Pella Window and Door

Measuring For Your Vinyl Replacement Windows

Let's say you're tired of those old wood windows, and you decide it's time to upgrade to vinyl replacement windows. You get 2 or 3 contractors to come out and give you an estimate. After they leave, you can't believe windows can cost so much. I mean, having to get financing to replace your windows just doesn't seem right. Let me explain to you why the windows are so expensive. You have to pay the salary of the salesman who comes over to give you your "free" estimate. Then, you have to pay the salary of the installers. Finally, you have to pay the owner of the company. In some cases there is a broker who acts as a middleman, and he or she gets a cut too. No wonder you need financing!

Now, imagine if you already knew how to shop for windows, how to measure for new windows, how to remove the old windows, and how to install the new windows. You just eliminated everybody except the owner. All of a sudden you can afford to replace your windows without taking out a loan! The next few articles are going to cover this process. This article is going to discuss the proper way to measure for your double hung replacement windows.

It's important to properly measure for your windows. If you order them too small, you're going to end up having to improvise in order to get them to work. Even if you do get them to work, you're probably going to have problems. And if you order them too big, you're really in trouble. Chances are you will be ordering more windows. So, measuring is very important. Fortunately, it's also very simple. We are dealing with old double hung wood windows here, so if that doesn't apply to you, don't worry. Future articles will discuss other types of windows. In the case of the wood sash windows, you want to measure the width first, and height second. When you go shopping for windows, always give the dimensions as WIDTH X HEIGHT. To measure your width, you want to pull a tape measure from the top right corner to the top left corner. Put the tape measure in that 1 1/2" pocket where the window frame slides. Measure to the sixteenth of an inch. Do the same thing at about the midway point,right above where the window locks. Then, raise the bottom sash and take the same measurement at the bottom. If you can't raise the window for whatever reason, go outside and measure from there. You will have to remove the screen though.

The majority of the time all three of those measurements will be the same. If they're not the same, use the SMALLEST measurement. Now subtract 1/4" from that measurement. This is your width for the new window. The height is a bit tricky. If your window sill outside slopes downward for water drainage, you have to make sure that you measure from the HIGHEST Point of the sill. You want to measure from the top right corner to the bottom right corner. Put your tape at the top where the upper sash closes. If the bottom has a 5/8" high inside wood sill piece to prevent water from coming inside, you need to raise the bottom sash and run the tape past the 5/8" sill and down to the high point of the sloped sill. Do this in the middle and on the left. Once again, take the smallest measurement, but this time deduct 3/16". This is your height. If you order your windows using these dimensions,they will fit right in, and leave just enough room to adjust if needed. The final step is to measure the depth of the pocket where both sashes slide. By depth, i mean from the point outside where the top sash rests against the outside wood stop to the point inside where the inside bottom sash rests against the inside stop. This measurement should be between 3 1/4"- 3 1/2".

The reason you need to know this dimension is because not all replacement windows have a 3 1/4" depth frame. You want a replacement window that's going to fit right into the existing pocket of the wood frame. If you purchase a window with a 2 5/8" frame depth, you're going to have approximately 3/4" to fill. That means buying new wood stops for the inside of the house that are 3/4" wider than the existing stops. Get the 3 1/4" frames and save yourself a lot of extra work. Now, if you're on a really tight budget, the lower grade windows will be the 2 5/8" frame, and you will have to get the wider trim. But that's something you should weigh in your mind, whether the money saved on the lesser grade window is worth the extra expense and time of installing new stops around the inside of all your windows.

So, now you have the measurements and it's time to go shopping. What should you look for to know you're getting quality windows? A top quality double hung replacement window will have tilt-in sashes that allow you to clean the outside glass from inside the home. All double hung windows have a mechanism that keeps the window in the open position. The better windows use a state of the art mechanism known as a constant force balance coil. All replacement windows will have double glazing, meaning there will be two panes of glass in each sash separated by a 1/2"-5/8" spacer material around the edge of the unit. A quality window will use an intercept spacer or something called a super spacer. Find out the U-Value of the window. The lower the number, the better insulating properties. You want a window with a U-Value under .40. There is a special glass called LowE that will lower that U-Value number. In fact, most quality windows include LowE as standard. Those are the main things to ask about when window shopping.

On the opposite end of the quality spectrum, you can buy an economical replacement window that will not have the tilt-in feature.The mechanism that holds the window open will consist of a block and tackle assembly made up of a spring and string. Another mechanism in lower quality windows is called a spiral tube balance. These lesser grade assemblies are notorious for failing after 5-10 years. The spacer material used on lower quality windows will be aluminum or something called swiggle seal. And many times the U-Value of these lower grade windows will be up around .50. The thing to remember is that a window that uses a super spacer more than likely isnt going to use a block and tackle balance system. It would be like buying a new car with leather interior and no power window and door locks. Follow those guidelines and you will have a good idea what quality you are buying. Once you make the decision and purchase your windows, it's time to get them home and take out your old windows. Next week I will tell you how to remove the old wood windows...

