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Replacing the existing windows in a brick home is not difficult. While there are some challenges, they are easily overcome with deliberate planning and a little patience. Do not expect to walk into the hardware store to pick out new windows and take them home that day. Every window you replace will probably require a custom manufactured replacement, which costs more. However, your home's improved energy efficiency and its increased market value will offset the initial investment in a short period of time.
Measure for the New Windows
To correctly measure the opening, first carefully remove the interior molding around the window's frame. Be gentle with the molding, because more than likely you will need to reuse it. With the interior molding removed, you can see the casement that supports the window frame. Measure the opening between the vertical legs of the casement. Measure across at the top, in the middle, and at the bottom of the opening. Measure the vertical in the same way: measure on one side, then in the middle, and then on the other side. Check the corners with a framing square to see if they are 90-degrees. If any of the casement boards are warped or damaged, replace them.
To each unit. Crestline Windows and Doors, SNE Enterprises, Inc. Comply with manufacturer's written instructions for installing windows, hardware, accessories. Crestline Window Installation Instructions CLICK HERECrestline Windows and Doors has added pocket replacement windows to its Select 250 Series of vinyl products.
Order New Vinyl Windows
Whether you are doing the work yourself or hiring a contractor, order the windows yourself directly from the manufacturer to eliminate the expense of a middleman. It may take two to three weeks, but your windows will drop ship directly to your location. If you are replacing more than one window, create a unique identifier for each window, and then write the dimensions for each replacement window on the interior wall underneath the location of the trim, that you removed earlier. Subtract 1/16-inch from the vertical and horizontal measurements. For example, if the opening measures 47¾-inch by 36¼-inch, your order will actually be 47 11/16-inch by 36 3/16-inch. Finally, insist on windows specifically designed for remodeling; the attaching flange is slightly different from windows designed for new construction. You will experience installation problems if you don't do this.
Remove the Old Windows
Brick veneer siding can be brittle around window openings. Always exercise extreme caution when removing the old trim and old windows. Use the lightest tools possible and avoid prying directly against the brick veneer. Whether the old window frame is wood or metal, the process for removal is the same. First, remove the old windowpanes from the window frame, if possible. There may be screws, but more than likely the old window frame is attached to the casement with nails. Gently and slowly remove the nails from one side of the window frame. If you jerk the nails out too quickly, you could damage the casement boards or loosen them from the brick veneer entirely. Don’t be afraid to dismantle the frame a piece at a time by carefully cutting through the window frame with a handsaw to facilitate removal. Use a hacksaw, instead, for metal frames.
Prepare the Opening for the New Vinyl Windows
Clean the casement all around the window opening from the outside of the house. Make sure that there is nothing that will hinder the insertion of the replacement window. If the casement is wider than the flange of the replacement window, it will be visible. Many people choose to repaint the casement with an oil-based paint at this point. If you do, wait until the paint completely dries before installing the new window.
Install the New Vinyl Windows
Apply a thick bead of caulk around the exterior side of the casement, next to the opening edge. Put the replacement window in place and gently press the window in to seat it. Insert screws into the pre-drilled holes in the window flange and seat them into the casement. Never use nails; you could easily damage the casement, or the brick veneer, by repeated hammering. Once the window is installed, replace the exterior and interior window trim pieces. Caulk the exterior trim boards to prevent water from leaking into the window opening.
About the Author
Fred Howe, a writer since 2009, holds a B.S. in sociology from George Fox University. A retired correctional officer from Pelican Bay State Prison in California, Howe has also worked as a sous chef and catering manager.
Photo Credits
- Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
Choose Citation Style
Howe, Fred. 'Installing Vinyl Windows on Brick Houses.' Home Guides | SF Gate, http://homeguides.sfgate.com/installing-vinyl-windows-brick-houses-24948.html. Accessed 28 January 2020.
Howe, Fred. (n.d.). Installing Vinyl Windows on Brick Houses. Home Guides | SF Gate. Retrieved from http://homeguides.sfgate.com/installing-vinyl-windows-brick-houses-24948.html
Howe, Fred. 'Installing Vinyl Windows on Brick Houses' accessed January 28, 2020. http://homeguides.sfgate.com/installing-vinyl-windows-brick-houses-24948.html
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Crestline Junk! | Jan 20, 2012 |
Streaks between panes / seal issueCrestline does NOT stand behind their junk windows, they make excuses instead of fixing the problem/s. We have had troubles with Crestline windows since the day we picked them up from Menards (they also do not stand behind the windows) the windows Menards shows in the store are not the same quality you get when special order. the windows were cheaply wrapped with no protection. We've had the repair guy over 3 times, (he's more like a mediator) . Here's some of the problems we've had in the first couple days/weeks/ months: Bowed frames, 2 bowed window pane frames (cut wrong), frames out of square, twisted frames, broke/uneven mullion joint, bad springs (can't open), 2 cracked window frames inside and out, bad seals VERY leaky, bad locks, MAJOR ice/water build-up, so bad that water runs down onto our jambs...and not because our house is too humid (they like to say that to put the blame on you) These are a few of the problems we've had in the first 6 months, I can't wait to see what the first year brings. Don't buy Crestline windows they are JUNK!, we learned the hard way and for what we payed for 'special order size' windows (which we found out later that 4 of our windows were stock sizes and Menards charged us a special order fee) we could have bought much better quality windows, and not to mention the money we have to spend on replacing the seals/weather stripping on the windows. I have seen where many others are looking to file a class action suit...I'M ALL IN!!! |