bunnyjadwiga (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
bunnyjadwiga) wrote2007-11-12 11:29 am
bunnyjadwiga) wrote2007-11-12 11:29 am
Triumph!
The window is fixed!
Ok, most of you had no idea that there was a Battle of the Window. But it's true. This weekend, a longstanding issue in our house has been resolved.
You see, when I moved into this house, one of my big suggestions was to install a working screen door on the back door, one with a sliding glass window that could be shut. The idea was 1) to save energy, and 2) to allow the back door to be opened and left open in warmer weather without the cats getting out. (At that point, my roommates routinely left the back door locked with a deadbolt all the time and travelled in and out of the house through the front door, even when going to the grill (right outside the kitchen window, on the back porch). I insisted that we move the deadbolt key to *somewhere* within reach of the back door in case of emergencies, and invested in a screen door. This was good. (Except that it still needs to have the sweep at the bottom installed.)
However, then I went a step further. I suggested to Juergen that we should replace the broken pane in one of the dining room windows (the windows are probably original to the house, circa 1900-1920, with addes storm windows on the outside). His response has entered family history as the source of about a year's worth of fights and misunderstandings... he said that he didn't think anything short of completely replacing all the windows in the house with new windows would significantly impact the insulation/heat resistance of the windows.
At that point, the top of my head apparently shot off, steam came out my ears, and I grew fangs, according to witnesses.
Slowly, slowly, over the intervening year and a half, the sound and furor over the window died down, and we began to cooperate on house repair-and-improvement projects. I slowly became able to not jump to the conclusion that he felt nothing could be done about fixing things in the house...
And last winter, when the air in the nook where the window-- and Juergen's computer-- is grew colder, and we battled with the thermostat (left to his own devices, Juergen would leave the heat at 72-75, and while I'd enjoy that, as the person paying the heating bill, I couldn't deal), Juergen asked me if I thought covering the broken (cracked) pane with something would help. Yes, I thought it would, and I was charmed that he was willing to do it.
Finally, this fall, we discussed fixing the window. Not only did it need a new pane, but the upper sash was inclined to fall down at any moment (due to missing sash-cords/weights). On careful examination, Juergen determined that the outer storm window was separating from the house.
Saturday, Juergen removed the inside trim to remove the sash with the broken pane, then we took off the exterior storm window. The caulk between the storm window was in very bad shape and would have to be replaced. We headed out to our faithful Piscatello's home center, where they told us what kind of caulk to use, and said they would prefer not to cut the pane for the window without seeing it sans glass (the glass was taped in) and a bit cleaned up. So we bought caulking and longer screws and headed home with advice about removing the old, icky putty from the sash (a nice sharp wood chisel is apparently key. It worked, too.)
Juergen re-caulked and re-attached the exterior storm window while I scraped silicone caulk, random putty, old fashioned putty and other substances away from the sash to remove the broken pane. (Thank goodness the previous owner had put the silicone caulk OVER the lowest quality putty, so it did eventually peel off.)
Back to Piscatellos for the new pane, putty, and glazier's points, as well as sash rope. (Did you know they now make glazing points with a little ridge so you can push them in with a putty knife? Kewl.) So we put the window back together.
Juergen was somewhat doubtful about replacing the sash ropes for the upper sash rather than just nailing the darn thing in place, but I feel strongly about keeping working windows of that type still working, so he humored me.
Juergen took more of the window frame apart so we could remove the upper sash.
Then we opened the cubbies in the sides of the window frames and determined that yes, the upper sash weights were still there. This was followed by a lot of messing around with string and weights to run a string through the pulley and down to the weight chamber, as merely feeding sash rope through the pulley and expecting it to descend failed in an epic manner. Finally we were able to feed rope into the window frames, tie it to the weights, make appropriate knots, insert the knots into the sides of the frame of the sash, and re-hang the window. (Unfortunately, it looks like we'll need to shorten the ropes again to get the sash to hang properly, but that's for later.)
Then we put the whole thing back together, wiggled the windows up and down, and admired our handiwork.
Epic Home repair, that's us!
Ok, most of you had no idea that there was a Battle of the Window. But it's true. This weekend, a longstanding issue in our house has been resolved.
