. Mine was 40% less than other vinyl window contractors. Window shopping is like mattress or car shopping. There are many different prices for essentially the same thing. Spending more isn't necessarily better. Casement windows may be less reliable long-term than other movement types.

[petras52]

Hi..since you mentioned staying in this house a maximum of 7 years, I would not spend a ton of money on high end windows..I recommend contacting Window Wise in New Albany, In. Their prices are very reasonable, and their installers are highly experienced. Installation quality is just as important as the window quality, if not more so. The windows they offer are not top quality but will easily last 10 years or more. They have a showroom on Charlestown Rd. in New Albany. They are also very responsive if you have any issues in the future. I highly recommend you include them in your search..all the best..

[Kagord]

1. Anyway to repair the wood around the windows or do we have to do replacements?

Pretty much any part of the casement window system can be repaired, for me, this process involves:

1. Removing all the wood rot and wet wood to get to dry wood, if water penetrated in walls, you have to deal with that too
2. Applying wood hardener generously on all exposed dry wood, 3-4 coats at least
3. Replace wood where feasible, "dutchmans/moulding" to needs (sills, sash, glazing, mullion, frame, brick moulding...etc), and use wood bondo where not feasible, form to original. You might be able to buy exact match wood components from the manufacturer, Marvin does well here.
4. Sand, oil prime, latex paint
5. Replace weather stripping, ideally with original or Swisco alternative

Requires strict annual inspections and maintenance to catch new rotted wood, repairs do fail, your just buying time, I might argue sometimes more time than a new wood window would last.

I think this is really more a a DIY thing for those that like working with wood and have wood working tools and machinery. I suspect it would be hard to find someone to do this, let alone, do this well, and if they did spend the time to do it well, it's probably not cost effective over replacement. If it's just the sash, you may be able to find a drop off sash repair company, that would be more cost effective.

If I were footing the bill to replace with new windows, I would not buy wood, I'd be looking at a high quality composite with a long life track record.

[LotsaGray]

This is the struggle for us. We don't have a single window or door (no screens) that can be opened. I like to be able to get fresh air in the house.

We're thinking of just replacing a couple windows a year. That'll get us some ventilation and not blow a hole in our budget. In fairness we knocked $25,000 off the offer once the windows failed inspection.

Our realtor said we should get 50-75% of the price of the windows at resell. He's a very good guy and he has proven himself to be trustworthy (I've never understood the value of a realtor until we met him).

1 - that sounds like a safety issue! i would lean to fixing more of them, and sooner. i feel like most(?) houses have a window or two that won't open. but you can't have that be the majority. again, think of emergency egress.

2 - i doubt you get it back on sales price, but still, your comfort and safety in the meantime matters, and you just saw for yourself that not being able to open any windows is worth a 5 figure discount, so i agree you get back some value when they next person doesn't have the same experience you just did.

only other thing i wanted to ask is in your first post

1. Anyway to repair the wood around the windows or do we have to do replacements?

you don't mean the wood trim, do you? because yes, wood trim on doors and windows is cheap and easily replaced.

How many casement windows can be used for egress? In fact one of the benefits of casement windows is specifically the are better security since they don’t open enough to get in. Also even if a window will open wide enough for egress, in a real emergency are you going to crank away to get out?

As long as the window is there and the room has a chair, lamp, or something egress is not really and issue. Break the window, clear the glass and egress.

[LuckyGuy]

A few years ago we replaced our aluminum clad wood windows with Pella vinyl. We are happy with our windows, but a friend of mine went with window world for a much better value IMO.

[bendix]

Bought a new house recently. The house is a custom build and about 50 years old. The windows are wood and most are sealed shut with caulking (I'm assuming because of rot issues). The windows are double payne and no sign of moisture between the glass. We're in the Louisville area and plan to stay in the home minimum three years maximum of 7. Complete newbie in the window game and have several questions:

1. Anyway to repair the wood around the windows or do we have to do replacements?

2. The home inspector recommended Anderson E series windows and the realtor said to go with Anderson 400 series. It looks like the difference is 400 is vinyl covered and E series is aluminum covered.

