Storm windows - who makes them?

[Brown David]

I have been involved with restoration work for going on 60 years and can tell you from experience that new windows are a false economy. Vinyl units (in spite of their "lifetime" warranty) have a design life of 15-20 years, newer wood units built with "farmed" lumber, in spite of the use of preservatives, won't last much longer. Not to say that some might not last a bit longer but I have yet to see a window manufactured since the 1960's last like the hundred plus year old Victorian era windows manufactured with old growth lumber. Rather than replace it pays to rehab these then protect them with a good quality storm and they will be around for another hundred years. As a bonus, well maintained older windows with decent quality storms are actually more energy efficient than the plastic crap that marketing companies have convinced people is better.

I've often thought that.

Our house was built back in the early '80's. We didn't have a lot of money at the time, still don't really but not poor either. I built it myself using the most economical ways possible.

The windows and doors I got from a carpenter I knew who was installing new windows and doors in an older house. I got them for helping remove them and hauling them away. Storm windows and doors were included. Great deal I thought.

They are still in good condition and are still being used. They are well sealed with no drafts so I see no reason to replace them.

 

[Brownie450]

Had Target or Arrow [can't remember] replacement windows put in our sons
house & ours back in the '80s. Absolute junk. Didn't last 5 years.
Don't know what kind will last.
Jim

 

[DanielW]

You might be surprised at new vinyl windows. The old 80's & 90's vinyl windows were proper junk: They couldn't handle UV exposure at all and would degrade after a few years. But they've smartened up pretty substantially since then. The vinyl windows we put in at my mother's house are rock solid and look as good as they did when new. I don't know the exact year, but it would have been between 2001 & 2003. UV tolerance of the vinyl is one of the main selling points for any window manufacturer these days. Thirty years ago they weren't even considering it.

It's a similar story with steel roofing: You here a lot of folks complain that steel roof coatings and fasteners don't last very long. But manufacturers have really smartened their game in the last 20 years. A few years ago we took off some steel to re-work the insulation on a house that was built in the mid 90's. The sealing washers on the screws were all in perfect condition, and the steel was in like-new condition. And half of that was on a South-facing roof with full sun exposure. If that roof had been done with the lousy steel and screws they used sell in the 70's/80's the washers would have all been cracked/perished and the steel would have started to rust. It's really not fair to judge building materials by how they used to be 30+ years ago. Chemical engineering for UV tolerance has become huge in the last few decades.

 

[Dusty MI]

I have some Lead-head nails for steel roofing from the 50's, that my dad used.

 

[jaoneill]

You might be surprised at new vinyl windows. The old 80's & 90's vinyl windows were proper junk: They couldn't handle UV exposure at all and would degrade after a few years. But they've smartened up pretty substantially since then. The vinyl windows we put in at my mother's house are rock solid and look as good as they did when new. I don't know the exact year, but it would have been between 2001 & 2003. UV tolerance of the vinyl is one of the main selling points for any window manufacturer these days. Thirty years ago they weren't even considering it.

It's a similar story with steel roofing: You here a lot of folks complain that steel roof coatings and fasteners don't last very long. But manufacturers have really smartened their game in the last 20 years. A few years ago we took off some steel to re-work the insulation on a house that was built in the mid 90's. The sealing washers on the screws were all in perfect condition, and the steel was in like-new condition. And half of that was on a South-facing roof with full sun exposure. If that roof had been done with the lousy steel and screws they used sell in the 70's/80's the washers would have all been cracked/perished and the steel would have started to rust. It's really not fair to judge building materials by how they used to be 30+ years ago. Chemical engineering for UV tolerance has become huge in the last few decades.

What you say has some validity, plastic windows have come a long way, but in my experience they are still junk. I recently had a contractor replace a bunch of "high-end" vinyl units that were installed in the early 2000's; sash locks and/or balances on half of them were broken/inoperable.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

In our area we see a lot of advertisements for Renewal by Anderson. They make custom replacement windows. I've never used their services nor do I have any connection to them. Good luck with your project.

in 1991 I installed Anderson casement windows in my house when I built a new house around my old house.
Last year I called Anderson and was able to buy two new windows because the seal on my old windows leaked and was fogged up.
Good news I got the exact same window, minus the frames, perfect fit.
Bad news I paid $500 for one window.
30 years earlier I paid $500 for double casements with frames.
Anderson windows have been around for a very long time which is important if you need a replacement window like I did.
Windows can get broken too.

 

[jaoneill]

Anderson was still offering a line of storms a year or so ago.

 

[Wdj]

The exterior of my house is designed to keep property taxes to a minimum. I built my own storms out of 1/4” plexiglas from used co…d barriers. Cost less than $20 for the whole house. Work good for both purposes.

 

[Loosehandle]

The exterior of my house is designed to keep property taxes to a minimum. I built my own storms out of 1/4” plexiglas from used co…d barriers. Cost less than $20 for the whole house. Work good for both purposes.

The assessor doesn't seem to care about anything except square footage at my place....

 

[bc]

If all else fails, make the window frame on the house fit the nearest standard size storm window. Cut the existing frame down with w skil saw to the right depth and chisel clean and/or add filler strips and then paint. Not fun on a ladder but doable. Invest in or rent a scaffold.

I made a little greenhouse using storm windows Menards had reduced down to get rid of. Probably the off sizes they don't sell anymore.

 

[Watthour]

Depending on your location, there may be custom fabricators of two- and three-track aluminum storm/screen windows as you described. There are still two such places in my area, and more within 100 miles. Almost none of them have web sites, and have little presence on the internet. The only way to find them is if you already know who they are. One has been in business over 60 years, still doing custom sizes, another about 50 years.