Vinyl isn't just for old records

Sorry to leave you in suspense - life got a little crazy right after our window install, so I didn't have a chance to check back in. I am happy to report that everything seems have gone well and we have new windows. We haven't really opened them very much because we are running our AC most of the time, but they seem fine. Honestly we weren't expecting much - this isn't a dramatic change like our bathroom remodel. It looks like it did before, just with windows that now have screens. Presumably we have better sound dampening, but we live in a pretty quiet neighborhood anyway. But in any case, here's the day, in pictures:

Because our house was built before 1978, the company had to remove the windows according to special lead mitigation processes that the government put in place since the last windows install in 2010. That involved sealing them off from the inside -

 Putting up crazy hazmat signs -

Wrapping up the old material in tight little bundles that look mina like mummies, and even putting up bright yellow "caution" tape around the whole front yard of the house. I felt like I was at a crime scene.

 Here's our giant picture window, sitting all sad and ready to be destroy:

Here's the same view from inside, with the new window being placed with the help of a giant suction cup (now I feel like I've moved from a crime scene to a heist movie - I think those are usually used to climb up the sides of buildings...)

First the installers blew insulation spray foam into the exposed window frames, then they placed the new windows into the frames. Then they caulked and capped the outside and then caulked the inside. The steps were pretty boring, so I didn't get them on film. They claimed the interior caulking wasn't hazardous but the nasty smell makes me think there were at least some VOCs.

Here are some pictures of the finished product. Unfortunately, some paint came up from the large picture window sill. The sill is pretty gross anyway so this is probably a good excuse to paint:

 Shiny new window (looks a lot like the old window but whiter):

Here's the big window - still kitty approved, apparently. You can see that now the white house trim looks incredibly dingy against the bright white vinyl and aluminum.

Here's a normal window from the outside. I wish I had thought to take a "before" picture. For me, it's one of those instances where you know it looks different, but you never paid enough attention to the previous view to really be able to place exactly how and why. Besides the bright white vinyl, I think the aluminum capping is broader.

We didn't lose any actual window or sill, though we did lose some of the frame (we have to completely reinstall the blinds to the outside instead of within the frame now). But at least now when the weather is nice we can open them up! We opened up the two side windows of the picture window area a few nights ago and it was nice to have a breeze.

Now if only the guest room and office weren't still in such a disarray from having to move all the furniture...