Measure For Interior Storm Windows

For the purpose of contrast, I am showing
the storm in unfinished wood in this picture
Standard would be brown or white aluminum

Measuring for your new insulating storm windows is not as difficult as you might think. There are two basic concepts you have to understand:

• Where your new panels will go (where to measure)
  


• Confidence in reading the tape measure http://www.asktooltalk.com/questions/faq/tools/tape_measures/blade_markings.php.asktooltalk.com/questions/faq/tools/tape_measures/blade_markings.php

The new window sits on top of the sill and between the jambs. If you're not familiar with the terminology look at the pictures. Most people know that the sill is the flat surface at the bottom of the window, the "jamb" causes a bit more confusion. It is simply the "depth" of the wall. It can vary greatly depending on the thickness of your exterior walls and how your existing windows are installed.

Proper placement of tape for width
Measurement

































You will need at least 3/4" of flat surface all the way around (The inside of the jamb). Blinds may interfere, depending on their placement. If they are mounted to the face of the trim (or wall) they are generally not a problem. If they are recessed in the jamb, you just need to be sure you still have 3/4" or more in front of them for the new window panel. If they are in the way, you will either move them or put them away for winter months. If you refer to my previous entry in this blog "The Comfort of Interior Storm Windows" you will see the last picture showing a blind recessed about 2 1/2" into the jamb (you only need 3/4").

Now it's just a matter of getting a good measurement. RELAX, it's not that difficult. All you need to do is accurately read the tape the best you can. You should familiarize yourself with getting to the 1/8". It's more important for you to be able to read what you believe is right, than to actually get the tape to the exact 1/32 of the opening. I don't even want that.

*When measuring check your measurement in different places and take the smallest one, if there is one.



For example when you measure the height, do it up the left side, Up the right side and in the middle. If there is a difference use the smallest one.

The truth is I make a small deduction on the frame, but then add weatherstripping all around. The squish of the weatherstrip will take care of minor discrepancies. DON'T take the deduction yourself - give me the best you can, RELAX!

Measurements are always given width x height. So if you simply state 30 1/2" x 54 1/8" that is telling me that your inside-the-jamb measurement (where the new unit will go) is 30 1/2 inches wide by 54 1/8 tall. I proceed to take a tiny deduction to make room for the weatherstripping.

Easy Right?

Make sure to make note to yourself which measurement is for which window. I don't care if it's the living room or the bedroom south facing wall - but you will when they arrive. I will label each size only.

When asking me for a quote I need the number of units of each size and your delivery address (or at least your zip code). Make sure I have a regular e-mail address for you as well.

These units can be produced and shipped in a week!

Draftyoldwindow@gmail.com

Fax (207) 443-1421

The Comfort of Interior Storm Windows

15 years in the window business has given me enough practical experience to speak with some authority on questionable claims made by some companies regarding energy savings. My upcoming blog will go more in depth on the tricky equation of cost vs. energy savings in the purchase of window units.







Standard Frame Insulated Unit



For now I will make a blanket statement that will make most of my colleagues shutter. The payback (Your savings on heat) on replacing your windows isn't really very good. As a matter of fact-it stinks.

It's important to be comfortable in your own home. Cranking up the heat is a response to how you are feeling - not what the gauge is reading on your thermostat. Do you turn on your heat when it's 65 degrees outside? I hope not! But if it's 65 inside and the tip of your nose is chilly from frigid air sneaking past the glass in the wall, you might be tempted to nudge the setting up a few degrees. Furthermore if the glass is even close to as cold as it is outside, than that's where your heat is going, right out the window.

Consider the comfort of interior panels. We make these insulated units to fit inside your window trim, without you drilling any holes or using any tools. They feature dual panes of poly sheeting, a rigid frame and enough weatherstripping around the frame to compensate for out of square openings. If you goof a bit on under sizing the measurement, another layer of weatherstrip handles the issue with ease. Not only will these tight units block out the draft, they will increase each window openings insulating value.



