This window is one of my favorite features in the house, the morning light coming through there is just beautiful and it is just a terrific place to sit and take in the view. And I think I found a way to make a good thing even better. I’m going to install a bay window, and that’s going to do a couple of things for me. It’s going to make this whole area even more inviting and make the living room actually feel larger, but there’s one thing that’s very important to me. I want this new window to compliment the other window in the house and look as though it’s always been there.
I’ve been working with the folks at Pella Windows for years, so I decided to go to their website and see what’s available. As well as what’s involved in the installation of a window like this. After checking things out, and considering the size and weight of the unit I want. Well, I decided that this is a job I’m leaving to the pros. So I gave the local dealer a call, and the next day, Chad Box drops by to take a look of the existing window, make some basic measurements, and go over the options with me.
We settle out the size and style and a few days later, Don Nelson drops by to get dimensions that are more detailed and verify my order. He also checked for any potential problems and finds one, dry rot on the sill. He’ll let the installer about this ahead of time. Don writes up the order and sends it off to the Pella factory where my window will be custom made. It arrives a few weeks later along with installers. Meet the Demarts, Ron Sr., and sons Ron Jr., Rich, and Robert. This family of contractors waste no time in getting started. They begun by removing the sash tops holding the windows in place, first on the sides, then on top. Then they pry loose the sash tracks, bend them inward, and removed both sashes and tracks as one piece.
Next, the storm windows were taken out from the inside, and then Ron Sr. loosens the large center pane, by tapping it from the outside. The boys tilt it inward, lift it out of the frame, and carry it away. Now it’s time to pry off the interior sill, and the window casings. Outside, Ron Jr., removes the last of the storm window frames. Then he and his brothers start taking of the exterior trim. Now the whole family gets in the act, lifting the window frame out of the rough opening. Remember that dry rot that Don discovered during his first inspection. Removing a few of the shingles below the window, gives some idea of how extensive the damage is. Right here, the plywood sheathing is in pretty bad shape, but the damage has not spread far. The fix involves cutting a way a strip of sheathing and replacing it with a new section. Probably the most crucial step in installing any window or door is creating a stable, flat, and level surface upon in which the frame can rest. A one by four shimmed every few feet and screwed securely in place will do the trick.
The new window will be well sealed, to prevent any moisture from getting inside. As an additional precaution, this aluminum tape with rubberized backing is applied at the bottom of the rough opening and run up the sides a few inches. Well the old window is out, that dry rot has been repaired and the flashing tapes have been put on to prevent it from happening again. Now one of the great things of working with a team of pros is that this entire process took less than two hours, and we’re ready now to put in the new window. All the windowpane and sashes had been removed from the frame to make it easier to handle. Still, it takes two; make those three sturdy installers to set the unit in place. While dad and the two younger sons hold the frame in position, Ron Jr. drives in some screw to temporarily fasten everything. Outside, Robert, attaches support cable clamps to the solid wood header above the window opening. Then, he threads a support cable through, and, when the window deck is leveled, tightens the cable clamp. A second clamp and cable hold the other side. With the frame, attached and leveled, the center fixed window can be set in position and secured in place. Double hum sashes just snap in to the frame, and tilt up. Finally, shims are inserted in to the space between the top of the frame and the rough opening. And the unit is screwed permanently into place. Well that pretty much completes the structural part of the installation.
Now we are going to be moving on to some framing work for the roof and some finishing trim work. Now, up to this point, the total elapse time is only about three and half hours. Ron and Rich Demarts has frame up the roof cap, and are ready to hoist it into place. Once, it’s in position, Ron Sr. and Rob attached it. Then the interior space is filled with fiberglass insulation, and plywood decking is nailed to the rafters. Next, wood trim is applied and metal drip cup is nailed along the edge. Roofing paper, or some call it roofing felt, is then laid over the plywood sheeting and then attached. Notice how the paper has run up on to the wall a couple of inches. Rubber back metal tape is applied over the edge of the roofing felt to seal it against the wall. The first or starter row of shingles is attached upside down. With the second layer placed on top right side up. Then each subsequent row overlaps the one below.
As additional protection against leaks, where the roof caps meets the wall, short sections of metal flashing, called step flashing, are installed. These are put in place one at a time, and alternated with the shingles. Once the last course of shingles is in place, a sheet of metal flashing is attached to the very top of the roof cap. When the wood wall shingles are reinstalled, they are placed on top of the flashing. Next, strips of wood trims are attached at the bottom of the bay, forming a sort of box. Rigid foam insulation is pushed up into the cavity, and an outer plywood cover is nailed over it. Finally, decorative wooden braces or corbels, are attach to the framing below the bay, giving it additional support. And a replacement pre primed shingles are slipped in to place. Well the guys are almost finish out here and notice how that shingled roof cap sort of tied everything in to the house, I mean that’s going to look like it has always been in here. Now let’s go inside and see the effect it’s done there. Wow, now I knew that that window is going to open up this side of the room, but I had no idea how much, I mean, that actually looks like we’ve moved the entire wall out about two feet.
Now these windows are state of the art when it comes to thermal efficiency, two panes of insulated glass, and even though I got all that efficiency, I still retained the traditional look with these true-divided lights. Now this frame is wood, now this is something I didn’t know, but wood has over 1000 times the insulating value of aluminum. And so the window itself is about insulated as it could be, but it is also important to insulate the installation. As you can see when we were outside, we insulated the roof cap up here, and also underneath the deck right here. But there’s one more place that we have to seal up, and that’s right here. The space between the edge of the window frame and the wall framing is insulated with a spray foam sealant that would provide a barrier against heat lost and cold intrusion. Now for the icing on the cake, first, a pre finished deck panel is laid in place and then attached. Then a similar panel gets installed overhead. Trim strips are attached to the sides of the frame, and applied to any exposed joints. Finally, everything is finished off with decorative casing. One of the things I really liked about these windows is how very easy they are to clean. Everything is done from the inside. Each sash is hinge at the bottom, as you tip them down to reach the outside panes, then snap them back in place. Out in my truck, I’ve got the screens. Now these are not your ordinary insect barriers, they are what Pella calls high transparency window screens, once they are in place, they block almost no light and practically invisible.
Now if ever there was a case of having your and eating it too, well, I got to think, this bay window is it. Its energy efficient got a low e coating on the glass to reduced fading on carpets and upholstery. It’s practically maintenance free on the outside with that aluminum cladding and it’s convenient to clean. Now to boot, I got that traditional looked that I wanted, that window seems it’s has always been there. And I’ve opened up the room and brought in more light.
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