3. Any thoughts on vinyl vs aluminum vs composite vs wood? Or another options?

4. Any recommendations for window company or installers in the Louisville area?

5. Is there a tax rebate for replacing double payne windows with double payne windows?

6. Any other thoughts, comments or warnings?

As always,

Thanks for all the help.

1. I´ve gotten proposals from quite a few window companies and they´re all in the same business. Do not repair. Do not do a proper job. Try to sell you into putting new windows into old frames and then bank on caulk to seal everything. What you definately want is a full tearout and full replacement. Dont let them tell you to just make it fit without completly removing the old frames. Nobody really wants to do that because it requires new trim on the inside and often times even an involved operation on the outside of your home, e.g. nailing flanges are buried under stucco and need to be digged out etc... Nobody wants to do that because that´s hard work and most only want quick money. Hence, you may struggle to find someone who even willing to entertain the idea to repair anything.

2. Andersen is a good brand from all I can tell. I like Andersen 100 Series because I am mean, but I have 400 in my basement and they are very decent.

3. Vinyl warps. Aluminium is hard to find nowadays for residential application. Composite is what I´d use and wood is what´s expensive and looks nice but doesnt add a functional value add above composite.

4. Let me know if you found a good one. I havent.

5. There are some bucks if your new windows are energy star certified.

[MishkaWorries]

you don't mean the wood trim, do you? because yes, wood trim on doors and windows is cheap and easily replaced

That's an excellent question. don't know! The windows seem fine (no moisture in between the paynes, no water coming into the house). I'll have to take a closer look and see were the previous wood repair was done.

[MishkaWorries]

I’d look at fiberglass windows. They are the best of both worlds in terms of windows. No maintenance, they’re strong as all get out, and medium price point.

They don’t feel cheap like vinyl and won’t rot/degrade overtime like wood. We’re replacing our wood windows with fiberglass Marvin’s as needed. Our old house, which we custom built, were fiberglass Pella windows and sliding doors. Zero issues with either brand. Like HVAC, I think it comes down to the person installing it, not necessarily the window itself.

We had looked at aluminum clad wood, but didn’t want the hassle of finishing the interior side of the window, which is wood, etc… I try and buy everything I can with zero maintenance in mind.

I don't think we saw any fiberglass windows. One more option to check out. Thanks!

[MishkaWorries]

Bought a new house recently. The house is a custom build and about 50 years old. The windows are wood and most are sealed shut with caulking (I'm assuming because of rot issues). The windows are double payne and no sign of moisture between the glass. We're in the Louisville area and plan to stay in the home minimum three years maximum of 7. Complete newbie in the window game and have several questions:

1. Anyway to repair the wood around the windows or do we have to do replacements?

2. The home inspector recommended Anderson E series windows and the realtor said to go with Anderson 400 series. It looks like the difference is 400 is vinyl covered and E series is aluminum covered.

3. Any thoughts on vinyl vs aluminum vs composite vs wood? Or another options?

4. Any recommendations for window company or installers in the Louisville area?

5. Is there a tax rebate for replacing double payne windows with double payne windows?

6. Any other thoughts, comments or warnings?

As always,

Thanks for all the help.

To OP:
Home inspector and Realtor are not "window professionals" nor are they familiar with all that is available for you and so forth.
thus....

***Suggest contacting and visiting a showroom of a "window/door" contractor supply center in your area.

Find the one that is popular and has a large showroom. Have a customer service person visit your home and make suggestions. They will be able to give you a range of products and prices, and also, importantly, refer you to reputable licensed window install contractors that they work with.

To OP:
Question:
1
If you are only going to be in the home for such a short time, why spend the $$$ for window upgrades?
2
Are the window upgrades being done with expectation of more than recovering the value of the work, etc?

j

I had no idea we could go to a contractor supply company. I just found one that sells about ten different manufacturers. And they have a showroom!

