I had a plan for my first post of the new year. I was going to talk about how now that the holiday season is almost over (and it was an amazingly beautiful and relaxing one in our new place), it's time to get back into the season of home improvement. I was going to talk about how we have a contractor coming to give us an estimate on windows for our upstairs, and talk about all different configurations we are considering. I was. Until this morning.
That post will have to wait because this morning the home ownership gods decided to remind us that we are not always in control of our own repair decisions. At 10:00am on what the weather channel is calling a "blustery" day, this:
Made contact with this:
Here's a closer look:
We're very glad that it did not shatter the window pane, though it certainly woke us up (it's the side window in the downstairs bedroom where we sleep). For now, we taped it up on both sides:
But we're not sure what to do next. As I mentioned above, a window contractor is coming to give us some upstairs estimates on Monday, so we can have him check this out too. However, we don't want these windows replaced, we just want a new pane. Would this be a better job for a glass specialist? D thinks that it would be worth calling a few places and asking if they are familiar with repairing older windows, to make sure that the window frame isn't damaged during the repair. I have no concept of how much something like this usually costs ($10? $100? $1000?) but obviously it has to get done.
Well, at least this post still turned out to be about windows. More home improvements on the horizon!
4 comments:
We have the same windows as you do but also storm windows, but they are still drafty. We got an estimate from Power Windows and Doors that only sell top of the line windows, but it was crazy expensive. But three of our neighbors used Certified Window Wholesalers, Inc (www.certifiedwindowsupply.com) and are happy with them. They gave us their invoices and the prices were much more reasonable. They have offices in both VA and MD. I haven't checked them out myself, but window replacement will probably be our first major project once we get our tax refund. Good luck and let me know who you end up using.
Libby
Thanks! My parents bought me a year's subscription to Angie's List so I'm sure that will help too.
And yay for tax credits! For once I can't wait to file :)
~J
Is the glass a single pane or double? If its single, its really easy to replace that broken glass yourself. Being its on the first floor.
Second floor would have been possible, but a lot more difficult to get to.
Go to the DIY web site for instructions on how to install the glass.
Just measure the window from the outside. Go to a place that sells glass and mirrors. Have them cut a piece of glass to size.
Go to Home Depot or Lowes and ask for window putty. Check what the temperature range is. To make sure it will harden in the cold.
Hopefully this will work.
Of course this couldn't happen when the temperature was 85 degrees.
Good Luck.
Mom
I asked my sister, and she said that if you can figure out how to remove the whole frame/pane/whatever and bring it to a glass shop they can probably repair it without damaging the frame at a fraction of the price of anyone coming to the house. Granted, you'll only have half a window while it's gone...
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