Replacing Window

[Buck Turgidson]

This question is not directly related to woodworking, but most people in this group seem to have a lot of experience. I have a basement window on the NW corner of my home that actually ices up on the inside on very cold mornings. I'd like to replace it with a vinyl slider, but I am not sure how to do it. I have some photos if someone could take a look and give advice.

Should I just pull it out from the inside after chipping away the mortar bed? How is a new window finished off on the interior, i.e. with wood stop molding, or just caulk? Do I need a wood frame, or can I attach the unit directly to the blocks?

Thanks for any advice.

[Walt Cheever]

Buck,

There are so many variables, that it's real hard to tell from a distance.

But...if you are replacing the window to cure the icing up problem, it probably won't . The icing is caused by the glass being only slightly better than sheet metal at resisting the passage of heat/cold.

If the house is humid, and the glass is cold you get ice, whether the frame is wood, steel or vinyl.

Better call would be a storm window that traps some dead air between the inside window and the outside cold. You can make them from pieces available in most hardware stores. Costs less than a new window and easier to install.

Walt C

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Many years ago I used to install windows in a part time business I had. In a basement window I'd tear out the wood frame and whatever, then set the aluminum framed window in place and mortar both the inside and outside. Vinyl was not made in windows back then.