[MishkaWorries]

Depending on where you live, check out a company named Apex Window Werks. They rebuild wood windows right at your house. They can actually reproduce moulding styles with the equipment they carry in their vans & they do a nice job.

Good info. Unfortunately Apex skips right over Indiana and Kentucky. But I'll Google and see if I can find something similar in the Louisville area. I think this is what we need.

[MishkaWorries]

5. Is there a tax rebate for replacing double payne windows with double payne windows?

6. Any other thoughts, comments or warnings?

As always,

Thanks for all the help.

Having just gone through this exercise, the 2023+ tax credits for windows require they meet the "Energy Star most efficient certification requirements". A standard energy star certification isn't enough. My make/model of window qualifies, but the size of the window disqualifies it. You'll likely be on your own for making sure they qualify. It's complicated.

If you're okay with vinyl and your local Window World franchise has good reviews, consider getting a quote. Mine was 40% less than other vinyl window contractors. Window shopping is like mattress or car shopping. There are many different prices for essentially the same thing. Spending more isn't necessarily better. Casement windows may be less reliable long-term than other movement types.

Very good info. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction about the tax rebate. As I understand it, the max rebate is $600 so not a deal breaker either way.

[MishkaWorries]

Hi..since you mentioned staying in this house a maximum of 7 years, I would not spend a ton of money on high end windows..I recommend contacting Window Wise in New Albany, In. Their prices are very reasonable, and their installers are highly experienced. Installation quality is just as important as the window quality, if not more so. The windows they offer are not top quality but will easily last 10 years or more. They have a showroom on Charlestown Rd. in New Albany. They are also very responsive if you have any issues in the future. I highly recommend you include them in your search..all the best..

Will do. Thanks for the referral.

[MishkaWorries]

Bought a new house recently. The house is a custom build and about 50 years old. The windows are wood and most are sealed shut with caulking (I'm assuming because of rot issues). The windows are double payne and no sign of moisture between the glass. We're in the Louisville area and plan to stay in the home minimum three years maximum of 7. Complete newbie in the window game and have several questions:

1. Anyway to repair the wood around the windows or do we have to do replacements?

2. The home inspector recommended Anderson E series windows and the realtor said to go with Anderson 400 series. It looks like the difference is 400 is vinyl covered and E series is aluminum covered.

3. Any thoughts on vinyl vs aluminum vs composite vs wood? Or another options?

4. Any recommendations for window company or installers in the Louisville area?

5. Is there a tax rebate for replacing double payne windows with double payne windows?

6. Any other thoughts, comments or warnings?

As always,

Thanks for all the help.

1. I´ve gotten proposals from quite a few window companies and they´re all in the same business. Do not repair. Do not do a proper job. Try to sell you into putting new windows into old frames and then bank on caulk to seal everything. What you definately want is a full tearout and full replacement. Dont let them tell you to just make it fit without completly removing the old frames. Nobody really wants to do that because it requires new trim on the inside and often times even an involved operation on the outside of your home, e.g. nailing flanges are buried under stucco and need to be digged out etc... Nobody wants to do that because that´s hard work and most only want quick money. Hence, you may struggle to find someone who even willing to entertain the idea to repair anything.

2. Andersen is a good brand from all I can tell. I like Andersen 100 Series because I am mean, but I have 400 in my basement and they are very decent.

3. Vinyl warps. Aluminium is hard to find nowadays for residential application. Composite is what I´d use and wood is what´s expensive and looks nice but doesnt add a functional value add above composite.

4. Let me know if you found a good one. I havent.

5. There are some bucks if your new windows are energy star certified.

Thanks for the heads-up on tear out of the old frame. I wouldn't have known to even ask that type of question.

