What questions should I ask when replacing old windows and doors?
First-time homeowners replacing old, original windows and doors often don't know what questions to ask or what to expect during the process. They face issues like rooms getting too warm in the summer and cold in the winter, and deal with problematic materials like unopenable glass block windows that offer poor thermal insulation and failing seals.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Gathering a list of basic questions to ask contractors regarding glass thickness, UV filtering, frame materials, screens, and post-installation damage repair.
- 2Asking about energy efficiency ratings, permit pulling, and order lead times.
- 3Using dark window tint on the inside of glass blocks
- 4Frosting only the lower sash of a standard window
- 5Applying classic whitewash or translucent products after installation
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Glass block can't be opened, which is bad from my perspective.”source ↗
“It seems that glass block windows are terrible for thermal insulation (room is on the sunny side of house) and the sealing of the block becomes problematic.”source ↗
“Looking to replace our windows and 2 sets of French doors. I’m trying to gauge what questions I should be asking in addition to what we should expect.”source ↗
“This is our first house we’ve bought so we’re still learning.”source ↗
“We are sure they do need to be replaced as it gets pretty warm in our house during the summer and cold during the winter.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 6Which type of weather stripping should I use for old windows and doors?
- 2Is replacing rotted wood around basement windows a hard DIY project?
- 4Upper floor window screens popping out of frames
- 9How to replace a broken glass pane yourself
- 2How to replace thin wood flooring in old, uneven houses
- 7How do you fix and secure dropped vinyl siding under a window?