Window inserts for oldy windows

Hey all,

After a long and drafty winter we have decided to bite the bullet and do something about these old single-pane leaky windows. That said, I love that they're old and lovely and don't want to rip 'em out. We are considering 2 options: new storm windows or some sort of aftermarket insert. I found these online the other day...anyone have any experience with them? Worth it?

Wwww.indowwindows.com

Thanks a million!

The inserts are interesting for windows you never want to open. But the light-blocking feature would make me crazy. I hate gloomy rooms.

I will add more tomorrow, but you need to look at the Pella window Insert line. A super fine window, better that most Maplewood SO house windows, high tech and not a light blocker at all. I installed them for years.

Anderson also has a good insert, just costs more.

Marvin not bad but not the best from my point of view.

Then you get the Home Depot and off market stuff. Junk, Junk, Junk.

More later.

Da The UPS Store

George

Are inserts essentially storm windows, but on the inside rather than the outside? I had not heard of the concept before.

Have you tried shrink-wrapping your windows for the winter? Takes about 20 minutes per window, costs a couple bucks per window, and is hardly noticeable.

http://www.zoro.com/frost-king-shrink-window-kit-indoor-42-x-62-in-v73h/i/G5223321/?utm_source=google_shopping&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Google_Shopping_Feed&gclid=Cj0KEQjwv6WrBRD4gbngqe7mosYBEiQAIB5oTHgMxFGvcQaBTCICdo3JuHkXLBc710mrZy5SSQhTgFMaAr-R8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

Inserts are not storm windows. Inserts are full new windows.

Your old windows are removed to the existing finished frames, not to the studs. So, all the outside and inside trim is left in place and you are not re-painting or patching wall paper on the inside, and not fixing shingles on the outside.

The new insert is fitted inside the now open finished frames and mounted into place and calked in.

Speaking to the Pella brand. The new Insert is of wooden construction, not plastic. The outside wood is covered in painted metal, the inside is base wood to be painted to match your colors or can be ordered painted.

The glass is full frame double paned and gas filled to reduce cold or heat transfer. You can have UV coating added as well to reduce the UV infiltration into your home.

You can order them with Mullions to match you current home and give the look of, say a 6 cell window. The Mullions snap in and out for easy window cleaning.

Both upper and lower window can be un-latched and laid back into the house for easy outside cleaning with out ladders. Both slide smoothly when you open or close them.

Screens are also provided and can be installed and removed from the inside. Storm windows are not needed for this product.

Do they reduce window size. Yes, an inch or so on each of the 4 sides, however, they look so much better, do not allow wind or wind rattles and reduce energy loss. It is worth it.

I use to publish the address of homes in the area where I installed them, however, I no longer have that relationship with the home owners. My challenge was that I would give you 4 address and you drive by and you tell me which one had the new windows. Most people could not tell.

On Morris Ave, in the Center island area by Bed Bath & Beyond Pella has a showroom where you can go and look, play with the various products and get hooked up with a Certified installer.

When I retired from installing them, my count was over 400 if you include the Anderson and Marvin product. I did install around 100 Vinyl windows, but I have to tell you, unless you are flipping the house, do not do it.

Later, Da

The UPS Store

George

Just to clarify, OP specifically said they "don't want to rip 'em out." The inserts they referred and linked to are an interior storm window, not a replacement window.

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing as gj1... what you're describing is a replacement window, right, George?? That's not what was in the photos on the link in the OP.

No skin in the game for me. I just provided information to consider. You really do not want to spend the money on a Storm window, inside or out and still have the leaks, energy loss and rattle.

My read of the OP is "We are considering 2 options: new storm windows or some sort of aftermarket insert."

The link goes to an 'Inside Storm'.

I provided Information on 'after market Insert' statements. The Insert windows as I stated, there is no Ripping out (which to me implies Inside and Outside repairs once the old windows and sill plates are out) With Inset windows only the slider windows are removed and replaced with an Insert.

Consider it information for education and have a wonderful day.

Later, Da

The UPS Store

George

My only concern with the window inserts would be that first, the old window needs to be pretty square, and second that some of the draft comes through the sash pockets.

Edited to add I'm talking about the link the OP provided, and not what JG mentioned, which I call a replacement window and I, too, have installed plenty of. Marvin makes a product called a sash pack, which is another option if the jamb is square.

JDidot, We have inside acrylic storm windows on our old (105 years) wooden casement windows. They work well both in sealing out noise and in stopping drafts. Without them the original windows would have had to be replaced. Our interior storms do not seal in the same manner as the indowwindows that you show in the link. These use strip magnets and seal sort of like a refrigerator door. It's a very solid seal. In the summer we swap out the storm windows for screens instead; they're also held in place by the magnet strips.

If you like the look of your old windows I'd say the interior storms are worth considering. Be aware that acrylic scratches easily so you'll need to be careful with how you clean them.

We have exterior aluminum, triple-track storms and we have no drafts. I would definitely recommend them! There is a lot of information about storm windows and historic homes online put out by the government:

http://www.nps.gov/tps/sustainability/energy-efficiency/weatherization/windows-doors.htm

http://epa.gov/region5/sustainable/energyadvice.html

http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/storm-windows

http://energy.gov/energysaver/projects/savings-project-install-exterior-storm-windows-low-e-coating

If you are looking for a lower cost / quick solution - you might want to try http://www.windowinserts.com/

We have some old decorative windows that actually iced over on the inside on past years. This winter we covered with those inserts and no ice/no drafts. They are much nicer that the shrink wrap covers.

These storms are routinely recommended in Fine Homebuilding magazine:

http://www.harveybp.com/pro/storm_windows.aspx

The tru-channel storms referenced in the link above are often used on sound retrofits near highways and airports.

It has been shown in laboratory test that a single-glazed plus storm combination performs as well as a dual pane window.

Thanks for all the info, guys. It sounds like I have some showrooms to visit to get some idea of how these compare to what else is out there. I was hoping someone locally had tried the Indows in particular, as they don't appear to have a showroom on the east coast from what I've read. Their site mentions some newfangled laser measuring for off-square older windows (which is likely what we have here). We have used the shrink wrap, which works wonders but tends to billow in the wind that comes in through our leaky frames. The research continues! This board is amazing, by the way. Thanks again.