bama_swampfox

I grew up in an old home and have lived in an old home of my own. I came to the same conclusion that vinyl replacement windows are not worth it. A few hours craping old paint, a can of wd-40 and replacing the glazing putty and it's amazing just how good old wood windows are - particularly when you add high quality storms.

I now live in a house 10 years old and most of the wood windows are roted out. This is from poor design, materials, and assembly. None of the brick mould was was end primed before installation and wicked up water like a sponge. Sure they were caulked but all the caulk in the world didn't make up for a poor product. The gaskets don't seal well and the sash locks are lousy. The wind wistles through and did I mention the fogging between panes?

Long story short, I am replacing them all with high quality replacement ones as my budget permits. For me, in this situation, fixing a poorly made wood window makes no sense. The ones I've installed so far are noticeably quieter, seal perfectly and there a big improvment in reducing solar gain. In my situation, high quality, clad/wood replacement windows are a good investment. Will they pay for themselves? Sure but it will be many years. If the builder had just used a better quality window in the first place....