You see, when I moved into this house, one of my big suggestions was to install a working screen door on the back door, one with a sliding glass window that could be shut. The idea was 1) to save energy, and 2) to allow the back door to be opened and left open in warmer weather without the cats getting out. (At that point, my roommates routinely left the back door locked with a deadbolt all the time and travelled in and out of the house through the front door, even when going to the grill (right outside the kitchen window, on the back porch). I insisted that we move the deadbolt key to *somewhere* within reach of the back door in case of emergencies, and invested in a screen door. This was good. (Except that it still needs to have the sweep at the bottom installed.)
However, then I went a step further. I suggested to Juergen that we should replace the broken pane in one of the dining room windows (the windows are probably original to the house, circa 1900-1920, with addes storm windows on the outside). His response has entered family history as the source of about a year's worth of fights and misunderstandings... he said that he didn't think anything short of completely replacing all the windows in the house with new windows would significantly impact the insulation/heat resistance of the windows.
At that point, the top of my head apparently shot off, steam came out my ears, and I grew fangs, according to witnesses.
Slowly, slowly, over the intervening year and a half, the sound and furor over the window died down, and we began to cooperate on house repair-and-improvement projects. I slowly became able to not jump to the conclusion that he felt nothing could be done about fixing things in the house...
And last winter, when the air in the nook where the window-- and Juergen's computer-- is grew colder, and we battled with the thermostat (left to his own devices, Juergen would leave the heat at 72-75, and while I'd enjoy that, as the person paying the heating bill, I couldn't deal), Juergen asked me if I thought covering the broken (cracked) pane with something would help. Yes, I thought it would, and I was charmed that he was willing to do it.
Finally, this fall, we discussed fixing the window. Not only did it need a new pane, but the upper sash was inclined to fall down at any moment (due to missing sash-cords/weights). On careful examination, Juergen determined that the outer storm window was separating from the house.
Saturday, Juergen removed the inside trim to remove the sash with the broken pane, then we took off the exterior storm window. The caulk between the storm window was in very bad shape and would have to be replaced. We headed out to our faithful Piscatello's home center, where they told us what kind of caulk to use, and said they would prefer not to cut the pane for the window without seeing it sans glass (the glass was taped in) and a bit cleaned up. So we bought caulking and longer screws and headed home with advice about removing the old, icky putty from the sash (a nice sharp wood chisel is apparently key. It worked, too.)
Juergen re-caulked and re-attached the exterior storm window while I scraped silicone caulk, random putty, old fashioned putty and other substances away from the sash to remove the broken pane. (Thank goodness the previous owner had put the silicone caulk OVER the lowest quality putty, so it did eventually peel off.)
Back to Piscatellos for the new pane, putty, and glazier's points, as well as sash rope. (Did you know they now make glazing points with a little ridge so you can push them in with a putty knife? Kewl.) So we put the window back together.
Juergen was somewhat doubtful about replacing the sash ropes for the upper sash rather than just nailing the darn thing in place, but I feel strongly about keeping working windows of that type still working, so he humored me.
Juergen took more of the window frame apart so we could remove the upper sash.
Then we opened the cubbies in the sides of the window frames and determined that yes, the upper sash weights were still there. This was followed by a lot of messing around with string and weights to run a string through the pulley and down to the weight chamber, as merely feeding sash rope through the pulley and expecting it to descend failed in an epic manner. Finally we were able to feed rope into the window frames, tie it to the weights, make appropriate knots, insert the knots into the sides of the frame of the sash, and re-hang the window. (Unfortunately, it looks like we'll need to shorten the ropes again to get the sash to hang properly, but that's for later.)
Then we put the whole thing back together, wiggled the windows up and down, and admired our handiwork.
Epic Home repair, that's us!
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So hooray for productive domestic weekends!
I have plastic and cardboard taped over our cracked and broken panes since my stepdad will be getting the windows (and siding) replaced Real Soon Now. If the windows still worked worth a hoot, I'd care more about keeping them. But they don't, so I'm not. Nothing as nice as counterweights on ours. Just crappy bottom of the line 1940's windows with storm windows that have mostly rotted off the house.
Oh, and installing shelving demonstrated just HOW not straight/flat walls and things are in that house to my poor hubby *chuckle*.
*hugs*
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