The
problem with shopping for one window…is what do you
do about the rest of them? Our current
windows are the original, wooden, double-hung windows. They have what I believe is called a
"dog ear" on the top sash. Cute. Not efficient. Some are painted shut. And
sadly, several are in bad repair. As
this house was in foreclosure, quite a bit of maintenance had been deferred—i.e., the house had been neglected.
Leaky window
When I was
confronted with the leaking kitchen window, I opted to remove the whole
bump-out—presumably, the roof flashing was what was
leaking.
Since the sides of the house
are stucco, we had to tear out the framing and make a new window surround
(which will eventually hold the window).
Don is doing this part, since Lalo and I would have no idea where to
start. Though I guess that would be the
demo part. We seem to be good at that
part. Nevertheless, leaving this to the pro.
Big hole in the house!
But what
kind of window do you get when you only are going to replace one? Well, some of the windows are in rough shape—particularly the southern-facing ones, due to all that beautiful
California sunshine. I figured I was a
year or two away from replacing all or some of the windows. If I had to buy one now, I'd better have a
plan for the rest of the replacements.
I met with
a couple of window replacement companies.
One of them was really good at his job.
And the next thing I knew, I was ordering all 19 windows and a sliding
door. What can I say? He made me an
offer I couldn't refuse. I'm looking
forward to my new energy-efficient windows and trying not to think about the
money. The manufacturer is Anlin and
they have a lifetime warranty (for the house's life, not mine—you're welcome, future owners!).
I’ll be
sad to see the old divided lights go.
The mullions in vinyl replacement windows look so cheesy I opted
out. But in the long run, I feel like
it's the most responsible choice. The best part? When I open a window, I won't
have to worry about the sash falling apart anymore.
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