Do homework, and you'll love your new windows

July 26, 2013|By Mike McClintock, Special to Tribune Newspapers
  • Careful installation ensures youll reap all the benefits of your new windows, so pay attention to the details.

They seem like an integral part of the house that should never wear out. Some scraping and painting might be needed, especially on the sills, but replacement? Windows, which were installed originally before the siding and trim, are difficult, disruptive and expensive to tear out.

Despite the hassles, the $4 billion window replacement industry changes out about 28 million old windows each year. Some take the place of rattlers that leak, or sweat, or don't open without a fight. Some become part of a larger renovation job. Some, like tilt-ins, eliminate tough maintenance jobs like climbing a ladder to wash the outsides of second-story glass. Many are installed as long-term, energy-saving investments.

Whatever the reason, this major home improvement requires a lot of homework. But comparing energy ratings, warranties, materials, styles and features is the easy part. The hard part is the installation. That has no rating system. It varies in quality and price much more than the difference between vinyl or fiberglass frames. And while a top-notch job can realize every advantage of a mediocre product, a bad installation can turn the best replacement window into a disaster.

Among many excuses, the main one is downsizing. There were problems with your frames, your siding, and to stick to our price we had to fit in a smaller unit. But we'll fix it up with extra trim, some caulking, touch of paint, no problem. Sure. Before you get the excuses, check into these two trouble spots.

Hidden damage

Finding problems beneath other problems is the scourge of many home improvement projects, particularly in older homes and where there's obvious damage on the surface. When you're replacing a window because it leaks and the sill is rotten, you'll probably find more rot in the supporting frame. Fixing that can double the price. Siding has to be peeled back, sheathing cut away, framing torn out, then new insulation and layer after layer replaced. The best bet is to plan ahead with the installer (and in the contract) so that any extra work is estimated and agreed to separately — and not necessarily by the installer. Most can take care of surface problems, but if the trouble runs deep you may want a general contractor.


Despite homeowners' expectations, replacement windows often do not have the proportions or fit into the house wall the way the old ones did. They're smaller — and it's noticeable. Instead of pulling the entire frame and almost starting from scratch, some installers pull the sash but leave the frame and tuck a new window inside it. That saves tedious work on trim and flashing and siding. It lowers the estimate. But the result is less light, and a wide, strange looking trim detail outside running from the old frame and trim down to the inset window and its trim. It may keep out the weather but it looks like what it is — a hodgepodge job.

Protect against this by going over details with the installer ahead of time. Accepting assurances that you'll be happy in the end won't do. That's like falling asleep in the barber's chair. Kind of short and shaggy when you wake up? Too late now. Ask what your finished job will look like, what kind of trim, what kind of joints, and where will it be on the house? Ask for pictures of other jobs. Go outside and have the installer bring pieces of trim to show you exactly where they will be. Tack them in place, take a photo, and include it as a specification in your contract. It may seem excessive. But some installers will take the quickest, cheapest route unless details are nailed down.