There are several older homes throughout Minneapolis and Minnesota and these old homes have old windows.Old single pane windows are not energy efficient, as they allow the outside temperature to transfer through them. However, the fact is that these were the windows that were available at the time the home was built; they were acceptable. As time has gone on, they have aged and become drafty. They are nothing compared to the windows made today. The problem, however, is that homeowners want to be able to preserve the architecture of the home while making the home more energy efficient.Here are some dos or don’ts of windows in Minneapolis homes:
- Do respect the shape and size of the original panes in the home. That way you can ensure you get the right fit without the windows standing out like sore thumbs.
- Do protect the home. Old windows are terrible thermal barriers and are one of the primary sources of air infiltration and heat loss. At the same time, you don’t want to conserve energy at the expense of the historic character of its house and its architecture.
- Don’t necessarily paint narrow aluminum frames to match the trim of the home. Sometimes the design of the home may call for the frames to be the same color of the home, but other times it is ideal to let them “melt” or disappear.
- Do show off the positive. As the previous point stated, you don’t necessarily want to paint the windows to match the trim of the home. However, depending on the windows, there may be aspects of them that you want to accentuate.
- Do meet history halfway. There are times when a period window has a top sash that is fixed. The best way to deal with this is for your Minneapolis window installer re-putty the pane and caulk the frame. This means that the lower sliding sash will fit with screens and storm windows that can be swapped out each season.
- Don’t have panes that are not in proportion. Your installer will advise you of this so that there is very little architectural risk. Sometimes when a risk is taken it does pay off.
- Do keep things consistent. This is one time where repetition can pay off. You may wish for your contractor to create a rhythmic pattern that is aesthetically appealing. If the project is a part of new home construction, then careful window selection can make a major difference between contemporary design and mix and match chaos.
- Do opt to have original trim preserved. The original trim speaks volumes about a home and its history.
- Do give old windows the treatment it deserves. Sometimes old windows will miss their original sills because they were the victims of quick cover-ups. Restoring these windows can be a great idea and give the home back its original elegance.
Your contractor will go over the dos and don’ts with you so that you can have the right windows integrated into your home, despite how old it is.