Repairing Old and Historic Windows: A Manual for Architects and Homeowners

305 Pages·1992·11.09 MB·English

by  New York

REPAIRING OLD
AND
HISTORIC WINDOWS
REPAIRING OLD AND HISTORIC
WINDOWS
A MANUAL FOR ARCHITECTS AND
HOMEOWNERS
NEW YORK LANDMARKS CONSERVANCY

CONTENTS
Acknowledgments 7
Introduction 9
1 WINDOWS IN AMERICAN ARCHITECIT'RE: 15 A HISIORICAI.
OVERVIEW, 1620-1950
2 EVALUATING WINDOW CONnrrloNS AND PROBLEMS 49
3 MAINTAINING, REPAIRING, AND RETROFITTING WINDOWS 97
4 REPLACING WINDOWS 133
5 REHABILITATING WINDOWS IN LANDMARK BUILDINGS 153
REHABILITATION STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES 161
Notes 16,;
Glossary 169
Information Sources 191
Further Reading 193
Index 197
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The subject of window replacement in landmark buildings is no less
controversial today than it was eight years ago when the New York Landmarks
Conservancy commissioned a study on the subject. A concern for energy
effiicienc-ty and the legacy of the oil crisis of the mid1970s, as well as local tax
incentives offered through New York's J-51 program, led many owners of
architecturally distinguished buildings then being rehabilitated to scrap perfectly
serviceable windows for new ones. All preservationists applauded the drive to
extend the useful life of these buildings through rehabilitation, but what was
being saved? In many cases the replacement of original windows drastically
altered a building's appearance and historical character.
The Conservancy responded to this dilemma with a series of questions. How
do old windows compare to today's replacement windows with respect to quality
of construction, physical performance, and maintenance? Can old windows he
upgraded to meet contemporary performance standards? Can new windows be
redesigned to resemble traditional designs? These and subsequent questions
formed the core of the Conservancy study, conducted in 1985, and the study
became the basis for this manual.
The study identified the most prevalent window types in buildings now being
restored and compiled information on the current range of available products for
window rehabilitation in historic buildings. Approximately 150 manufacturers
producing a range of window products were polled and asked for information
describing their products. Also requested and submitted were energy test data
and specific examples of the use of the products in historic buildings.
The materials submitted by manufacturers and installers were subsequently
analzcd to determine the impact and results of the various strategies and
products. The study's primary goal was to provide the tools for making
responsible decisions. A secondary goal was to indicate areas where further
developments in the industry and expanded product lines are needed.
The study was made possible through generous public and private financial
support. Grants were awarded from the Design Arts Program of the National
Endowment for the Arts and the Solar Cities Program of the Department of
Energy as well as from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, J. M.
Kaplan Fund, New York State Council on the Arts, DeVac Corporation, Marvin
Lumber and Cedar Companv, Pittsburgh Plate Glass Industries Foundation,
Schlegel Corporation, and Silverstein Properties.
The data compiled by the study were transformed into a research report by
the Ehrenkrantz Group, Architects and Planners, under the direction of the
Technical Preservation Services Center of the New York Landmarks
Conservancy. The staff of the Ehrenkrantz Group who contributed to the report
were Ezra Ehrenkrantz, FAIR, principal; Theodore H. M. Prudon, associate
principal; Kate Burns Ottavino, historic preservation specialist; Suzanne Smith,
energy analyst; Linda Fiske, administrative assistant; Mark Segalla, consultant;
and Susan Swiatosz, consultant.
Another source of information was S. Robert Hastings and W. Richard
Crenshaw's "Window Design: Design Strategies to Conserve Energy," a title in
the series of publications NBS Building Science Series 104, from the National
Bureau of Standards (U.S. Department of Commerce). The glossary was taken in
part from the Schlegel Corporation's catalog and in part from the glossary in
Speaking of Windows, a publication of the Small Homes Council-Building
Research Council connected with the University of Illinois, UrbanaChampaign.
The Conservancy is grateful to the following individuals, who lent their
diverse technical expertise while serving as advisers to the study: Jan C. K.
Anderson, RESTORE; Barry Donaldson, AIA, Tishman Research Corporation;
Andrew Forgatch, Window Systems; Frank Heenan, 1.)cVac Corporation;
Marilyn Kaplan, New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic
Preservation; John P. Loguidice, JPL International; Adam F. Ramez, Silverstein
Properties; Frank Sanchis, then at the New York City Landmarks Preservation
Commission and now with the National Trust for Historic Preservation; John
Stoller, Schlegel Corporation; Morris Taylor, Marvin Lumber and Cedar
Company; Mark Ten Evck; and Joyce Underberg, Schlegel Corporation.
The staff of the New York Landmarks Conscrvancv who contributed to this
project included Susan I-Ienshaw Jones, executive director; Laurie Beckelman,
former executive director; Carol Clark and Wesley Haynes, former project
directors; and Mark A. Weber, project director; Kevin Murphy and Diane
Cohen, former project managers; and Stacey Mink and Anita Rask,
administrative assistants.
The Conservancy also wishes to thank The Preservation Press of the National
Trust for Historic Preservation for agreeing to publish the project's findings and
thereby disseminating this important information to a larger audience.
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this book is to provide a better understanding of the problems
and potential of windows in old buildings. It also otters advice on diagnosis and
rehabilitation measures within accepted preservation standards, that is, the 10
standards promulgated by the National Park Service of the U.S. Department of
the Interior as the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation (see
page 161).
Anyone considering spending thousands of dollars to replace windows should
find the information here helpful. Today's replacement window market is largely
uncharted territory. The vast array of replacement windows available readily
leads to confusion about which one, if any, is best for a particular situation.
But is replacement really necessary? The authors dispute the claim that the
only good window is a new window. Repairing and maintaining an essentially
sound window is often a far more sensible approach. Besides retaining the
character of the interior and exterior, the existing window may actually be
superior to its replacement with respect to materials, details, and construction.
Also, when retrofitted with weatherseals, additional glazing, draperies, and
shutters, it may have the potential to meet contemporary energy and acoustic
characteristics expected of replacement windows.
This guide to window repair will help in analyzing windows, objectively
assessing their condition, and tackling problems that affect the residents' or
workers' health and comfort while maintaining the building's value.
No one wants to spend much time concentrating on a building's condition, but
the fact remains: all windows, new or old, require regular maintenance.
Otherwise, they rapidly deteriorate and can damage adjacent parts of the
building; in addition, their energy efficiency declines drastically. With fuel costs
uncertain, replacement windows may be seen as a means of immediately
reducing energy consumption.
If the windows rattle and leak, repair is urgently needed. Often windows
appear to be in worse condition than they actually are. In many cases painting,