Insulated Poly-Panes on Economy Wood Frame





The R-Value of any window will never be as high as a solid wall. The U.S. Dept of Energy states that as much as 25% of heat loss is through windows. They also go on to say that the edition of interior storm panels can reduce that loss by up to 50%! It is estimated that the R-Value increase with these units is more than a value of 2.



At 1/10 the cost of having your windows replaced, these units make sense. For windows up to 34"x62" the cost is only $65.00. For larger units we will price them accordingly. Units ship in less than 1 week. To get a price we need only the following:

• Sizes and quantity of each size


• Delivery address for shipping cost

windowpartsguy@gmail.com

FAX (207) 443-1421

We need your width and height inside you existing trim. Please be aware that existing blinds may have to be relocated to the face of your trim.





Plenty of room here, our units are less than 1" thick

No need to move these blinds

Off to a DARK Start

It's pretty funny to be sitting here in the dark writing my first post. I really wanted to make a good first impression - showing others how they could learn from my real life experiences. Instead I find myself in a potentially bad spot tonight, and I'm wondering why i wasn't better prepared.

We had an ice storm here in Maine last night, waking up to a day with no electricity. Now if that's not bad enough - we have well water. For those of you who have never gave this any thought, no electricity equals no water from the well. No water of course means (your going to learn a lot about me here) Eeeuuuu! .... no shower. This is why I'm not big on camping; I love the outdoors but I like being clean too!

So I'm surrounded by candles, with my laptop plugged into battery power. We seem to have been pretty well prepared at least in the wax, wicks and matches departments. Mrs Windowguy has been ordered to stop on her way home from Portland (yes, work with no shower for her) to buy "everything" we should have had on hand for such an event.

As usual, I was optimistic that power would be returned in short order. I took advantage of the no media situation and spent most of the day alone, enjoying the quiet, ignoring the fact that it would be dark by 5:00pm and the possibility of a long wait for the power to be restored. It's only by taking a ride in my car that I had a chance to get any news. The news is worse than I thought. 200,000 people spread out in Maine without power. Worse yet, the surrounding states are in even bigger trouble. If the situation is worse elsewhere, that means no crews from "away" will be rushing up to help.

You would think after THE ICE STORM (there will never be another) of '98 no one around here would ever be unprepared. Hmmm.


A list of things we DON'T have:

1. Emergency Drinking Water



2. Water for flushing toilets (yes, all you have to do is pour it in)



3. The flashlight supply seems to be missing (let me guess: on the boat? out at "camp"? buried in the garage?



4. Batteries



5. Dry firewood inside the house

The wood I can deal with, it's just that the stack will be a frozen mass outside, but the wood will burn. We don't use the wood stove (obviously) for our primary heat, more as a novelty and for emergencies. We are diversified though, besides the wood stove we also have a propane stove in the living room and our cook top is connected to the propane as well. The primary heat is oil/forced hot water and that of course needs electricity.

So we won't freeze and we wouldn't starve either. It's funny how you think you have "no food" until a situation like this arises and suddenly all the canned, dry and freezer items jump out at you like found money.

What I also have is my handy portable car battery jumper/starter/air compressor gizmo. No, the car is fine but I needed to plug my computer into something as the battery was about to die. This gadget plugs into the wall and charges itself up. It becomes a portable source of power (complete with jumper cables) and can turn the engine of a car with a dead battery for quite some time. It also serves as a mini compressor to fill a flat tire, has a built in light AND an AC electrical adapter. I don't have a "cigarette lighter" adapter for my laptop, but i do have a Black&Decker power inverter... so.. i plug the three together and whoola! Juice for the laptop amidst the darkness.

Mrs. Windowguy has just called and she has found a Wal-Mart that is opened. She has to improvise a bit because the shelves are a tad bare. So we will survive of course, but this time I will post a reminder list by the garage door where we can keep an eye on our emergency items for the next time.