The fears regarding lead paint on windows, while certainly legitimate, are well overblown. Most of the lead paint issues were previously visited upon HUD homes where large chips of ceiling paint would fall to the floor and children would consume, involuntarily or voluntarily, them at that point.

That being said, it is probably easier to just replace the window altogether than abate what is there and repair and product that is beyond its serviceable life.

Just strip them with the PeelAway products. I've done that with tons of windows and I have yet to have lead poisoning.

For the sake of the integrity of your home, keep your windows.

Check out john leeke's website on window restoration as well.

Regardless of restoration (i.e. removal of lead paint and addressing of draftiness issues) you will still be left with a window that has single pane glass and basically zero insulation value.

I was not recommending that you put vinyl inserts in your application, however, something like a Marvin sash pack or similar wood window with insulated and coated glass would be much better. It would address the draftiness, lead, and insulation issue in one fail swoop.

Otherwise you are looking at abating the lead, weatherstripping/reworking the jamb liners, and putting on a storm window. You will have more money, less performance, and an uglier window (with storm) than compared to an updated and insulated window.

FYI, lead poisoning is not an issue with adults like it is for children. Lead poisoning and ingestion poses a much higher risk to children as it can adversely affect their development.

If you have wooden storms made, matching what would have been used at the time your home was built, I do not think they will be uglier. Weatherstripping and storms is alot alot alot cheaper than new windows or sash packs.

If the lead paint is falling off now or there is lead paint on the jamb sections that slide in the liners, that should still be addressed.

In all likelihood, the lead paint is covered by several layers of more innocuous latex paint. If not, a storm window does not address the lead paint issue.

First you might want to do a little research on lead paint and at what point it becomes a hazard.

Unless every wall,door,door casing,floor molding,and ceiling has been replaced there is lead paint all over your house once it has been sealed and painted over unless a child is actually eating your windows the hazard is not there.

Lead paint becomes a hazard when it is peeling or when it is being sanded from air born dust.

Read the below link which also contains a link from the CDC paying close attention to at least the following statements.

Government studies reveal that children become lead-poisoned primarily by hand-to-mouth lead dust ingestion, and only rarely through eating old lead-based paint chips.

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reports show that well-maintained surfaces containing lead paint do not present a health hazard. Interim controls such as "in-place management" have been recognized as valid methods of preventing lead exposure and encapsulation technology provides a feasible, effective abatement strategy for the permanent correction of residential lead hazards.

Educate yourself so you know the true facts before hearing sales pitches.

Here is a link that might be useful: Lead paint

The problem here is that lead paint in the window or any friction points will create dust, I know cause I’m dealing with this currently. Always a bit of lead dust on some window sills I have. I’d gut it all and replace it, and not worry at all.

I am going to guess that whatever the OP choose to do was finished sometime in the last 13 years.

If they work on stuff like I work on my own home...maybe they are still plodding through it.