Vinyl Replacement Windows Installed by a professional
Vinyl Replacement Windows Basics - How it is done by the pro's...
It wasn't too long ago
that vinyl windows were considered less-than-ideal choice for replacement windows.
But advances in design plus improvements in the formulation of polyvinyl chloride
(PVC and uPVC) have made vinyl windows a high-quality product that competes favorably
with all others.
Vinyl windows have always
had some advantages over aluminum and steel. Metal is a highly efficient
conductor of hot and cold - a great property when it comes to pots and pans, but not so slick
when you're talking about window frames. As window glazing has improved, the
difference in insulating value between the glass and the frame of a metal window
became greater and greater.
PVC and uPVC on the other hand,
is a non-conductor of heat or cold. It doesn't truly insulate like wood, but the design
of a vinyl window adds greatly to the frame's insulating value. The primary reason
that insulating glass works is because there is a pocket of trapped air, called
dead air space, between the inner and outer panes. Vinyl window frames work on
the same principle. The frames are hollow, built with multiple chambers to add
strength. Those chambers also trap air and thereby slow heat transfer.
Good quality vinyl windows
are nearly equal to wood windows in their overall insulating value, but not just
because of the frames. Compared to old shop-built wood double hung windows, the
factory weatherst6pping in modern vinyl windows allow only a fractioh of the
air leakage around the sash. As a rule, air infiltration is even more important
than insulating quality in preventing heat loss.
Look for windows with an R-5 rating or better, however in looking for windows U Values are the norm, the lower the U Value the better. Today the Dept. of Energy supports and sponsors the R-5 Volume Window Program which makes up from windows with the lowest U values starting at .22 for operating windows and U.20 for dead lites (fixed windows) The overall window has a R rating. However since a window is 87% glass it is more important that the U Value be below .22 the lower the better,... like golf.
Vinyl windows come in a
variety of styles, including single and double hung , horizontal sliding, casement,
awning, and hopper, including Bays, Bows and the popular Garden Window. Sliding patio doors are also available. The color is part
of the PVC or uPVC formula, so vinyl windows never have to be painted. Most come in white
and almond, some with wood grain overlays inside.
Vinyl windows offer the
same style features found on other top quality windows - divided lite grids,
decorative glass, tilt-out sash on single- and double-hung units, high energy efficient
locking systems, premium configurations such as circle tops, bay and bow units,
and even brass hardware. Like all vinyl products, they are also maintenance-free.
A few manufacturers still
make dark brown windows, but many have stopped manufacturing dark colors. Despite
advances in formulation, vinyl is still more sensitive to temperature variations
than other window materials, and dark colors absorb heat more readily than light
colors.
There are differences in
the quality of vinyl windows just as there are in any building product. Some
of the features that distinguish different windows include:
Vinyl formulation - Early
vinyl windows had problems with extreme expansion and contraction during temperature
swings, as well as fading, peeling and cracking when exposed to direct sunlight.
Manufacturers have switched to PVC without plasticizers (called uPVC) to minimize
movement, and developed additives that help resist ultraviolet rays in sunlight.
Frame Design - Vinyl window
frames may be either screwed together like aluminum windows, or welded at the
corners.
Glazing - Modern vinyl
windows are available with the same high-tech glazing used on top-of-the-line
wood windows - insulating glass with low emissivity (low E) coatings, and filled
with argon, krypton or zeon gas to increase insulating value.
Many states have adopted
an energy efficiency rating system for windows developed by the National Fenestration
Ratings Council (NFRC). The NFRC rating lists the U-value, the more energy efficient
the window..
The most important part
of the installation procedure comes even before you have your windows. It is
critical that your measurements of your old window openings are properly and accurately done, DO NOT DO THIS JOB YOUR SELF. All the salt & pepper does not make a window that doesn't fit taste good.
Vinyl windows are custom-built,
and can't be returned if they don't fit. Most are manufactured in 1/4' increments,
and you'll want to get the closest fit possible. This is an important detail.
Manufacturers' measuring
instructions may vary, but the following procedures are typical.
To measure the width, raise
the lower sash and measure the jamb-to-jamb width in three places - near the
top of the window, at the middle, and close to the bottom.
To measure the height,
measure from the head jamb to the sloped sill just past where it meets the inside
window stool.
Don't assume that all your
windows are the same size. Draw a rough sketch of your house and number each
window you plan to replace, then measure each of them separately.
To install a vinyl replacement
window, first remove the old sash. A traditional double hung window has two sets
of removable stops. It will have an inside stop that holds the lower (inner)
sash in place, and a blind stop that separates the two sash. The outside stop
is nailed to the edge of the sash and is not removable.
Pry off the inside stops
carefully, so you can reuse them. Cut the sash ropes and remove the lower sash,
then pry out the blind stop and remove it. Remove the upper sash.
Set the replacement window
in the opening. It should fit snugly between the stool on the inside and the
outside stops of the old window on the outside. If the new window is narrower,
you may need to nail a strip of wood to the jamb to fill the gap between the
window and the outside stop.
Some vinyl replacement
windows have sloped extrusions on the bottom that match the sloped sill of your
old window (Fig. 6); others are flat. If the bottom of your new window is flat,
you may be able to use a piece of lattice or door stop as a support for the front
edge of the window. If not, you'll have to rip an angle support. To do so, set
the window in place in the opening, and measure the gap between the front lower
edge of the window and the old sloped sill.
You can make supports for
all your windows at one time. Plane the edge of a board at an angle that roughly
matches the slope of the sill, then dp a strip of wood to match the gap. To install
the support strip, cut it to length and nail it in place directly beneath the
point where the front edge of the new window will rest.
Center the window in the
opening. Use a carpenters rauare to make sure the window is square, then shim
the sides of the window directly behind the preddlled screw holes in the jamb.
Screw the window in place through the side jambs, then replace the inside stop.
Go inside and check the
window to make sure it operates property. Then go back outside and run a narrow
bead of caulking all around the window to seal the gap at the outside stop.
How can I
find out more information?
You can start
by requesting speak with a licensed local home improvement professional in your
area to learn even more about your home improvement options. Go
to our map to get started now.
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