Weathering the Storm

By: Thomas J. Baker, This Old House magazine (Page 2 of 4)

Photo: Keller & Keller Photography

1. Double-check the storm window's fit (see "Ensuring a Proper Fit" on page 3 of this article) by centering it in the opening and making sure all the screw holes in the fins land on solid wood. Lay a fat bead of butyl or elastomeric caulk on the casing where the storm's fins will be attached. (Do not use silicone, which makes future repairs or replacement more difficult.) Do not caulk the sill.

Photo: Keller & Keller Photgraphy

2. Tip the storm into place and center it from side to side in the opening. Then push it up until its stop hits the bottom edge of the head casing. Drop down about 1/8 inch, so the casing has room to expand with seasonal changes in humidity. Drive the first screw into place at the top fin's center hole.

Photo: Keller & Keller Photography

3. Center the storm's bottom edge and drive two screws into the lowest holes on the side fins, but do not tighten them yet. Drive and tighten the remaining screws around the perimeter. Slide the sash up and down; if they catch, rub, or jam, it's a sign that the frame isn't square. Loosen the side screws, adjust the frame slightly to one side or the other, and try sliding the sash again.

Photo: Keller & Keller Photography

4. Place a straight-tip screwdriver or putty knife at the bend in the bottom sill extender at one side of the storm. Use a hammer to gently tap the extender until it rests against the sill. Repeat on the opposite end.

Photo: Keller & Keller Photography

5. On one side of the storm, drive a screw at an angle into the sill next to the extender so that the screw's head traps the extender's lip. Repeat on the extender's opposite side. Tighten the bottommost screws on the side fins.

Photo: Keller & Keller Photography

6. With the storm secured, raise and lower all the sash one more time to make sure they are operating smoothly. Maintenance on metal storms is minimal. Just wash the glass periodically and make sure the weep holes in the bottom of the frame aren't clogged.

Illustration: Ian Warpole

Enlarge this image Illustration: Ian Warpole

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Ensuring a Proper Fit

First, determine how your storm window will be mounted to the main window. If your main window has a "Western" casing, the storm will be attached to a recessed 5/8-inch blind stop within the window opening. "Eastern" casings have no such stop; the storm overlaps and attaches to the casing itself.

Next, measure the windows. Find the horizontal distances between the inside edges of the window casing at the top, middle, and bottom of the window. Then measure the vertical distance from the bottom outside edge of the head casing to the sill. Finally, check window sash height. If the top sash is shorter than the bottom ones (called an oriel window), order your storm sash to match those dimensions and preserve the window's original appearance. Finding the Right Size
For an Eastern-style casing, the storm window should be at least 1 ¼ inches wider than the opening's maximum width. The height should be about 5/8 inch taller than the window opening, but no less than ½ inch.

For a Western-style casing, the storm's width and height can be up to ¼ inch less than the opening's smallest measurements. A smaller gap than ¼ inch is acceptable, as long as the storm's fins do not hit the inside edges of the casing.