So last night we felt a breeze in the bedroom. A freeze of a breeze, if you will. Mrs. Goofy got up and waved her hand around the windows, and low and behold one of them had slipped down between the jambs almost 3/4”. The whole pane, just, floop!
Well, at asleep o’clock there was nothing to do but stuff it with towels and deal with it (somewhat) this morning. I have some foam backing rod and other weatherstripping, so I jammed it into the opening and covered it with tape to stop the small amount of air gap that was still happening, and when the weather gets a bit better I’ll actually try to deal with it properly. But that will mean pulling all of the casing and figuring why the whole pane slipped down onto what should be some kind of blocking, no?
And here’s a long shot, the offending pane is right in the middle. If, as they say, a window is “basically a hole in the wall” you can see why it gets chilly in the bedroom. The weird thing is that we didn’t notice it until this cold blast, probably because we have a couple of roll down shades we keep down a foot or two so we don’t actually see the top of the windows. But last night she noticed that they were fluttering in the breeze - where there shouldn’t be a breeze at all. Anyway, a warmer weather project on the list now.
Hey Goofy. Glad you sent photos as it makes trying to imagine what you are dealing with come alive. Those are almost floor to ceiling windows and it’s hard to believe what happened. Looks like the pane must have settled into the frame.
Upon first glance, I agree that you’ll need to take off the casing to see what you’ve got there. That’s a good start to see of the window is “built on site” with blocking and a glass panel inserted into the hole in the wall, or if it is a window unit that has the glass, insulation and frame all built as one unit.
I think once you have taken off the side / upper casing to find that out, you’re going to need to deal with what looks like one long piece of baseboard which is fastened all along the bottom of all of the windows.
One thing I would consider, not knowing where you live and what kind of weather conditions you normally get (hot, cold) you may want to consider replacing those windows with some high quality units that will most likely offer much better insulating and noise reduction qualities.
Some places offer rebates for energy conservation home investments so you may even get a good price break in addition to potentially interest-free loans as well. We took advantage of those benefits recently when we invested in mini-splits.
I also think the investment would allow you to take a credit on your Federal income taxes.
Best of Luck with the project and please keep us posted on progress!
'38Packard ==> don’t you just LOVE this new platform where you can post pictures? LOL
With double hung windows gap at the top is a common problem when heavy upper window slips down–often a distance little noticed behind curtains/drapes/window decorations. The solution is to keep the window latch in the lock position.
Clearly not your problem this time, but something to watch for.
Whatever you find be prepared to do it for the identical window next to it too. More work up front, but better than starting all over again when the 2nd one goes - or worrying all the time about when it might go.
Believe it or not, those are “higher quality units”. They are double pane, and UV tinted to reduce sun in the summer (you cannot believe how hot it gets as the sun rolls from left to right across the windows!). So there are three of the “full pane”, two “almost full size” casement windows at each end, and another smaller casement at the corner to allow a breeze when we want to have that.
I did not watch them install the windows, so I have no idea what’s “holding them up” (apparently nothing), but it looks as though I’m going to be going inside the casing and putting some sort of support blocks underneath. And yes, as long as I’m in there I guess I’ll be doing those on the right and left as well. Oh joy.
I can’t figure out how they could have installed them with nothing below? I mean they can’t have caulked them in until they were in, and they would have slipped right down if there was nothing holding them, no? Very strange. Not looking forward to this project.
I would call the installer and let them deal with it. Make the case that this is a workmanship issue on their part. As I recall, you have back problems. It’s not worth the medical bills to try to do it yourself. (Plus pain and suffering.) A reputable firm would send someone out to take a look.
I plead guilty to looking at the images and thinking your windows were something in the 1940s or 50s.
I had issues with windows in a house built in 2001 and maybe your windows are like the ones I am thinking of. On each side of the plastic frame that held the thermal pane, there was a twisted metal strip. Think of a ¼ inch wide strip of metal that is twisted so it looks like a $crew. The mechanism is call a spiral as opposed to a constant force mechanism. First there was the problem of parts. Second if I had gotten into the window, I would have released all the tension on the still functional side and then the windows would be down.
So I am suggesting you might find contacting the company that made the windows for help as a wise step. When I want to avoid the original installer, I pretend to be just a home owner, not the purchaser.
There is no mechanism. It’s just two very large panes of glass, glued together around an interior aluminum frame (double pane) and set into the wall. Then the whole thing just went kerchunk and slipped down 3/4”.
I probably will call the contractor, I’ve used him on several projects and been happy. First I may tear off some of the molding just to see what’s going on…
Nice windows, and pretty heavy, so likely the caulking was the only thing securing them vertically, once installed, probably were laid out on a big assembly table when built, framed and a spacer was missed… Lifting could shatter the whole thing if the pressure isn’t spread out… Contractor may be able to remove and deal with it horizontally, safer for everyone…
Interesting headache! Great view! We just returned from a long weekend in Carson City, NV, Inlaws have high ceilings and walls of double glass, with interior shades, at least 20’ high, the weight has to be tremendous, not sure of the brand, they weren’t Anderson, but are similar, again, great views across the valley…
Funny you would ask. I have now talked to three contractors who want nothing to do with it. They’re all busy (!), “don’t do windows”, “looks like there could be a lot of damage in the wall and in the floor”, or other.
I have a family friend who is a contractor coming by tomorrow who promises to give me the unvarnished truth, and to have a couple of names of people who may help. I also reached out to the guy who did (truly expert) repairs on the house we sold a few years ago up the street, but he winters in Illinois (weird, I know). He will be back in town in a couple weeks and if I don’t get further I will have him come over.
I haven’t personally attacked it because I’m having back spasms; been in PT for the past 10 weeks, and while improving, lifting a window that size is outside my capabilities for now. I hope not forever, but at this age you never know.
@Goofyhoofy - Sorry to hear that you are having some back issues and I hope your PT gets you back to being pain-free.
It’s amazing that many contractors lately have so much work that they can really pick and choose what work they take on. We really need more folks to enter the trades and speaks highly of having the two options that you cited in your post:
A Contractor in the family
A Contractor that you have established a great relationship with over the years
I don’t get those folks who post on FB “Looking for a reasonable contractor who won’t charge me an arm and a leg to do x. I already have the materials, just need the labor. Need it done by next Friday”.
I wonder if they actually get someone who is competent and does the work at a fair price - If I were a contractor, I know I wouldn’t sign up for working with someone like that.
Hope it goes well - and keep us posted.
'38Packard
@Goofyhoofy I usually try to assume that the product has been fabricated correctly because they are usually done in assembly line fashion with clear processes along the way. That means that the BOTTOM side of the frame holding the glass has proper spacers and supports to hold the heavy glass in place (heightwise). They perhaps don’t put similar spacers on TOP because they need room for expansion and flex during installation.
In this case, I think I would guess that one of two things occurred:
When they fabricated the windows, the “this side up” sticker was placed on the assembly upside down.
or
The installer simply inadvertently installed that window upside down.
