CASEMENT window replacement

[fish]

i bought a house with casement windows, 3/16" metal frames with single glass panels in them. They certainly need replaced, and i am considering doing them myself. how hard is it to get those windows removed from a building? i have done doors before, and i understand the principle of installing new windows. for those who have done this before, what difficulties will i be faced with, and what advice do you have to get me through them? I certainly dont want to hack out the old windows and destroy the window sills at the same time.

on a side note, i noticed that Home depot has replacement windows for about $140.00 each, but that is a standard size and i dont know if that would fit my application. is there an alternative source for a good window at a good price? this is a rental unit, so i want somethign good in there, but just not the best on the market.

thank you to all for suggestions and tips.

Fish.

[hallerb]

I paid to have my casements replaced. I watched closely. Appeared a straightforward job:) Some mounting screws were removed, and the frames bent left and right not up and down to avoid sill damage. some glass panes cracked bt not many. a couple windwows were tough and they used the sawzall. of course they removed the inner trim and tossed it and covered the outer wood with baked aluminum. buy caulking by the case.

Its been over 10 years since I replaced them, just wish I had done it sooner.

I would get the argon or other filled windows they really make a difference and dont conduct cold

[fish]

hallerb,

great post, thanks. when you say they bent the frames left and right so not to scratch the sill, you are talking about pulling the frame from the vertical surface which by force will pull up on the corners of the frames-- away from the sills. am i reading you correctly on this? i think i got it just want to confirm.

i will inquire on the gas filled type. i have already learned that the glass spacer must not be aluminum or other metal which conduct the heat and cold.

Fish.

[Doug Boulter]

fish wrote on 27 Mar 2006:

You haven't given us nearly enough information about the casements so I'll make some assumptions.

The frames are steel, and there is a steel "pan" that serves as a sill and sides and top. You want (correctly) to remove the entire steel frame, not just the steel muntins.

The casement windows were screwed to the exterior of your stud walls.

Brick veneer was installed over the stud walls after the casements were installed.

If these are all true, removing the old casements is a bear. It involves taking out the glass, then cutting the frame apart with a Sawzall. It will take roughly twice as long to get the old window out as it will to install the new one, including doing the trim.

To the extent that my assumptions are not true, your job will be easier, but I'd be surprised if this will be anywhere near as easy as you seem to think. It's orders of magnitude more difficult than removing an old door.

[fish]

doug,

you made some good assumptions there. you are right, i dont know too much about those windows, the house was built before i was born even! i was looking for feedback like yours.

i will have to take a closer look at the windows, at first glance i didnt notice the steel frame, so i need to know if it is there.

can you tell me this, is there any part of the steel frame or casement that is actually behind the walls? if you have seen some of the windows at home depot you know what i am talking about. the windows there are different for new install and for replacement.

anyway, thanks again.

Fish.

[Doug Boulter]

fish wrote on 28 Mar 2006:

I'm not sure I'm understanding the question, so tell me if this answers it.

The original steel casements that were installed when my house was built in 1956 had nailing flanges (also called fins) around the perimeters of the windows that were used to attach the windows to the wood framing. After the wall was framed and the sheathing was put on, the window was slid into the rough opening from the outside until the flange rested against the sheathing over the studs. Then screws were inserted through the flange and screwed into the studs. Finally, brick veneer was laid up outside, although asbestos siding was used in earlier houses.

The problem was the screws. If nails had been used, the old steel frames could have been removed with a pry bar after a few cuts with a sawzall. The screws had to be cut.

On the inside, the steel pan resembles the trim pieces that extend a wood window to match the drywall, except that the pan stuck out beyond the drywall which was simply butted up against it.

So there was nothing behind the walls on the inside, but on the outside, the nailing flange was between the wood framing and the brick or siding. That's still standard construction. However, most manufacturers make replacement windows without the nailing flanges for use in brick veneer walls.