Restoring old windows: Save the charm but lose the chill

An Indow Window is a custom snap-in interior storm window.Old wooden windows often have lots of cracks and gaps that let cold air rush into a home while heated air escapes.

That means they usually aren’t very energy efficient. But old windows can be important design elements, particularly in historic homes. And there are ways to restore wooden windows while making them more energy efficient, experts say.

The starting point is repair. That includes any damage on the window frame, its moving parts and hardware. Rotted or cracked parts of a wooden window frame can be replaced with new wood. Epoxies and other paintable fillers can eliminate voids. Fixing hardware can tighten the closure, eliminating gaps. Beyond repairs, adding weather stripping prevents air from moving through gaps and cracks in and around the window frame.

Replacement windows often have multiple panes that help insulate them against heat transfer. Storm windows can create a similar, insulating air pocket as well as help protect wooden windows from the elements. But many don’t like the high visibility of exterior storm windows.

There’s a new alternative in Indow Windows, a brand of custom-made thermal window inserts that function like interior storm windows. Settlement of older homes means windows often aren't square, says Sam Pardue, founder of Indow Windows. An authorized dealer will measure windows for an accurate fit. The Indow Windows can then be snapped into place in the window frame, providing double pane performance by insulating the exisiting windows. Indow Windows can be removed as needed. Learn more at IndowWindows.com, or click on the photo.

“Windows were a big part of the architectural design of homes 100 years ago,” says William Santoriello, owner of Plainfield Restoration, a general contractor that preserves characteristic details, including original windows. “Replacement windows often don’t have the same designs and shapes as old wood windows,” he says. “They can just look ordinary.”

Pardue didn't want ordinary for his Craftsman home in Portland, Oregon, and came up with the idea for Indow Windows as a way make it more energy efficienct while preserving its beautiful original windows. Indow Windows provide an affordable solution, at about half the cost of vinyl replacement windows, Pardue says. Customers also have been pleased at how well his product blends in with the exisiting window and frame, he says. "They don't want to see the Indow Windows, they want to see their beautiful old windows."