Installing replacement windows in your home isn’t an overcomplicated task to accomplish but it should be given a reasonable amount of time and will require some skill to complete to a reasonable standard. Once you’ve read a little about what’s involved in a full home replacement you should be good to go. Many families will pay several thousand dollars for the installing of their windows; however you will usually be able to do it yourself for as little as around $300 in total, of course this will vary depending on the type and size of the window you’re going to be installing. Bay and bow window configurations are more expensive to install than most others as you would expect, this is mainly due to their size.
Preparation
The most important step to replacing your own windows is measuring. You need to make sure you get the right size windows to replace your old ones so that the installation can go as smoothly as possible. Measure your windows from inside your home and measure from jamb to jamb up and down. Make sure to measure from the bottom, middle and top when measuring horizontally, and from the right, middle and left when measuring vertically. Hopefully all the measurements will be within 1/4 of an inch of each other. But no matter what be sure to use the smallest measurement vertically and horizontally so that the replacements will fit the window opening you will be making. Don’t worry about the gaps now because you will use caulk and insulation later to make sure that your windows seal up. Once you have your measurements you will be able to get purchase your windows. You will also need some other supplies. These include:
The Replacement Process
To begin your replacement you need to remove the stops. Stops are the thin vertical pieces of wood that keep the sashes from falling inward into the house. Be cautious when removing these pieces because you can re-use them later and they can break rather easily. Use your knives and prybar in the removal of these pieces. The next step is removing the sash from the window frame. Take out the parting beads to free the upper sash. If your windows were previously fitted with sash-replacement kits there won’t be any beads. You just need to press in on the jamb liners and pull the top of the sash forward. Then twist one side of the sash upward to remove it from the jamb liners. After removing the sash you need to pry off the jamb liners. Depending on the age of your windows you may have some wooden stops remaining that you will have to remove.Next you will be prepping the window frame. You are going to want to scrape off any loose or blistered paint from the frame. Next, patch any small holes or cracks with exterior grade wood putty. Larger gaps can be filled with tufts of fiberglass insulation. Sand the jambs and prime and paint the surfaces of the frame. Don’t remove the interior or exterior casings from your frame.
Now you will remove the old sash weights. To do this unscrew the access panel on each side jamb. Next you will insulate behind your window frame. To prep for your insulation you should drill 3/8 inch diameter holes in your sill and head jamb. Make sure to drill one in each end and one near the center. Make sure there is no fiberglass in the sash weight pockets. Polyurethane foam is more effective than fiberglass at blocking air so it is ideal for insulation. Make sure that you use a foam that is low-pressure and expands minimally. Expanding foam will warp your windows and they will have problems opening. Shoot the foam into the holes you drilled until it starts coming out of the holes. You will also spray the foam into the sash weight pockets in the side jambs. The foam needs about 6 hours to harden and then you will break off the extra making sure it is even. When you are finished replace the access panels for the side jambs.