I have a 1912 bungalow that I am slowly restoring the windows on. Thank you for trying to preserve your historic windows. The main energy loss on an older window is not the R value of the glass but stopping the draftiness that you find with the older windows. There are really two areas that need to be addressed in regards tot he drafts. One is the sashes and one is the weight pockets and trim.

In regards to the sashes, the storm windows that you mention will help that. The storm windows will help seal the sash area and prevent the air infiltration along the jamb pockets and where the sash rails meet the jamb or each other. The other option there is to install weather stripping in this area. I prefer spring bronze myself. This also will tighten up the sashes and prevent rattling, etc.

The more difficult areas are around the trim and weight pockets. One key thing is to make sure that the trim is well calked and seal on the outside. For the weight pockets, there are different approaches there. One common approach is to use rigid insulation cut to size to line the inside of the weight pockets and then sealed with tape. There are some additional approaches as well.

I highly recommend the book "working windows" by Terry Meany (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1592287085). The book shows you on how to work on your old wood windows. I knew nothing when I started working on mine. The windows are very simple and if I can do it, any one can.

I think that saving the original windows on a historical house is important as the windows are the eyes onto the soul of the house.

Diane

Here is a link that might be useful: Working Windows

Diane-

Thanks for the tip on the book. I've been scouring the internet for such info and haven't found a definitive reference, so this will be good to have.

So it sounds like your experience with storm windows is that they "cut down" the draft, but don't eliminate it. Eliminating the draft, in your experience, requires the weatherstipping you described. Is that a correct charaterization?

Thanks.

Scott

Storm windows can help. Especially if you use some of the new inside storms. Those are better because it is one window, traditional storms are double hung so you can leave them in place and open them in the summer.

We had a 1906 victorian just north of Providence. Sealing out air leaks was cheaper and did more to contain heat than insulation.

I used silicon to seal around all the window trim. Then rope caulk in the winter. The rope caulk made a huge difference. Your run it along where the top and bottom of the window meet and along the edges.

If you want to keep the original windows try sealing with caulk and the rope caulk. It may make enough of a difference you don't need the storms.

Also check the inside storm options. A google search will bring up several sites. Many historic homes use them. They are not as cheap as regular storms, but are cheaper than replacing the windows.

I did end up replacing the windows in our old home. I was very glad I did it, it knocked about 20%-25% off the heating and cooling costs. Also they were easy to clean, and didn't jam like the old ones.

We had outside storms but they did not seal tight enough to make much of a difference.

I have wood dbl. hung with metal slides for the mechanics not weighted w/ rope , is there a replacement for these slides that one self can install, mine are loose and drafty no matter how much I adjust.