Windows

So, ever since we bought our house five years ago, we have known that someday we would have to replace the windows.  They are double paned, but the seals are almost all broken.  That means that water vapor can seep in between the panes, and can't escape again.  So we are left with a hazy view.  Not to mention that all of our screens are either broken, missing, or being used for bird nesting.  This is the window where I actually saw a bird taking the screen apart for its nest.  Nice view, eh? The right side is just window, with a broken seal.  And the left side is the side with the screen on it.

In addition to the aluminum double pane windows, we have these storm windows as well.  They are plasticy sheets of sorts that attach to a frame with magnets, so we can take them off to open the window if we want to.  Or open the door - yes, they block the sliding glass doors as well.

We have finally broken down and bought new windows!  We'll do two sides of the house this year, and then the rest next year.  And for once, Christopher decided to let the company install them, instead of spending a year trying to install them himself after work each day.  I just wish that, for once, he was happy with the job that the professionals do.  Three guys came yesterday and replaced about 1/4 of the windows in our house.  Unfortunately, the first problem we ran into is that the window sill is ruined where the storm window used to be.

This is a new window.  You can see the ugly brown line where the old storm window was.  We can fix the drywall okay, but the tile is another matter.  That is going to have to go.

The other problem is that the new windows are thicker than the old windows.  That makes sense - they are nice and thick vinyl windows so we get the tax credit for them.  But the problem is that the guys explained to Christopher that they don't cut into window sills, generally, and it would be a big mess with the tile.  So they would stick out "a bit".

Now, one of the trim peices is missing here, but you can see what they meant by "a bit".

And here is another window with the outside trim already on.

So our choices were to re-tile the window sills eventually anyway (to get rid of the ugly line ) and replace all the trim in the house (to make it thicker to cover the windows), or just take out the window sills before the guys come back on Saturday to finish more windows and make them do these ones over again.  We will also have to take the trim off (we can just put it back on later, without replacing it) so that they can get in there with the caulking.

Thankfully, when Christopher talked to the manager and showed him pictures, he was okay with making the guys do it all over again.  I feel kinda bad making them take them out all over again, but . . . we are paying a lot of money to have the windows put in, and we do need them put in well.  And if the sills look bad anyway, there's no use trying to protect them.

But, boy, is it going to be a lot of work this week.  And really messy - taking out tile is never fun.  Poor Christopher.