Sunday, March 28, 2010

Saving Money With Sash Window Restoration And The Environmental Benefits

In older homes the traditional wooden box sash window is standard issue, sash window restoration and the environmental benefits it affords are worth the time investment and overall will save money. Sash windows are still regarded as the best choice for style and luxury in home design.

When looking for someone to restore your sash windows get quotes from a few reputable companies, maybe someone who was referred to you and make sure they arent cutting corners. A fast and inexpensive job could mean that your windows arent being fully restored and you will have to do the work again at a later date to get it right.

These services can range from full sash window restoration to simply replacing a broken sash cord. A trustworthy company will be all inclusive and will also recommend when your window is beyond repair and replacement is necessary.

The time it takes and the cost of the project are dependent upon the number of windows in question. Typically you can expect a couple of windows a day will be done if the repair is a simple one.

Most important is the integrity of the wood and sealing it with a few coats of paint to protect it. Weather seals and double glazed glass with re-balancing are all important things to do in the restoration process to ensure your windows are draft-free keeping heat in and giving you beautiful windows for many years to come.

If you are going to tackle this job yourself these are things you should remember to do. Strip the sash, box and sill to bare wood so you can see the condition of the wood and repair as needed. Fill in spots where necessary with a high quality, two part, resin-based product. Fix all the joints and have on hand replacement parts. Paint with a highly resilient, four coat exterior paint system to ensure waterproof results. Weather seals will need to be installed at the top, bottom, sides and meeting rails of the window. Replace sash cords, pulley wheels and re-balance.

The ropes inside the sash will often be rotted and the windows will be unbalanced and youll find you are propping them up with a book. These ropes are attached to weights which in turn balance the window and roll over the pulley. Replace this assembly and sometimes you can just lubricate the pulley to get it working again. If not, there are a variety of metals to choose from or a steel/nylon option for economy.

When you find dry rot in the sash, box or sill replace it with a hardwood and use traditional cabinetry methods to achieve a uniform look throughout the home. Make sure to embellish the window to match the rest of the house if needed and double glaze. Finish off with new hardware and you have created a green solution.

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