In the (paraphrased) words of Salt-n-Pepa,
Let’s talk about window replacement, baby
Let’s talk about you and me
Let’s talk about all the good things and the bad things that may be
Let’s talk about window replacement.
With the help of a fly old school 80’s hip hop hit, we’re going to attempt the impossible here today.
We’re making window replacement sexy.
And before delving into TOO much sordid-ness here, it’s time for a little legal-eeze (yawn).
We were fortunate enough to collaborate with Window Universe on this post, who supplied discounted product in exchange for this content. I reached out to them directly, as we have worked with this company and their products well before this blog was even born. As always, all opinions, cheesy song references and the lot are 100% mine.
Window Replacement Video Overview
Here’s the basic process shown in one-minute…
I’ve already thrown out the teaser, so here we go. Or as Salt-n-Pepa sang…
Let’s not decoy, make void or avoid the topic, cuz that ain’t gonna stop it –
Those who think it’s dirty (like my old windows) have a choice, pick up the needle, press pause, or turn your browser off.
TIME OUT…great song, right?! If it’s now NOT in your head, I’m not sure you should be continuing this convo with us. Just sayin’.
Window replacement is not fun, but it’s like paying taxes…a necessary evil.
When we buy homes, we often get seduced by the sexy things…fireplaces, hot tubs, a big deck, hardwood floors. Few of us think about windows. Of course, we all want windows. We demand windows! We even expect a lot of them, most likely.
“Natural light” is something that is certainly desirable in a home. But we don’t want to spend too much time and energy worrying about the details of a window. It’s there. It lets the light IN and keeps the bugs OUT. Nuff said.
Until your windows aren’t doing those things anymore.
I’ve been keeping this a secret (or several) from you guys for several years.
Window replacement dirty secret #1:
I’ve been stuffing my…windowsill.
Thanks to the magic of photo editing, I’ve was able to hide this little train wreck from you. Yes, that is, in fact, toilet paper, STUFFED into our windowsill.
And the master bedroom wasn’t the ONLY site of this crime. Below is the dining room.
See that fluffy stuff peaking out of the bottom window pane? More TP. Know why? Read on.
Window replacement dirty secret #2:
Our windows were infesting our house.
BUGS. Loads of them. Those old wood-framed windows were like the insect interstate.
During some months, our rooms were FLOODED with stinkbugs, coming into the house from the gaps in our old windows. Sleeping in our bedroom was like a nightly campout.
We didn’t dare turn a light on, EVER, because we’d end up OVERRUN with bugs. Not even kidding. We’d stumble around the room with flashlights.
We’d read by those little spelunking-type book lights even though both of us were awake because we feared the infestation that would come if we kept our bedside lamps on.
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As if windowsills stuffed with toilet tissue and bug infestation wasn’t enough, I’ve got some more dirty secrets to share with you today.
But we’re venturing outside our house for this part. These secrets are about the window replacement industry.
Window replacement dirty secret #3:
Replacing old windows is a “win,” but it will cost you some “dough”.
It’s taken us YEARS of enduring our indoor camping experience each night, flushing boatloads of stinkbugs and the like down the toilet before we changed out all our old windows. Why? Windows are pricey.
And I wanted to spend house money on chandeliers. I wanted my hardwood floors stained. I wanted new pieces of furniture…so the window project got put on the back burner.
But when we did decide to make the investment, we wanted to make sure we used the right company. And the thing is, there are TONS of them to choose from. Which brings us to…
Window replacement dirty secret #4:
The window replacement industry can be a little shady.
You want shady? You may not even need to buy any curtains…just call up a window replacement company. There are some scheme-y operations out there. We got “pitches” from 4-5 companies before we decided to work with Window Universe, starting way back in 2011.
When you call a lot of these companies for a quote, they send salespeople to your home. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But some of the companies won’t even come to your house unless you can ensure them that all decision-making members of the household will be there. Seriously.
They insist that both the husband and wife or whatever the case may be, are all present and accounted for before they’ll step inside your door.
And then, you’ll get the full-court press, HARD sell. We went through several of these that lasted for H.O.U.R.S. NOT even kidding. Hours. I ain’t got time for that mess. And I assume you don’t either.
That’s what made Window Universe different. No shady. Just window replacement.
The complete lack of all the sale-sy shadiness is of the main ones we ended up choosing to work with Window Universe. We hired them 5 years ago to replace windows in our old house and were happy with everything they provided, from the quality of the windows to the EXTREMELY competitive pricing, to the installation, to the warranties provided.
Their prices came in significantly lower than the other vendors we looked at. And the quality of the windows was identical, if not better than the others we talked to.
Best of all, they never pressured our decision.
Right now, they are working on a platform that will allow customers to purchase windows online WITHOUT having an in-home consultation. Won’t that be fantastic?!
Window replacement FAQ’s: A few more (not so dirty) details, questions & answers.
1. Would you try DIY window replacement?
As DIY’ers, there aren’t too many projects that we wouldn’t try, but this is one. If you’re considering replacing windows, we’d suggest letting the professionals handling this job.
2. How long does the process take?
Professional installers are really efficient, even in what seem like tough places (like our foyer). In this latest round of window installation, we had 12 old wood windows replaced with vinyl replacement windows.
It took our crew of 2 men a full day and a half to complete the work. That boils down to about an hour per window, in this case.
3. Is window replacement messy? Will I have to re-paint/redo molding, etc?
No, no, and no! Our installers did a great job of containing the “mess”. They covered our floors and were very conscientious of cleaning up as they went.
Our paint and molding/casing around the windows was completely unharmed in the process. They literally pop the old window out of the framing and pop a new one back in. The area around the window is left untouched/unharmed.
4. How are vinyl replacement windows maintained?
Our old windows were made of wood, which means that in order to maintain them, they should have been painted every few years to avoid wood rot, etc. Not sure if you’ve ever painted windows, but we have, and it’s not a super fun job.
The BEST thing about vinyl replacement windows is that there is they do not need to be painted…ever.
If you have pets, or children, or both, chances are at some point, you’ll end up with a ripped screen. Now THAT is a simple DIY project.
And we’ve written a full tutorial on how to re-screen your windows and doors, so you’re covered on that front.
And with all the dirt now dished, I’m happy to say, thanks to our new windows, our house is happily airing out from years of keeping those dirty secrets under wraps here.
No more dirty secrets. Except maybe one…
Just because they are new, that doesn’t mean you’ll see me cleaning windows anytime soon. Sorry Mom. That habit of yours never seemed to stick to me. You’re the glue and I’m the rubber in this case.
And I’m sad to say the Window Universe guys didn’t bring that desire along with the windows. So new (dirty) windows it is.
Because being dirty, even if it’s just my windows, is kinda sexy.
Pin this project for later! And if you decide to try it, leave a comment on the pin! That helps others know whether they want to try it, too!
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Larry Weaver says
Thanks for mentioning how vinyl replacement windows will never need to be painted. I am renovating the living room and kitchen of my home, and I would like to replace the wooden windows with something more convenient. I’ll look into getting vinyl replacements for my renovated areas because I really don’t want to paint my windows again.
Amy Winters says
I thought I was the only one who had to use toilet paper to stuff into their windowsills. I appreciate that you wrote such a great article about when it’s time to get replacement windows. It’s a great thing spring is here and we can go searching for a professional to help us get this done.