Saving Farmhouse Windows

[Richard Cicciarelli]

A few years back I saw an episode of this old house where they were taking old sashes and cutting a slot around the outside edge and installing some kind of weatherstripping. I'd like to do the same to the windows in my old farmhouse but I have never seen any details about how to do this or where to get the materials. We like our old windows because many of them still have the bubbled glass. I'm really not interested in replacing my windows because there are 28 of them and the cost isn't in my budget. I would certainly be willing and able to tighten them up though. Thanks for any help. Rick

[David G Baker]

I live in an old farm house that has relatively new double pane low E glass windows. The windows were not cheap and I may never recover the cost in savings but the comfort level is much better. The windows helped keep the house warm in the cold Michigan Winters but even though the house is insulated I still get very cold air moving through my bedroom on cold windy days. This Spring/Summer project is to remove all of the paneling in the bedroom, seal and insulate to the max every square inch of outside wall. My living room temp will be 70 degrees while the bedroom is 62 degrees. I like sleeping in a cold room but during the day it is like living in a refrigerator.
I kept the old farm house windows in the attic of one of my barns for several years and when I had my pole barn built I toped off the contractors dumpster with the old windows.
I didn't see the episode of This Old House you are talking about but I suspect that you could use a router to cut the slot around the outside of the windows and glue a thick felt product to the slot to keep out the drafts.

[Matt Meiser]

Richard, the house I grew up in had those old windows (1860 vintage). My parents put upgraded storm windows on about 10 years ago which really helped with air infiltration, dampness from condensation, etc. My dad also added some weatherstrip that fit into the window channels that was a self adhesive plastic strip that folded over itself. But about 3 years ago they put in replacement windows and after the first winter they remarked how they should have just done it when they moved here almost 30 years ago.

[Jim Becker]

The 250 year old stone portion of our home has four very old double-hung windows with the neato old glass in them on the first floor. They are non-functional, having been painted shut many, many years ago, but still leak like sieves. (I took care of that problem with both internal and external storms for the moment) As much as I like the look of that old glass, it's very likely that I'll have sash kits put in as replacements. We really need to have operating windows for cross ventilation during temperate months and it's very unlikely that these old sashes will be able to be made to work again and stay together...they are in such poor condition.

The five small windows on the second story do hinge open, so I can keep them in place.

[J.D.Redwine]

A few years back I saw an episode of this old house where they were taking old sashes and cutting a slot around the outside edge and installing some kind of weatherstripping. I'd like to do the same to the windows in my old farmhouse but I have never seen any details about how to do this or where to get the materials. We like our old windows because many of them still have the bubbled glass. I'm really not interested in replacing my windows because there are 28 of them and the cost isn't in my budget. I would certainly be willing and able to tighten them up though. Thanks for any help. Rick

Was it this segment? http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/arti...120083,00.html