[MishkaWorries]

1. Anyway to repair the wood around the windows or do we have to do replacements?

Pretty much any part of the casement window system can be repaired, for me, this process involves:

1. Removing all the wood rot and wet wood to get to dry wood, if water penetrated in walls, you have to deal with that too
2. Applying wood hardener generously on all exposed dry wood, 3-4 coats at least
3. Replace wood where feasible, "dutchmans/moulding" to needs (sills, sash, glazing, mullion, frame, brick moulding...etc), and use wood bondo where not feasible, form to original. You might be able to buy exact match wood components from the manufacturer, Marvin does well here.
4. Sand, oil prime, latex paint
5. Replace weather stripping, ideally with original or Swisco alternative

Requires strict annual inspections and maintenance to catch new rotted wood, repairs do fail, your just buying time, I might argue sometimes more time than a new wood window would last.

I think this is really more a a DIY thing for those that like working with wood and have wood working tools and machinery. I suspect it would be hard to find someone to do this, let alone, do this well, and if they did spend the time to do it well, it's probably not cost effective over replacement. If it's just the sash, you may be able to find a drop off sash repair company, that would be more cost effective.

If I were footing the bill to replace with new windows, I would not buy wood, I'd be looking at a high quality composite with a long life track record.

I think that is what the old owners were doing. I see a bunch of caulk and Bondo like material. I need to look and see if it's actually the window or just the trim. No way would I have the skills, tools or temperament for doing that kind of work.

Thanks for the tip on composite windows.

[MishkaWorries]

Many posters have asked why I want to replace windows when we aren't going to be here for many more years.

I want to be able to open windows and get good clean air inside the house. We can't even open the doors because no screens on any of the doors and that frustrates me. It also frustrates me that a component of the house doesn't work. Everything else about the house is very nice and good quality.

And finally , it's not that big of an expense. We only have 8 casement windows to repair/replace and we can even spread it out over a few years if we want.

[bendix]

I hazarg a guess. Quotes you´ll received will range anywhere from 15k to 50k. Not necessarily for a very different scope of work or material.

[quantAndHold]

I’m trying to imagine casement windows that are caulked shut to the point where you can’t open them. I would think your first job would be to remove enough of the caulk to get the windows open and figure out what condition they are actually in. Right now you’re just guessing.

What to do would depend on the condition of the windows, the condition of the rest of the house, whether the rest of the house is historically significant, and what your neighbors have done. You don’t want to replace wood with plastic on a historically significant house, for example. You also don’t want to over or under improve the house relative to what your neighbors are doing. If your neighbors are doing aluminum clad wood, you’ll need to do the same, or you’ll pay for it when you go to sell. By the same token, if your neighbors all have vinyl, putting in Anderson wood windows is complete overkill.

For a house I was only keeping for five-ish years, I’d get a handyman with some Bondo and a can of paint. Repair the wood as best he can, and make it look pretty with the paint. Likely that’s all they really need anyway.

[snic]

I’d look at fiberglass windows. They are the best of both worlds in terms of windows. No maintenance, they’re strong as all get out, and medium price point.

They don’t feel cheap like vinyl and won’t rot/degrade overtime like wood. We’re replacing our wood windows with fiberglass Marvin’s as needed. Our old house, which we custom built, were fiberglass Pella windows and sliding doors. Zero issues with either brand. Like HVAC, I think it comes down to the person installing it, not necessarily the window itself.

We had looked at aluminum clad wood, but didn’t want the hassle of finishing the interior side of the window, which is wood, etc… I try and buy everything I can with zero maintenance in mind.

This is good advice. My house has aluminum-clad wood windows (Pella) that were about 20 years old when we bought it, and many were starting to rot. I would only replace them with composite. Some brands I think have wood trim on the inside sashes if you want the wood look and/or want to paint it a specific color.

Vinyl does look plasticky, but tends to be the least expensive option, and if you get a good brand they'll feel very solid and last a long time. Fiberglass is paintable and can have a wood grain stamped on it, so it almost looks like wood once painted.

