|
|
by
Jean VanBooven-Shook |
|
June
7, 2006 |
A Window
Through Time
This
series discusses the history of our homes in Northeast in order
to help readers develop an appreciation for their features.
We’ll ponder the scenes swirling in and around these homes
over the past century. We’ll talk about preservation,
and why we should care about it. We’ll later focus each
article on particular home features, so that homeowners can
critically consider how to keep the homes’ and Northeast’s
historic character.
Tsk,
tsk. This window doesn’t fit the original arched
frame, but companies will manufacture an arched window
that would fit perfectly. |
Can
you tell what’s missing? Shirtwaists typically have
two windows on the second level. Somehow, I feel this
house is winking at me. |
A
window in a window. Bill Gates might be proud, but whatever
handyman did this number should be flogged. |
Yes, it’s
a trite and corny title. Get over it, it works well enough,
doesn’t it? It states our subject – windows –
and windows in our neighborhood tend to be old, hence the phrase
“a window through time.” Yet the romantic flavor
of the phrase dares you to be reflective. (Windows reflect,
do you get the double meaning?) Literal and figurative reflection
going on here. Seriously, I want you all to be contemplative
of the importance of choosing the right replacement windows.
Has the title put you into the mood? Good. Now I’m going
to write about windows.
If the eyes are the windows to the soul, then windows are like
the eyes of a home. They give it expression. Change the windows,
and you’ve changed the personality of the home. Yet, windows
are a home-feature that is most often replaced. As one of the
few moving parts of a home, they suffer wear and tear from use
as well as having particular susceptibility to water damage.
Many windows are especially heavy to open, especially once the
ropes and pulleys break, or if they’ve been painted shut.
Visit a home show or big box home improvement store and you
will be dazzled by a modern smorgasbord featuring safety glass,
double and even triple-paned windows with magic, energy-efficient
gas. There are even tilt-in windows, to make cleaning easy even
for the “I-don’t-do-windows” type of folk,
or folks like us in Northeast with second- and third-story windows,
who are both too cheap to buy a ladder and too scared to climb
up it. All these factors make windows a prime candidate for
replacement in a culture that is always looking for the newer
and the better.
Think for a moment about "replacement windows." Aha!
I know what you were thinking! You were thinking of the white
vinyl replacement windows. Admit it, the image was in your head,
wasn’t it? Replacement windows truly are often white on
the inside and out, particularly those at the lower end of the
price scale. As with anything, though, if you’re willing
to pay more and sleuth a little harder, you can be more discriminating
in your ultimate purchase.
Even more dramatic damage to an old home’s character happens
when windows are moved or re-sized. Even worse, a number of
folks in Northeast have installed smaller windows, but haven’t
altered the surrounding trim – resulting in a window within
a window. Hardware stores offer standard sizes, but companies
do make custom windows to suit your home.
I called around to find out a little bit more about what services
are out there. Window companies vary widely on their colors,
materials and services available. Some companies will do wood
repair on windows, so you might consider repairing your windows
rather than replacing them. Some companies sell only the windows
they manufacture, while others order from a variety of companies.
One company will replace ropes and pulleys, but do it with a
plastic inset panel within the frame.
When we replaced a third-story dormer window, I called a number
of companies before I found one that make a quality window with
a very convincing wood look on the interior. I found that the
first several companies offered windows only in white. There
are options, of course. Look in the phone book and you will
see a continuum of offerings. One company advertises in bold
print “Brown Exterior Available.” Whoo hoo! My head
is swimming already, because I can choose brown! At the other
end of the continuum, some companies offer 21 color combinations
for inside and out. If you are persistent, you can find companies
that will custom make real wood windows, even the big ones common
to living rooms in the shirtwaists that measure nearly four
by five feet.
My point here is that you need to consider carefully both the
interior and exterior color to preserve the historic character
of your home. That, and you need to call a number of companies
to find what you need. Our bedroom window frames have been sandblasted
to near smithereens, and one day we’ll replace them. I
may have to crack the yellow pages a number of times to find
the right kind of replacement, but I will not put white vinyl
alongside my dark antique wood frames. Don’t you do that
sort of thing, either. I mean it.
Jean
Van Booven-Shook has lived in the Northeast for 10 years with
her husband and three children. During that time her projects
have included conducting an architectural survey for the St.
John Corridor Plan, faux painting, hardwood floor restoration
and repair, stained glass work, stonework, and research on the
history of Northeast and its housing styles.
