Doors and windows require special attention because they are a major source of air infiltration. They are also very important to the character of our homes – particularly those doors and windows facing the street. Too often people replace windows and doors with units that aren’t appropriate to the architectural style of the home and thus seriously detract from the value of the house.

It just doesn’t make sense to install replacement windows or doors that may save hundreds of dollars in fuel bills over many years but takes thousands of dollars off the value of the home. Homeowners should carefully consider the wisdom of replacing the front door or installing replacement windows. Rather than completely replacing doors and windows, consider repairing the original units and adding high-quality storm windows and doors instead. Often these can be installed at a fraction of the cost of replacement units and they don’t detract from the character of the home.


The Front Door
The original front doors of our homes convey a lot about the home; they add significantly to the character and first impressions. Some of our doors are more elaborate and are oak with leaded glass—others are more simple. Generally it’s not possible to buy a new replacement front door that is appropriate to the style of our homes at a reasonable cost. The typical entry door from Menards or Lowes for $300-400 is generally not a good choice if you want to preserve the character and historic value of the home.



At the same time, many of these great old doors leak air and may need improvements to enhance security. A high-quality full-view storm door is often a good way to show off your beautiful old front door while helping to make the door more airtight. Elegant full-view doors from Anderson or Larson cost about $200 at Lowes or Home Depot. Avoid the less expensive storm doors-- they generally don’t hold up more than a couple of years. Installation is often available or you may be able to install it yourself. In addition, consider weather-stripping the primary door and adding a double cylinder deadbolt for greater security. The total cost is about the same an inexpensive replacement door (or less) and maintains the original character of the home.




Side and Back Doors
On our homes, the side and back doors are often at the basement landing, very near ground level, and unprotected from the weather by an overhang. Because of the weather exposure and rain splashing up from the ground, they are often in poor condition. Doors that don’t face the street typically have less impact on the character of the home. Installing a somewhat “neutral” style replacement door can make sense – for energy conservation, security and maintenance. Installing a metal clad door to resist the elements is a good idea.


Since our homes are primarily bungalows and four squares, “colonial”, cross buck, slab doors and doors with half-round windows are generally not a good style choice for replacements. Try to buy a door with a similar style as the one you are replacing or one that is similar to the front door.


Consider security and letting in light when determining how much glass—if any—to have in the side or back door. Generally a large, double pane, tempered glass window in the door is not much of a security problem if it is visible to your neighbors. Breaking such a window makes a lot of noise. Also, look for a door and frame that is reinforced in the lock area so it resists being kicked-in.





Windows
In spite of advertisements to the contrary, the energy savings from vinyl replacement windows isn’t as much as most people would hope. Replacement windows may reduce heat loss through the window by as much as 50%-- but windows account for only about 20% of the total heat loss for the entire house. Thus, a 50% reduction amounts to only 10% for the entire house. The payback just isn’t there. There are much better places to spend the money. And again, the old windows on our homes are very important to the character and historic value of the home.

Most of our windows can be repaired and made secure and airtight at much less cost than installing replacement windows. The ropes for the counterbalancing weights can be replaced. Quality Hardware at Michigan and Rural will build an entirely new wood window sash if you bring in the old one. If you have the old style wood storm windows, they can be made to seal better with the addition of self-adhesive foam weather-stripping around the inside edge. Otherwise, new good quality storm windows can help to make old windows airtight.



If you do decide to install replacement windows, consider keeping the original windows facing the street and any unique windows such as the piano window in the living room, dining room or entry hall. You don’t want to install a horizontal sliding vinyl window in the piano window opening. Also, be sure that the new windows match the configuration or the old windows—if you have three windowpanes in the top sash and one in the bottom sash (three-over-one) it would be a mistake to replace it with a window that is one-over-one, for example.


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