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It doesn't take much movement to crack plaster.
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Beauty is in the eye of the beholder - my wife calls those windows "prison windows". Energy costs are going nowhere but higher so the payback almost certainly will be faster than what you calculate today, and your comfort level will increase dramatically. But getting new windows might not be so easy even if you wanted to replace them yesterday. My friend waited about 8 months for his new custom windows to be made/installed.
John
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(12-17-2021, 11:55 AM)David Stone Wrote: The second photo is just a layer of paint peeling.
But I have these cracks in the corner of one wall. I've dealt with these in the house I owned that had plaster walls. I'm pretty sure is just the plaster reacting to changes in temp/humidity.
The foundation, at least what I can see in the basement is cinderblock. It seems pretty stable, except in one area (which will be for a later post).
The windows are original, old, single pane, and they lose a lot of heat. I use 1/4" backer rod to fill some gaps in the frame where the windows close (by cranks). We're considering replacing the windows, but it's a matter of cost. And they're beautiful:
The prior owners priced out replacement windows, and they're expensive enough that it would takes many years of energy savings to make up for it. (Although we wouldn't have cold rooms.). Our neighbors replaced their windows and they said it will take almost 20 years of energy savings to pay for it.
The walls were insulated sometime in the past, but of course I don't know the details. I know prior owners replaced all the wiring and interior plumbing. I think they pretty much gutted. the place and did insulation, etc. I'll find out in time.
Drill the frame in several places around the inside about 2" from the glass frame and shoot it full of that canned foam and plug ... then ... glaze a frame w/clear glass and fit it inside ... instant classy storm window ... (if done right) ... (I left out a few of the optional steps of the whole process ... get creative)
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In a situation like this cost is an issue and where my clients have windows sucking heat from the house and dollars from their wallet, I recommend they piece meal the job. Maybe replace 1 window at a time or 1 room at a time. Start on the top floor where the most heat is lost and work their way down. Find a window manufacturer who isn't about to go out of business so they all match by the time the job is completed. I'm not a huge vinyl window fan but they do serve a purpose and are generally much more affordable compared to wood windows and have about the same R-Value.
Unfortunately, windows are insanely expensive right now with insanely long lead times (up to a year) and some are not available at all unless you are a contractor. A lot of manufacturers are not building custom sized casements right now. BUT! A lot of windows in older homes are considered Stock Sizes which helps. Some vinyl window manufactures are not manufacturing casements.
Maybe order windows for one room at a time and install them yourself. Using replacement windows in place of metal framed windows can be tedious but it can be done. Also a good opportunity to buy a new Sawzall. Also, there is a market for old sashes with interesting designs.
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Thanks everyone. We're pricing out windows with the thought of doing it piecemeal. But, yes, with the long lead times, it might not make sense.
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If you are pricing windows look at triple pane. I still get moisture on the inside with double pane that I installed 20 yrs ago. I can get the effect of triple pane by putting plastic up around the frame. Dan
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(01-02-2022, 10:24 PM)rudedan60 Wrote: If you are pricing windows look at triple pane. I still get moisture on the inside with double pane that I installed 20 yrs ago. I can get the effect of triple pane by putting plastic up around the frame. Dan
Distance and the gas between the panes is everything. Lower end dual pane windows offer about 1/2 the insulation value of windows with a larger gap between the panes. Also, some windows are simply filled with dried air which isn't all that bad but it has about a 15% lower R Value than Argon
A window with a 1/4" gap between the glass has about half the R Value of a 1/2" gap. Add a 3rd pane in the middle, you usually sacrifice some distance but the glass itself is a fair insulator. The 3rd pane doesn't really add a significant savings but it helps a ton for sound. Triple pane is usually installed around airports for sound deadening.
