Wood Window Repair

As houses age, exterior structures weather and take elemental damage. If your home or building has wood windows (commonly found in historic homes and buildings), you’ll likely need a professional to restore them properly. Old Crow Painting offers wood window restoration and repair services for homes in need.

What signs tell you that wood windows need repair?

Oftentimes, there are visible signs that let you know that your wood windows are in need of repair or restoration. 

The wood is visibly rotting or rotted

old window

Wood rot is a clear sign of wood windows needing repair or replacement. If the wood rot on your windows is severe, you’ll be able to tell right away from the appearance. It almost looks similar to termite damage, but the wood will likely also be wet, and may have fungus growing. Wood rot occurs when water penetrates the wood and breaks it down. 

Exterior wood is typically sealed, but this sealant doesn’t last forever. Depending on where you live, wood may rot quicker. Climates with dramatic differences in daily and seasonal temperatures need to protect and restore the exterior of their homes more often.

The window is stuck on its tracks

There may be several reasons that the glass in your window needs repair. When the glass is stuck on the tracks of the window, it could be as simple as loosening it up with lubricant. However, if the track or glass is broken, the repair is a bit more involved. You’ll need to have the glass replaced as well as having the window looked at for damages.

Window sash has loosened over time

A loose window sash is bad news for your electric bill, especially in those hot summer months. With this kind of window degradation, your window fails to stop outside air from getting in, or your air conditioning from staying in. Depending on the reason for the loose window sash, it may need to be replaced, or simply tightened. A loose window sash may be indicative of other issues with the window based on the age.

Steps to repairing your wood window

If it’s a simple problem, you may be able to repair your window yourself. There are plenty of guides and videos out there that show you, step by step, each part of the process.

Determine the issues with your wood window

Before you get started making the attempt to fix your window, you need to figure out what the issue is. A professional, with their experience, can easily determine what needs to be done to repair windows. It could take some time for you to find the right video that covers the specific fix that you need. Additionally, not all old wood windows are designed exactly the same. 

The potential cost of poor DIY window repair

The most obvious thing you waste with a poor DIY window repair job is time and money. You spend time learning, doing the job, purchasing tools and materials, and then it still may not come out that way you need it to. On top of that, you now need to call in a professional who has to do more by removing the work you did. 

That’s not to say we’re against DIY home repair. For small, simple jobs, it’s a great way to save money! However, windows are one of the most important aspects of a home. They have to prevent air, moisture, and the elements from getting into your home or building. When they start to wear down, so does your home’s integrity. Windows are a core feature of buildings that should be given the care and attention they deserve.

Hire a professional for a lasting repair project

With that in mind, we recommend that you hire a professional company to ensure a long-lasting repair project, wood window or otherwise.

Look for someone experienced in historic homes and windows

Historic homes and buildings have extra considerations that need to be taken into account before work begins. For example, if you live in a designated historic district, sometimes you can only use certain materials when restoring buildings. If you have a historic home that needs its windows repaired or restored, you should consider hiring a company that has experience in your specific neighborhood and with historic homes.

Contact Old Crow Painting for your wood window restoration

Old Crow Painting provides high-quality wood window restoration for historic homes around Tampa Bay, including Seminole Heights, Ybor City, and more! We have years of experience painting, restoring windows, and providing polished concrete services. Give us a caw for a free estimate on your project!