Services
Windows and doors
Windows are the part of a house everyone blames. The test shows whether they are the problem.
With the fan running we hold a smoke pencil to each sash and frame and read the leak. Often the leak is in the cavity beside the window, not the glass. The report ranks each window: weatherstrip it, repair it, add a storm window or replace it.
What's included
A leak reading for each window and exterior door
Weatherstripping and sash repair
Storm windows or interior inserts, where they make sense
Replacement windows set into an air-sealed opening
Door weatherstripping and thresholds
Flashing and trim
Cost
What changes the price
How many openings
Each window or door is its own small job.
Old or new frames
A historic frame may be worth repairing. A rotted one is replaced.
The choice of window
Wood, fiberglass, vinyl and aluminum-clad each cost differently.
Size and access
Tall or second-story windows need staging.
Trim and finish
Matching old trim takes more time than standard trim.
How it goes
This work, in order
- 01Day one
Step 1: The reading
We test each opening with the fan running and photograph the leaks.
- 02The report
Step 2: The ranking
The report gives each window one of four paths and the reason for it.
- 03On site
Step 3: The work
Repairs first, then replacements, each opening air-sealed into the wall.
- 04Last day
Step 4: The retest
The second test shows what the windows did, beside everything else.
Not included
What this work leaves out
Historic review
If your house sits in a historic district, the approvals are yours to ask for, and we help with the drawings.
Window cleaning and painting
Interior paint touch-ups are included; full repainting is not.
A savings promise
Replacement windows are rarely the best first dollar; we say so in the report.
Before the work
Permits and rules
Replacing a window in the same size opening usually needs no permit. A larger opening or a change to a bedroom's exit window does, and your town's building official decides. We check before we order.
Windows and doors in houses built before 1978 often have lead paint on the frames. EPA's lead paint rule applies to window work in those homes, always. See the certificate and insurance page.
Questions about this work
Should I replace my old windows?
Not necessarily. We read each one and say what we'd do. Sometimes a repaired window with a storm window beats a new one.
Will new windows stop drafts?
Only if the opening around them is sealed too. That is part of the work.
What about condensation on the glass?
It is a sign of moisture in the house, not just a window problem. The report covers where the moisture is coming from.
Can you match my old trim?
Often we can mill it. We'll tell you what's practical.
Test the windows first
Book a test, and the report will rank every window.