Replacement Window Help
What started out as a “make the room nice” as ended up being a “full” renovation. Currently we have decided to replace the replacement windows with “real” windows and gain back almost a foot of glass (across three windows). We have removed the existing vinyl windows and the original chain pockets. We now have clean…
What started out as a “make the room nice” as ended up being a “full” renovation.
Currently we have decided to replace the replacement windows with “real” windows and gain back almost a foot of glass (across three windows). We have removed the existing vinyl windows and the original chain pockets. We now have clean opening (as shown).
Before we reframe the opening for the new windows, I assume we should address the bricks that “fell” out of the header and also the gap between the brownstone facade and Brick wall.
There is also a gap between the sill stone and an interior row of bricks.
Any advice on the proper materials to use? Do we need to be concerned about the type of mortar? (I assume yes)
Can we use an epoxy or other “modern” Material here?
Pointers?
OP here, posting a correction and more information….
First, PRICE: I just realized there there was a big problem with the pricing I quoted. Turns out the $900 price was wrong in that the quote from the store incorrectly listed only 1 of each size window, not (2) of the 36″ wide units.
We have also double checked the height and despite the fact that the salesman measured, the vertical opening is only 70.5″, which means we can’t use the 72″ windows quoted above, but a 68″ height.
The corrected price and new size windows:
(2)@ 36×68 & (1)@ 34×68 = ~$1170
(Note this does not include screens because the Ultrex line only has “full window” screens and I hate looking thru them, so we are ordering 1/2 size screens from the Ultimate line. This does cost more, but will make me happy in the long run.
(Actually we only have screens in two windows in whole house now anyway)
Other things we have learned, by removing another window, is that it appears the windows were installed as the bricks were being laid! How do we know this? because the other window had to be cut and removed in pieces from a pocket created in the brick! And the Mortar was actually pressed into/onto the rough cut fibers on the wood.
This window also has a much smaller gap at the header, filed only with mortar and the lintels are actually holding the parts of the bricks that I can see up there.
As for how much we will gain by removing the chain pockets?
The Brownstone opening is 36″ wide, chain pocket opening is only 32″.
If we were to install inside the chain pocket we’d have to use a 30″ window, (24″ of glass), with the Brownstone opening we can use a 36″ window(30″ of glass).
The existing vinyl windows have ~26″ of glass (top and bottom windows are different).
So depending on how you want to compare, we are going to gain 4″ per window. (if we were going to be retrofitting, I don’t think we’d use the same style of window, so I am only comparing the existing to the new)
More questions?
OP, thank you so much for all the information. This post has been very helpful.
Whyrl, WBer is right there`s no Type L, it`s type N that I`ve got.
I had similar thing in the basement. Wall is made of two layers of brick. The inner layer was supported by wood lintel (so as yours). the outer layer of bricks was sitting on the arched layer of bricks. But since window had the flat top, the space between arch and the wooden frame of the window was filled with broken bricks. When I removed saches and old wooden frame the bricks fell down. But these are only bricks between the arch of the outer layer and the top of the window. They did not carry any load (unless there was a load on the top of the window frame). I replaced the wooden frame with new made out of 1×6 treated wood and inserted window inside of the frame.
Shop the window prices. I just had 2 Marvin clad evergreen ultimate double hungs installed. Not replacements. Upgraded glass/gas and divided 2 over 2. They met the tax credit requirement (which is more stringent than just energy star). Cost for 2 windows 36×66 plus some clad trim – about $1500. S&E Building Materials on McDonald – not much in the way of displays or hand-holding but the best prices. Cost to install – about $900. My frames were totally rotted out so the weight pockets were removed and a new frame built.
That may have been the way it was built (well, not the disintegrating mortar part)! If the window was original, the brick above may have just been to fill a gap or the frame of the window was sufficient to support what little brick was above. The gaps on the side and sill just “are” – the window box and trim covered them over, and they might not affect weatherization, etc.
You definitely pick up a little glass by removing the portion of the frame that carried the sash (and a lot of glass by removing the vinyl windows), but how much did you gain by removing the chain pockets? Those boxes sit behind the masonry opening to some extent.
WBer: Well one could also say that by removing the window frame “box” we were able to discover and properly repair the problem. Because the bricks were litterly just sitting there, in a bed of disinegrated mortar, the problem existed weather we found it or not.
And the window frame was not seated IN the brick. It was litterly part of the original window itself.
Now we can fix it properly and as I said, we are going to gain quite a bit of glass, so that will make it worth it.
And it make me want to replace all my windows!
I’ll try to follow up with more photos in a flickr account once we get further along.
Ordering should take two weeks.
Quite possible, whyrl – like I said, it is hard to tell from the photos. Also another reason to leave the box in place!
Wber: Thank you for the mortar advice.
IN my haste to respond, just previously, I didn’t go and look at the window parts, as I should have. BUT I feel ok in saying that the part I removed is NOT a “structural” lintel. It was a 1×5 board only held inplace by the vertial chain pockets and then returned with some molding.
If it was a true lintel, it would/should have been tied into the brick walls, which the 2x4s shown actually do. And there is no way a 1×5 is structural….
I will have to do some more investigation once the weather clears. I just tried to look, but the rain was blowing right in…..