Unless your home is fairly new, we’ve all been there with our windows:
- They seem leaky and definitely NOT energy-efficient. As it continues to get cold outside, they could be letting in cold air and making your attempts to lower your heating bills futile.
- They’re not easy to slide open or may even be painted shut. Not only is this frustrating, but you can get hurt trying to force a window sash to move properly. It may seem like a minor annoyance, but there is satisfaction in getting an old, stuck window back to a smooth operation!
- They aren’t looking fresh anymore. They may be damaged, peeling, and chipping, or the wood and paint may look dull. Now might be the time to give them some TLC. Getting old windows brought back to their original beauty can be rewarding, too.
Replace versus restore:
You don’t need to trash your old windows and put in modern, replacement windows. Thousands of homeowners who value the historic features of their older homes are restoring and repairing their windows. While your home may not be a stately, older home, we can learn from craftspeople who specialize in window restoration.
Here are some basic tips from them for restoring your older windows:
- Soften and easily scrape away the cement-hard, cracked, and old putty with our Speedheater Infrared Paint Remover. It won’t break the glass like heat guns do.
- Carefully remove the glass and scrape the old putty off the wood.
- Re-glaze the glass panes for a good seal.
- Strip away the old (usually lead-based) paint safely with our Speedheater
- Prime and repaint with high quality, trim paint.
- Weatherstrip the window inside its frame.
You can make these windows beautiful again and even more energy-efficient than modern, replacement windows.