Put in the Retrofit Windows.....

John Rogers · 05-23-2015, 10:31 AM

As noted in an earlier post about vinyl retrofit windows, I said I was going to do 4 of ours. Got them done this week and it was amazingly easy except for one non movable pane of glass that was put in 5 or 6 years ago with Goop sealer when the original pane had broken during a hard wind storm. That stuff is hard to cut out but finally got it. We test fit the windows to make sure they fit in the opening and they did. I used my grinder to cut out the vertical metal piece and smooth the cut areas. I used the sealer the window supplier said they use and it did not run or sag and it took a tube per window. I ran 3 beads on top and two on the sides and bottom. We slid the window out from inside and then pulled it back tight against the outside of the house. We used 3 screws in each side to hold the window in place and filled the gap around the new frame with additional sealer to make sure things were solid. The supplier said not to use expanding foam so we did not as that can warp the frame when it expands.

The double glass is much quieter than before and the only drawback is I can not hear out 30 year old wind chime unless the window is open a crack. The cost was $200 per single opening and $400 for the double opening and $35 for 6 tubes of the sealer. The windows came with screws which are #8 x 4 inch so that helped.

scottmandue · 05-23-2015, 10:46 AM

If you don't mind me asking where/who did you buy the windows from?

John Rogers · 05-23-2015, 12:25 PM

I bought them from South Bay Window and Glass in National City CA. They are PlyGem windows and if I remember correctly they have a factory in the Sacramento CA area. It took about 10 days to order and get them since the size of my openings are not considered standard and longer since the house was built in 1960.

GWN7 · 05-23-2015, 08:33 PM

Thanks for the follow up. I'm doing 3 this coming week.

lindbhr · 05-24-2015, 04:50 AM

Can you post a picture, please? Thanks.....

John Rogers · 05-27-2015, 06:45 AM

An update, so far the new windows are fine, no noise, no leaks, etc, etc, etc. I thought about some picts but they are just like the how-to videos that are all over the internet and those are better than I could do.

The windows I did are about 20 feet off the ground so we did everything from inside which is a bit different. I found the non movable glass used a double sided tape and metal seal to hold the window in and even after 55 years that stuff was still tight! I bought a small can of acetone and some acid brushes and put some around the inside of the glass and it took about 5 minutes to dissolve the glue and most of the rubber seal and the glass came right out. Cleaned the aluminum frame well and put in the new ones. I bought a couple of Harbor Freight's suction cup glass holders and several bar type clamps to help hold the frame and glass in tight until I put in the screws.