Friday, July 8, 2011

Sash Window Restoration Or Renewal What Choice Is The Best

By Wayne Dorest


House owners with sashes like them. They are simple to open and shut, and they are good at allowing plenty of air to circulate inside. But when they need work, how to choose sash window refurbishment or replacement which option is the best stays in the forefront of the mind.

Taking a quick look at your sash windows will give you a starting point. Check whether they run true, and if the counterbalance mechanism is working properly. A worn track will cause windows to wobble in a strong wind with associated noises.

If your windows jam, this may be an indication that moisture has swollen timber work or there may just be too much paint on the frame and rails. It is easy to determine whether these can be easily rectified or whether partial or complete replacement is required. Sometimes the cord in the counterbalance mechanism detaches from the pulley and gets stuck on the pulley spindle.

When the frame has a tendency to slide down, or lurch to one side, that is an indicator that the counterweight is no longer doing its job. Luckily these are simple to get fixed.

To repair, first remove the trims. A flat chisel and hammer is great to pry the trims off without causing visible damage or breaking them. If unsure get in a carpenter or builder. This gives access to access to both the frame and counterweight mechanism. A competent handy man should have no trouble repairing or refurbishing them.

When sashes are refurbished, the counter weight mechanism and pulleys are replaced, and the timber brought back to a near new look. Replacing with new sash windows provides a new look quickly and eliminates the problem of damaged joinery and finding a match for what can be old joinery profiles.

If aluminum appeals then the replacement option is the only viable choice. The deciding issue between replacing or restoring quite often comes to the balance between authenticity of existing joinery versus the convenience of new joinery.

If the house design and features scream out authenticity, then refurbishment is the only choice. Modernization versus keeping with tradition can only be decided by how the owners feel. But either way, the best long term solution is to engage professional craftsmen to do the work.

But in the final analysis, sash window refurbishment or replacement which option is the best for home owners ultimately gets decided on the benefits of new versus maintaining the integrity of the original frames and joinery. To endure the right choice is made, many homeowners speak to reputable trades people, strong on restoration and renewal, to gauge the best solution.




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