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I have two questions for y’all:
1) I’m building a little dormer bathroom and would like to use some cool old lead-glass windows from the local salvage yard. I’m wondering about double-paning them somehow, like – installing them, then laying a piece of plexiglass against the outside and caulking it in, and then building up a second sill on the outside. Will this work? Is there a better way?
2) in Fine Homebuilding this month there’s a letter about venting a new efficient furnace into a chimney, and the dangers involved. This house has a Plus 90 gas furnace venting into the chimney – should I be concerned?
Thanks, all!
Eli Smith
Replies
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Dear Eli,
With regards to question number 1, You would probably have trouble with that combination as you propose. It would be much better to simply install the leaded glass as you indicated, and then build a storm assembly that would cover the window during the winter months. If you try to seal it off, you will have all kinds of condensation problems in between the two.
With regards to question number 2, I'm not familiar with this unit so I don't know how safe it would be. In any event, this is one of those times when you have to bite the bullet and have a pro come in. Whoever services your furnace will be able to advise you on this concern.
GOod luck with your project.
*Hi Eli,I agree with Gabe, I would even put a Storm pane on the inside too if the window woudd be getting splashed. Sound like your furnace venting is a problem. More of a long term deteriation one thou. Have it checked out on your next annual service.Ron
*Eli,Yes, Gabe is right. Any protective glass ought to be on the external side of the assembly, and well away from the leaded glass.I wood avoid an inside storm pane because if it isn't perfectly sealed the leaded glass will probably become a condensing surface. I usually avoid interior storms at all for this reason. Better to sacrifice the storm window than the prime window.Steve
*Hi Steve,I would use the interior storm only to protect the Leaded glass if it was directly in the bathtub/shower area. I usually drill 2- 1/8" vent holes in the outer frame one near the top and one near the bottom to prevent condensation. As long as the outer tightness is a little less than the inner I haven't had any problems down to -10F.
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Cool! Thanks for the input, everyone - looks like I'll just go with storm windows and make sure to waterproof the inside where it'll get moist...
Eli
*Eli,Don't know if you're still looking for responses. but I have one on the furnace venting.High effeciency furnaces that vent trough plactic pipe can have exhaust pipe run up the chimney to the top. That would eliminate two potential problems I've seen in running gas furnace exhaust into an existing chimney:1) If the gas furnace replaces an oil burning model, the moisture in the exhaust can re-hydrate soot from oil ehaust, causing it to flake off and fall to the bottom of the chimney. It can accumulate there and build up until it blocks the furnace exhaust opening, causing CO2 backup into the house.2) If the flue is unlined, the moisture from the gas exhaust can also attack the brick. I inspected one older home that had had a gas furnace installed to replace an older model 20 years earlier. In the attic space the chimney bricks had entirely disintegrated in two places, leaving only a web of mortar behind.Hope that helps.
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I have two questions for y'all:
1) I'm building a little dormer bathroom and would like to use some cool old lead-glass windows from the local salvage yard. I'm wondering about double-paning them somehow, like - installing them, then laying a piece of plexiglass against the outside and caulking it in, and then building up a second sill on the outside. Will this work? Is there a better way?
2) in Fine Homebuilding this month there's a letter about venting a new efficient furnace into a chimney, and the dangers involved. This house has a Plus 90 gas furnace venting into the chimney - should I be concerned?
Thanks, all!
Eli Smith