John Rocco has been installing replacement windows since 1978. To learn more, visit How To Install Windows

MORE ARTICLES:

Return On Investment For Window Replacement
Return on Investment for most residential home maintenance jobs is between 80% and 90% according to multiple published surveys across the United States. So in making a choice between a number of different home maintenance or improvement jobs we should look at Return on investment. Of course you cannot ignore a maintenance or repair job that is essential to safe and comfortable living.

Window Replacement: Out With The Old,In With The New JELD-WEN Pocket Windows
Remodeling projects just got easier with JELD-WEN's latest energy efficient replacement windows.

Window and Door Replacement is Top Concern During Winter, Says Repair-Home.com
The "Doors and Windows" feature at Repair-Home.com offers valuable articles, tips and resources about window and door repair. As temperatures plummet this winter, many homeowners may not be aware that the average home can lose 30 percent of its heat through inefficient windows. Repair-Home.com, an interactive home repair resource online, offers tips for window and door replacement.

House Window Replacement Tips
Windows and doors are always subject to damage and weariness because they are incessantly exposed to the elements and the changing weather. This causes fatigue in the windows and the doors especially if their material is a bit vulnerable and not really durable. It is normal that you opt to deal with these damages either through fixing and treating them or replacing the whole window or door. A lot of people favor the second option because it spares you a lot of hassle and guarantees that your windows and doors are healthy for much longer time than fixed ones. A galore of window replacement tips have emerged because people are beginning to resort to replacing their windows and not fixing them.

Energy Saving Window Replacement Tips
Re-decoration can be a rather interesting task, choosing colour, design, space, but have you ever thought about how to salvage the environment while you were at it? Here are some window replacement tips to help you become greener and energy efficient while at the same time fulfilling your vision. Carry out these window replacement tips and you'll savour a peace of mind, knowing that you are doing "what's right". These window replacement tips can also save you money.

Sliding Glass Door Replacement
This article is going to be about replacing an old sliding glass door with a modern Vinyl frame sliding glass door. If you currently have french doors and you want to replace them with sliding doors, or vise versa, future articles will cover that topic.

Vinyl Replacement Window Terminology
With so many homeowners in the market for more energy efficient windows and doors for their home, I thought I would use this week's article to cover the more common terms used to describe a window's ability to insulate your home from the elements. There is an organization called The National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC).

Door Replacement Is Worth It For Better Garage Doors
If you have older garage doors you might want to think of doing some door replacement as your next home repair project. Garage doors will just wear out over time, so you can upgrade to newer doors that have way more bells and whistles than when you bought your doors to begin with. You can buy them that are sound proofed, for your teenage son?s band practice. You can also get them insulated so they keep the warmth in during the cold winter months. You can also get ones that are more secure to keep out burglars and keep your bikes, tools, and car safer. You can get some that are very low maintenance and will give you more time for other things in your home and life.

Proper Window and Door Replacement Fights Weather Damage
Replacement windows and doors, if installed correctly, can help homeowners to save on energy costs and fight the deterioration of their homes, reports LocalPlusNetwork.com. In addition to articles advising homeowners of money- and energy-saving advice, LocalPlusNetwork.com offers a directory of local contractors.

Proper Garage Door Replacement
If you have an older home one of the first things you may consider changing are the garage doors. The good news, however, is that new garage doors have many great features that older ones do not, so you will get a lot of benefit from this project. The newer garage doors are insulated for both temperature and sound. You might find this handy if your son has started a rock group in the garage. Today's garage doors are much more secure than older ones and since we keep a lot more "stuff" in our garages than just cars, this is an important consideration. Last but not least, new garage doors and lovely to look at and are just about maintenance free.

Casement Windows And Hardwood Door Replacement
So you?ve decided to give your home that swanky new look but you have no idea where to begin. Well, before you drag yourself into the confused world of home improvement projects, start with your doors and windows. Replacement Doors and Windows can and will help save you a considerable sum. No wonder, they?re a hit among remodelling project planners.

Sacramento Window Replacement Virtually No Cost Until December 31
A unique combination of discount offers renders window replacement nearly cost-free through the end of 2006.

Do You Make These Window Replacement Mistakes ?
Whether it's a misguided baseball, or storm damage, sooner or later most homeowners will have to deal with window replacement, a chore that is not high on any handyman's list of things they want to do with their spare time.This could involve storm window replacement, replacement of window screens, or installing an entire replacement window.

Choosing a Vinyl Replacement Window Contractor
Whenever I write an article, it's usually tailored to the do-it-yourself homeowner to help them save some money on the high cost of labor these days. This article is for the "not so handy" homeowner who wants to have new vinyl windows installed in their home.