Question: Can I replace broken glass in an aluminum frame window myself?
Answer: Yes, but proceed with care. To replace the broken glass in an aluminum frame window, you’ll need the following: a rubber mallet and a Phillips head screwdriver, or a large flat-head screwdriver, or a pry bar.
1. Remove the sliding panel by lifting the frame and swinging the bottom out of the track. If you need to remove the fixed panel, use your Phillips head screwdriver to loosen the screws at the top and bottom.
2. Wear gloves. After removing the broken glass, disassemble the frame by removing the four Phillips-head screws in the four corners of the frame.
3. Pull the separate frame pieces apart. They may need a few light taps with a good rubber mallet. Sometimes you can force the corner pieces of the frame apart with a large flat-head screwdriver or pry bar.
4. Be careful not to tear the rubber gasket holding the glass in the frame. Once you have dismantled the frame and removed the rubber gasket, discard the broken glass pane.
5. Slip the rubber gasket over the edge of the new glass pane. Then slip the aluminum frame over the gasket, resecure the frame with the four previously removed screws and reinstall the window in the frame opening.
Q: I’d like to update my casement windows but find moving the crank difficult. Is there an easier way to open them?
A: Yes! Pella, a Rosie-certified partner, recently unveiled a new line of casement windows, the Easy-Slide Operator. The newly designed hardware is located on the jamb of a casement window and is similar to a dimmer switch. Open and close casement windows by easily sliding the operator up to open and down to close the window, providing an easier experience than cranking. Its brake system allows you to open the window exactly how far you want to — and it secures in place.
Q: How will I know when it is time to replace my insulated glass windows?
A: The surest sign that it’s time to replace your windows is when condensation appears on the glass when it’s humid outdoors and your air-conditioned home is nice and cool inside. Fog and water droplets on the glass usually mean the window’s interior seal has failed, and your air conditioner is having to work extra hard to cool your home. In our low-humidity climate, though, the signs aren’t so obvious.
Here is a checklist that will help you decide if you need to replace the windows in your home:
- Slowly wave a lit candle around the edges of your windows. If the flame flickers, it’s a signal that your windows are drafty. Drafts mean cool air is escaping from your home and hot air is getting in. It’s time to upgrade to more energy-efficient windows.
- Do you have to fight with your windows to open and close them? Rollers and guides will wear out over time.
- Can you hear too much outdoor noise when you’re in the house? New windows with two panes of glass and energy-efficient air space in between help deaden the outdoor noise.
- Can you see daylight around the perimeter of the windows? That’s a sign of a broken seal and a loss of energy efficiency. Air that comes into or leaves the house through that breach can send your energy bills soaring.
- Are you sick of scraping, caulking, and painting your wood windows? Aluminum-clad wood windows let you change the paint color indoors, but they never need painting outdoors.
- Are you planning to sell your home? Low-maintenance, energy-efficient windows can be a selling point, and they can make your house look more attractive from the curb.
- Do they rattle when it is breezy outside?
- Do dust storms leave a layer of dust on the windowsills?
Q: What is an R-value?
A: The R-value is a measure of how much heat can get through the window in an hour. Windows with a high R-value (greater than five) allow less heat to get in on hot days — and less to leak out when you’re running your furnace on chilly evenings. The greater the R-value, the more efficient the window is.
When buying new windows, it is important to know how efficient they are, thus the R-value. Also, consider buying windows that bear the Energy Star label. Energy Star windows meet strict energy-efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.
If you are not replacing windows, but want to increase the R-value, add a low-emissivity (low-E) coating. This is a thin, see-through layer of silver or tin oxide on the glass that prevents heat from penetrating the glass, allowing the window to be more energy efficient.
