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- Every year numerous wood windows are removed and sent to landfills. Homeowners are not aware that old wood windows are not necessarily obsolete or of lower quality than new ones. Besides, people often choose to replace their windows instead of to repair the old ones because of lack of contractors who provide restoration services, misinformation that it would be cheaper to replace all windows, and heavy advertising from window replacement companies and manufacturers.
- Window renovations obviate the need to harvest more trees, use other resources to produce new replacement windows (raw materials, manufacturing, transportation, installations, etc.), and reduce environmental costs. It also helps preserve the authenticity of homes. In addition to sustainability and historic preservation, the service is more labor-intensive, rather than material-intensive, and benefits local economies.
- If you choose to replace your windows, you have to replace all of them to have matching windows. It is rare for all windows of a building to fail at the same time. The most cost-effective, long-term solution is to restore only individual windows that are damaged.
- Preservation is inherently green.
- It is best to look around your house every spring to check for rotten windows, failing paint, and other problems with your house. Remember, it is easier to maintain your home than to undergo major replacement projects. A little time now will save you a lot of time later.
- A common misconception is that new windows save energy, but often the rate of heat loss stated by manufacturers (the U-value) is the value of heat loss through the center of the glass, not the frame or the entire unit. In addition, studies show that 80% of heat is lost through roofs, walls, floors, and chimneys.
- The preservation community advises people against replacement windows: the payback periods are not as promoted, often the quality is poor, and they create a costly cycle of replacing over and over again.
- Repair of existing windows can be an effective way to increase energy efficiency and reduce waste from replacing windows.
- New windows can reduce your energy bill by 10 to 20% per year. However, don’t expect to recoup your investment on the replacement because windows cost over $20,000 for an average house. Custom windows are even more expensive. So you won’t save enough energy to pocket any net savings for many years.
- If you choose the relatively inexpensive vinyl replacement windows, be aware that they tend to leak air a bit more in cold climates. Vinyl also doesn’t have the same visual appeal as wood, and can’t be painted.
- Remember, just because the window replacement industry tells you that you can’t live without their products, doesn’t automatically make it so. You may want those products, but you don’t need them.
- “Our vision of the future starts by identifying what is worth retaining.” The Future of the Past
10 Reasons to Repair Your Old Windows
