Waterproofing 150 windows
June 8, 2020 8:26 AM Subscribe
I have 60 year old iron-frame windows in my house. Either in the original construction or in the years since gaps have appeared. They range from 1/32 to 1/4 inch. When the rain blows from a particular direction they leak like sieves.
For gaps 1/8 inch and above I can use normal weather stripping. However even if I tighten up the hardware on the smaller ones, painted iron-to-iron is not particularly waterproof. Since each pane is effectively its own window (there are 15 moveable windows in the picture above) I'm looking for a simple, standard way I can approach each one.
For gaps 1/8 inch and above I can use normal weather stripping. However even if I tighten up the hardware on the smaller ones, painted iron-to-iron is not particularly waterproof. Since each pane is effectively its own window (there are 15 moveable windows in the picture above) I'm looking for a simple, standard way I can approach each one.
How lovely and frustrating. If preserving the appearance of the windows is important to you for aesthetics, you might want to consider having interior storm windows made. It might be less trouble than attempting to create a weather-proof seal with these metal frames.
These interior storms can have operable openings, and if you go with this approach, you may want to add drainage holes to your metal windows.
You can find US NPS guidelines on metal window conservation here
posted by Glomar response at 8:54 AM on June 8, 2020 [3 favorites]
These interior storms can have operable openings, and if you go with this approach, you may want to add drainage holes to your metal windows.
You can find US NPS guidelines on metal window conservation here
posted by Glomar response at 8:54 AM on June 8, 2020 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: (interesting question but I am getting a connection error with the site for all three links)
Huh. Weirdness. Please give these a try...
Full
Horizontal Gap
Vertical Gap
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 10:05 AM on June 8, 2020
Huh. Weirdness. Please give these a try...
Full
Horizontal Gap
Vertical Gap
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 10:05 AM on June 8, 2020
Can you put shutters on, either exterior or plantation shutters on the inside?
posted by The_Vegetables at 10:20 AM on June 8, 2020
posted by The_Vegetables at 10:20 AM on June 8, 2020
The individual units are all casement style?
Use either a self adhesive V-Seal tape or a regular self adhesive foam tape on the fixed sealing surfaces. EG: the 3M 4516 is only 1/16" of a inch thick and available in 1/4" wide rolls. Generic Amazon Choice (1/2) version.
posted by Mitheral at 1:25 PM on June 8, 2020
Use either a self adhesive V-Seal tape or a regular self adhesive foam tape on the fixed sealing surfaces. EG: the 3M 4516 is only 1/16" of a inch thick and available in 1/4" wide rolls. Generic Amazon Choice (1/2) version.
posted by Mitheral at 1:25 PM on June 8, 2020
Why do the gaps exist? I've seen paint buildup pushing things apart, old hinge hardware breaking down and window frame joints failure, which should be fixable. Building movement also but not fixable.
posted by unearthed at 1:40 PM on June 8, 2020
posted by unearthed at 1:40 PM on June 8, 2020
Response by poster: Why do the gaps exist? I've seen paint buildup pushing things apart, old hinge hardware breaking down and window frame joints failure.
Hardware (hinges and levers) problems do exist but they’re relatively rare. Paint build up is not an issue that I’ve seen. It’s hard to tell about what happened immediately after the house was finished, but I’m told that settling is long done. Certainly there are no stress marks in the concrete.
Most of the smaller issues seem to be associated with very slight bends in nearby iron supports. I’ve considered that the iron may just be sagging with age (if iron does that) or if more likely what I am seeing is the result of 60 years of very small thermal expansion/contraction cycles.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 4:48 PM on June 8, 2020
Hardware (hinges and levers) problems do exist but they’re relatively rare. Paint build up is not an issue that I’ve seen. It’s hard to tell about what happened immediately after the house was finished, but I’m told that settling is long done. Certainly there are no stress marks in the concrete.
Most of the smaller issues seem to be associated with very slight bends in nearby iron supports. I’ve considered that the iron may just be sagging with age (if iron does that) or if more likely what I am seeing is the result of 60 years of very small thermal expansion/contraction cycles.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 4:48 PM on June 8, 2020
My first thought is solder. Solder is how stained glass is put together, so there is a precedent for it. The stuff will wick into gaps pretty well, too.
posted by dbx at 7:21 PM on June 8, 2020
posted by dbx at 7:21 PM on June 8, 2020
Is the leak at the mullions or where moving parts meet? My suggestion was just for where moving parts of casement style movable elements meet.
posted by Mitheral at 11:45 PM on June 8, 2020
posted by Mitheral at 11:45 PM on June 8, 2020
Response by poster: The leaks are all where the moving parts meet.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 6:30 AM on June 9, 2020
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 6:30 AM on June 9, 2020
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by carter at 8:53 AM on June 8, 2020