I had some of my windows replaced by "Renewal by Andersen", which is their supposedly high-end line that only their franchises install. On the plus side, the installers were excellent - they did a fantastic job with the installation and I also with repairing a bunch of other window casings that were leaking. The new windows look fine, although the composite looks a little ticky-tacky for the price. You can get wood trim on the inside sashes, but we have casement windows and I don't want the wood to get wet when the window is left open in the rain. On the minus side, one of the levers that locks the window just broke off in my hand as I was closing the window - and this window is just a couple of years old. Not at all what I was expecting.

One last piece of advice: no matter what you install, have your installer use Azek for the casing (exterior trim) instead of wood. Wood eventually rots unless regularly painted. Azek trim looks just like wood (well, from a distance - but no one is up close to your outside windows), is paintable if you want a different color trim, and it doesn't rot.

[Crow Hunter]

As long as you have double pane insulated glass that still has the Argon intact and no air leaks (you would feel it when the wind blows), you aren't really going to get anything other than aesthetic payback for replacing your windows. Now safety is another matter.

I work in the fenestration industry. The most important thing in windows and doors are installation and warranty.

A medium quality window installed correctly per the engineers design will outperform any super high-end product that is installed incorrectly. There is a significant amount of engineering and testing involved in meeting the Performance Grade (DP) ratings that you will find on the WDMA labels on doors/windows. Not installing it correctly means water and air will not be managed per the design and you won't get the Performance Grade you paid for or meet the NFRC ratings. Suspending it by the nailing fin and filling everything around it with "Great Stuff" foam isn't a high-quality installation.

Because they are complicated to build, a good company that will stand behind their products and make it right for you is very important. There are companies that are well known in the industry for supporting their customers.

Contrary to what a lot of people think, they aren't just boxes with glass in them. You can get products like that, and they will have the NFRC/DP ratings of a box with glass.

Marvin recently started an all-inclusive quote/build/install service for their windows that cuts out the some of the hassle.

https://www.marvinreplacement.com/

[Diluted Waters]

you don't mean the wood trim, do you? because yes, wood trim on doors and windows is cheap and easily replaced

That's an excellent question. don't know! The windows seem fine (no moisture in between the paynes, no water coming into the house). I'll have to take a closer look and see were the previous wood repair was done.

It would probably be easy if the window itself had failed and there was moisture between the panes. My local glass shop has made me two excellent replacement double pane windows to replace failed ones. Replacing the glass was an easy job for a carpenter, but I did the work myself and it wasn’t hard. I’m handy but not skilled in carpentry.

What was painstaking was finding rotten sashes (the wood that holds the glass) in the moving part of the window (casement). I was able to fix it in each case because I had some spares I could cut and splice in to the sash. It took all day for each sash to do it myself. It came out well but I only did it myself because I had to. I could not find someone skilled willing to do the work.

Our window company was bought out and shut down and parts are only available from third party suppliers. Replacement sash parts for our unsupported windows are very expensive but if it happens again I may have to go that route as I’m about out of spare parts. The sash profiles are complex shapes I don’t have the skills or tools to reproduce.

Replacement seals and mechanical parts are readily available from Swisco.

What I’ve found is the rot is a result of the window sash being sealed up in the frame by bad weatherstripping, loose aluminum cladding or caulk and water that gets in can’t drain and dry out.

Sound familiar?

The fact that all your windows are caulked in could cause a lot of rot if there is any failure at all in the caulk that lets water in but won’t let it out to dry.

As soon as you open a window like this the sash can disintegrate and you’re committed to an open window there. This happened to me and I wasn’t expecting it and I had to put on a command performance to fix it before it rained. Not fun. Don’t open your windows to investigate unless you’re prepared with a contingency to close up the space if the sash disintegrates on you.

I tried to find people skilled to fix it and they would not even call me back.

If the frame is rotted or you’re replacing the whole window that’s serious work. An expert would have to do it as it involves tearing into the house envelope to cut out the frame, replace it, and restore the walls. It’s a ton of work on each window. We have a stucco house and a full window replacement would be a gigantic project. I have little faith the builders here would do the job to my satisfaction so I intend to try to keep these windows going.

I love how casement windows work but If I had to do it over I wouldn’t get wood.