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INFORMATION SERIES: Windows & Doors

All windows and doors deserve more attention than they are generally afforded. This is particularly true of those in older houses. If not maintained over the years, major repair or replacement expense and difficulty can be incurred - especially in the case of old windows. The difficulty in repairing or even replacing old windows is often magnified either by the lack of repair parts or the discontinuance of the windows themselves.

DOORS

There are five basic door styles involved in most houses:

	Exterior Entrance Doors - Usually solid construction of either metal or wood.
	Interior Room Doors - Individual room doors can be either hollow core or solid wood.
	Sliding Glass Doors - Usually leading to patio, deck, etc. These glass doors are often thermopaned for energy conservation.
	Vehicle Doors - Most often they operate on overhead metal tracks. They can be manually or electrically operated.
	Storm/Screen Doors - Either metal or wooden. These units are interchanged during the appropriate seasons.

While doors are ever evident, their need for maintenance is not always apparent. A coat of paint is the most often required maintenance for interior and exterior doors. Doors will also require a periodic adjustment or planning to assure easy opening and closing, especially in

older houses.

Exterior doors should be checked annually for tight weather-stripping to minimize air flow. Storms and screens become damaged most often during storage. Torn or damaged screens should be patched or rescreened while cracked glass panels should be replaced to maintain their energy effectiveness.

Try plexiglass if broken panels become a constant annoyance. Garage doors are the most neglected of all doors. If the doors are to last, they must be painted regularly and their mechanisms adjusted to provide for easy opening and closing. Garage doors and columns are also damaged by careless automobile handling.

WINDOWS

Aside from window storms and screens, there are six basic styles found in residential construction. The different styles (see illustrations) are:

	Double-Hung - This is the most common type. It consists of two sashes which go up and down in slots in the window frame. Newer styles have a friction fit to hold open the windows. If the friction fit can no longer be adjusted to give a tight hold, this mechanism must be replaced. On older windows, weights and/or springs connected to sash cords control the operations of the windows. Always be careful to check this type window as it is quite expensive to replace broken cords and mechanisms.
	Sliders - The sash move side to side along sill tracks. Usually both sashes move on the tracks but sometimes one sash is stationary. There is a wide quality range on sliders.
	Casement - The sash is hinged at the top and bottom to allow for the outward motion. The window can be operated by push bar or a crank. Older casement windows, because of many coats of paint or warpage can be difficult to close. Also, adding storms and screens is more difficult with casement windows. Replacement parts and/or units may be difficult to locate.
	Awning - This type is hinged on the sides and opens out at an angle resembling an "awning." Interior opening mechanisms allow for storm/screen placement on the inside window frame.
	Jalousie – Narrow, horizontal glass panels or slats make up a jalousie window. The slats are controlled by a crank mechanism either collectively or in groups. Jalousie windows are not very energy efficient because of the great number of openings between slats.
	Hinged - This type of window can be hinged at the top or the bottom. Often found in basements, hinged windows are opened by a handle. The hinges can be permanently attached or can be the removable sash type

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ENCO Home Inspection, LLC is a wholly, independently owned and operated franchisee of HMA Franchise Systems, Inc. The information and views provided within these web pages have no reflection on HMA, and HMA is held harmless from any statements, views, comments or otherwise.

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