Windows: More than Just Glass

Windows:More than Just Glass

Klaus Herring Managing Partner/Owner ARCS (Alpha Restoration & Construction Services, INC.) 6820 Cerrillos Road #8 505.473.2057 Klaus.H@ARCS247.com www.ARCS247.com

“Windows mean light, wisdom means windows!”

“Don’t get stuck with one window, one book, one man, one country and one belief!

Increase your windows! Wisdom is the house made of only windows!”

- Mehmet Murat ildan

W

indows are the source for many a poetic metaphor and without windows our dwellings would be little more than dark caves. Residences in the great southwest feature windows of all kinds. Some are mere slits in ancient rock walls while others are the expansive glazed facades of modern industry.

When walking around Santa Fe, you can see all sorts of windows in all sorts of dwellings and they are all designed to allow light to enter while providing a barrier to all manner of weather conditions. Depending on glazing and design, windows keep out the cold, keep in the warmth, keep out heat, keep in the cool, and keep us dry and comfortable.

Modern double or triple-pane windows are very efficient at providing all of this and more. You can have these window panes framed in a variety of architectural styles and in an assortment of materials.

You can have wood windows, metal windows, vinyl windows, fiberglass windows or a combination, like wood interior and metal exterior windows. At ARCS, we install all sorts of new windows and restore older, historic windows.

The choice of window is often dictated by price. Currently, metal and vinyl windows

are among the least expensive. Each has its pros and cons. Metal conducts heat and cold, while vinyl has been known to melt and warp when exposed to the warmer temperatures and high UV ratings of the desert southwest.

All multi-pane windows installed at elevations at or above 5,000 feet must have high-altitude glazing. At higher altitudes, the pressure on glass panes and window frames increases. The higher you go, the more pressure there will be.

High-altitude windows have a “breather tube” installed which allows the pressure in the space between the window panes to escape and equalize. Without such tubes, the spacers between the panes will bow and warp. Always verify that you are indeed purchasing high-altitude windows, as our city is at 7,500 feet above sea level.

Installation of windows and doors in New Mexico does require a building permit. All new windows must now meet modern building and energy codes. Part of this code specifies windows (and exterior doors) must be flashed at the junction of wall to window.

ARCS consistently deals with water damage and mold, which is the direct result of moisture penetration because

of insufficient or non-existent window and door flashing. Always insist on the installation of code-required flashing and make sure a building inspector actually inspects the flashing when installing new windows and doors, or when replacing existing windows and doors with “retrofit” windows and doors. It is our experience that almost all “window leaks” are not actual window leaks but are caused by mistakes in, or outright omission of, the window and door flashing.

Much of the charm of the older parts of Santa Fe and other cities in the southwest lies in the historic districts.

Owning homes there comes with the responsibility of maintaining the historic aspects of the house, including older windows and doors. Most of these

windows have outdated and inefficient single-pane glazing in wood sashes and frames. Replacing them with modern windows always requires prior approval from the respective historical boards, as well as a building permit.

Many historic-home owners opt to have their older windows restored and then reglazed. Once the windows, frame and all, are removed from the window openings, a thorough assessment of their condition can be made. Sometimes minor repairs of the wood frames and sashes will suffice.

In other cases, depending on the extent of insect damage and wood rot, the sashes and frames need significant restoration work. Often these windows, depending on their condition, will also accept more energy efficient double-pane glazing.

When restoring such windows, doors or any exterior and interior wood trim and baseboards, they should first be tested for the presence of lead-based paint. If present, these items should be stripped to bare wood before re-use. The EPA’s lead paint rules require an EPACertified Restoration Contractor do this work. ARCS has been an EPA Lead-Safe Certified Firm since 2010.

If you are planning a renovation or restoration project give us a call. ARCS provides free consultation and estimates.

TOP Window flashing replacement BOTTOM LEFT Window with wood rot being prepped for restoration BOTTOM RIGHT Casey Bell working on window frames with insect damage