Window Replacement - using IGUs
 

I have 4 nasty little vinyl sliding windows I want to replace with IGUs (Integrated Glass panels). All 4 of them are about 12" high; 2 are 27 wide and 2 are 44" wide. These slot windows are nasty little sliders that do nothing for ventilation, are hard to slide, and make a great place for mold to grow and for spiders to hide.

These things are mounted low below 2 big picture windows downstairs.
I thought about having somebody pull the entire 2 units out of the
wall (1 big + 2 sliders in each unit) and put in 2 full windows, but that costs $3,000, so I am going to invest my labor in it and save some bucks.

Now, to do a good job and seal these thing right, what do I need to do?

[1] I think there is some kind of dense foam that you put on the bottom of the rough opening which they sit on (?) What is that stuff called?

[2] Also, there is a tape that goes on the exterior and seals against air leaks - it is some special tape but again I dunno the name of it?

[3] Any other thoughts? or things I am forgetting?

Won't someone please think of the spiders?

I bet they're endangered. No permit for you.

Post some pics.

here is the overall view

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1274742102.jpg

close up of the bottom of the RO - I had fun with the SawzAll...

note that it has a small "U" shaped channel in the bottom.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1274742202.jpg

Place bituthane on the raw wood before placing the window frame. Not sure what that exterior condition is, but over stucco we just caulk and back caulk the crap out of these things. Also, I'd buy an awning window for those locations.

Also #2, I'd use a flush fin model and place it over the RO.

You usually put window tape on when installing new construction windows with nail fins only. I just use spray foam like the stuff you can buy at Home Depot or Lowes.

What is the wall finish, sheetrock? Why not just add deadwood, insulate with batts, sheetrock over the openings and paint? Fix the siding on the exterior.

He may need ventilation to comply with code.

5% of the floor area must open to outside air in all habitable rooms.

I've got the vent. issue covered.

I had similar windows upstairs & a LOT of labor was involved in sheetrocking & extending the siding up to cover on the exterior. Things were set on an angle & the 2x4's all had to be cut just right. I paid a guy to do it, but don't want to get into that much labor (or pay) here.

One IGU bid came in at $350 for the 4 of 'em (the reed glass must be pushing the cost up). Still waiting on another bid.

No need for awnings on these - the deck shades them (too) well. One faces N. anyway.

I do keep thinking about the idea of covering them up tho -- they are so low down they don't really do much good...

oh yeh - I fear that full nail finned windows would cost way too much.

Heh he. He said he's got the vents covered.;)

I didn't mean an awning, I meant an awning style window. More ventilation, can be left open in the rain.

Go here for close to wholesale pricing to keep your supplier honest.
Replacement windows and skylights by Andersen, Milgard, CertainTeed, International, Superior, Jeld-Wen, Bristolite and Velux with online discount pricing

That's a new one on me, but then I've always installed operable windows in habitable rooms.

oh yeh - awning windows - got it.

I'll have Fr. Doors there and more Fr. Doors or maybe a slider in the room next to it, so think the cheaper fixed panels will be fine.

Looked at it again today & defintiely want to see out those lil' slits.

Make sure you order tempered glass.

I did not know that! I'm willing to bet my house is not to code.

I'm at an industrial hygiene conference, and yesterday, I attended a session where they correlated formaldhyde gas build up in new homes with ventilation. With new LEED certified houses (very tight houses with respect to ventilation, they found high levels of formaldhyde (like 100 to 200 ppb), CA recommends no higher than 7 ppb. Not such a big deal with older homes, but bottom line the more open windows the better.

thx Hugh - I've been seeing those issue in the literature for a while now, but my 1963 house should not be a problem.

I generally try to avoid plastics esp. vinyl in the house too.

Mold is the big issue here. Some people have even had to burn down their houses - even a new house for the local basketball coach had to be burned down -- not a cheap house by any means.

Burned down? Wow, I think there is a biblical reference to that and mold. I used to certify some mold remediaitons, but I never encountered a house that was so bad it had to be burned down. Then again I'm in SoCal and your in Oregon.

oh yeh - WESTERN Orygun

Formaldhyde. The new Radon... :)

IIRC, those small sliders don't fit the three requirements for tempered glass, unless they are within a 24" radius of a door.

You just have to decide if it's a safety issue worth spending the money.

Do you mean to put the bituthane tape flat horizontally on the wood and then rest the IGU on top of it?


yes, they IGUs finally arrived...

1. Buy horizontally louvered windows.
2. Install louvered windows in the vanagon
3. Install vanagon sliders in your house
4. You'll have cool louvers in the van, and genuine German safety glass sliders in the house. Win-win.

bumpity bump

around here, all windows or glass that are under 30"(i think its 30") must be tempered glass.

Is that a state code, because it's not one of the requirements of the ICC code IIRC.

new trim & lower panels:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1283912058.jpg

Outstanding job!

18 inches from the floor or a door requires safety glass.

No doubt !!! :)

Before I posted, I checked the ICC code again and it calls for tempered glass within a 24" diameter of either side of a door.

For tempered windows, it has to meet all three requirements, not just any one one of the three.

Building Codes
Tempered or laminated glass must be used in the following locations:

Glazing in doors and enclosures for hot tubs, whirlpools, saunas, steam rooms, bathtubs and showers. Glazing in any portion of a building wall enclosing these compartments where the bottom exposed edge of the glazing is less than 60 inches above a standing surface and drain inlet.
Glazing adjacent to a door where the nearest exposed edge of the glazing is within a 24-inch arc of either vertical edge of the door in a closed position and where the bottom exposed edge of the glazing is less than 60-inches above the walking surface.
EXCEPTION: Tempered is not required when there is an intervening wall or other permanent barrier located between the door and the glazing.

Glazing in fixed or operable panels, other than those locations described in items 2 and 3 above, that meets all of the following conditions:
Exposed area of an individual pane greater than 9 square feet
Exposed bottom edge less than 18 inches above the floor
Exposed top edge greater than 36 inches above the floor
One or more walking surfaces within 36 inches horizontally of the plane of the glazing
EXCEPTION: Tempered is not required when a protective bar is installed on the accessible sides of the glazing 34 inches to 38 inches above the floor. The bar shall be capable of withstanding a horizontal load of 50 pounds per linear foot without contacting the glass and be a minimum of 1-1/2 inches in height.

Glazing in any hand railing regardless of height above a walking surface
Glazing in walls and fences used as the barrier for indoor and outdoor swimming pools and spa when all of the following conditions are present:
The bottom edge of the glazing is less than 60 inches above the walking surface on the pool side of the glazing
The glazing is within 5 feet of a swimming pool or spa deck area
Glazing in walls enclosing stairway landings or within 5 feet of the bottom and top of stairways where the bottom edge of the glass is less than 60 inches above a walking surface
NOTE: Refer to Section 2406 - Safety Glazing, 1994 Uniform Building Code for reference of the above information.

thanks!

there are some gaps when you get close - will see if it bothers me much by next summer

I'm not great at this, but I just go slow and if I need to waste a stick of wood I will.

That does looks really great!

Are you leaving the wood raw/sealed or painted? I like the contrasting color the way it is now.