Replacing house windows--something for a DIYer?

In My Humble Opinion
1

I’ve done quite a bit of stuff around the house–removed the paneling in the laundry room and installed insulation, hung ceiling fans and light fixtures, laid flooring, run plumbing, repaired furniture, built a shelving unit for my daughter’s utility room, etc.–and I know my way around a drill and a jig & circular saw. I have four windows on my second floor which are crappy double panes that are falling apart. Literally. They no longer lock and the seals have broken in all but one of them (foggy glass). In the bathroom, the frame that holds the glass is falling apart. In the winter, I have to caulk them shut and cover with plastic and even then, I can watch the plastic ‘breathing’ in the wind.

I’ve watched several videos on replacing windows and done the measurements and am 99.99% sure that my local home improvement store sells the windows I need and they aren’t special order. I’ve never replaced a window before and certainly not on the second floor, but as I understand it, the windows are replaced from the inside. Climbing on a ladder to access the outside of the second floor is not an option for me or anyone I would feel comfortable asking. I can pay for the windows themselves, but not pay to have them installed, so that’s out of the question.

Has anyone ever replaced windows in their home? Windows on the second floor (especially without access to the outside)? Anything I should know or be aware of before I attempt removing the old window and putting the new one in? Is it as easy as it looks? Is it unrealistic to caulk the outside of the windows via the inside (like leaning out the window)?

Anyone want to come help me install windows? :smiley:

2

I am probably around the same level as you, DYI-wise. I’ve done everything you’ve mentioned and more, all self-taught.

I have never replaced a window, but I have replaced a few entry doors, which I think might be a bit more complex than windows.

In other words, I think you are capable.

Just be sure they are level and plumb; use shims to accomplish this. Use the blow-in insulation from a can to seal.

also be sure the window is centered outside/inside (I didn’t think to pay attention to this on my first door).

Good luck!
mmm

3

If you use the blow in foam to seal, be sure to get the low expansion type. The other more common kind can expand enough to bow the frame and jam the window.

4

I helped my Dad do all the windows in his house some time back. We had fair access from the outside for the 2nd floor (ladders and scaffold) but it wasn’t that hard in terms of skill. Now when it comes to weight, since what we were replacing were 1946 vintage steel-framed suckers, that was another story. We were both fairly strong and even we had to call in some extra muscle on a couple. These weren’t huge windows in some mansion – think standard post-war Levitown type – but there was some weight to wrestle.

5

Well I figured out why my bathroom by the window is so drafty in the winter (aside from the falling apart window)–there’s no insulation between the window frame and the frame itself. Yeah, there’s shims in there, but absolutely no insulation whatsoever. No surprise though.

I pulled the trim off so I could make sure I was getting an accurate measurement. Looks like I’m going to replace a window…

6

We replaced our kitchen window with a bigger one, and it was mostly done from inside. My husband did have to work from the outside to cut back the siding, but he doesn’t mind being on a ladder, and it was less than a full story above the ground (the house has a full basement.) We were doing a complete kitchen remodel, and the room was completely empty at the time. The biggest thing was planning so that we could get it all done at once. You don’t want a 4’ X 4’ hole in your wall overnight. We’ve got a lot of DIY experience, and it went well.

On the other hand, when we decided to replace the old double-hung windows and aluminum storm windows in the rest of the house, we brought in professionals. At that point, it was worth it to get it all done in one day, rather than the multiple weekends it would have taken us. It was worth it to us to take out a loan for that effort. It comes down to how much your time is worth to you and how willing you are to take on some debt. Plus when we were younger, doing it all ourselves was a point of pride. Now we just want it DONE, and writing a check works for us.

7

I’ve done a LOT of my own work on houses, and grew up with a father who tried to do the same. I chance to be mechanically inclined, meaning that I have an innate skill about visualizing things in three dimensions, as well as a good understanding of the basic physics involved. So for me, as long as I have the required tools, I can do it.

Especially these days, where you can find a dozen free how-to videos on Utube or whatever.

The one thing I would caution you on, is the answer to your question “is it as easy as it looks?” That answer is no, absolutely not. Most how-to videos are best case scenarios. Unless you find one where the people are changing out a window that’s almost identical to yours, in a house like yours, you should expect to run into problems you’ll have to solve on the fly.

I would recommend you have a quick backup plan, for if you find that you have to stop after you have the old window out, and have to find more hardware or tools. Be prepared to cover the hole with something relatively sturdy, in case you need to. If nothing else, that will help you feel more confident, and just as in dating, confidence will carry you a long way in house repair.

After you do get the old window out, it will really pay off a ton, to thoroughly clean out the opening. Don’t leave any old caulk or loose insulation or dirt there, as it will add a surprising amount of extra struggle when you are installing the new window.

Make sure you have a level which will fit in the opening. You don’t want to be in the process of nailing the new window in place, and only then realize your level is too large to accurately check that it’s plumb and square. In short, it helps a lot if you go through the process of doing the job from start to finish, without actually doing anything, before you start. Actually stand at the window and go through the motions, and imagine what you might find, and what you will do at each step.

The main problems I’ve always run into, is that I get the thing apart, and find out that either some ignoramus was there before me and did everything wrong, or that the original builder hired cheap helpers who screwed things up. Nails that tore up what they were put into, so that I have to brace the frame with metal, or even cut chunks of rotted wood out, and patch in replacements. Edge sealant that has turned to stone, and has to be chiseled out.

And don’t assume you can save and reuse the interior moldings.

8

I’ve done a lot of construction and remodeling. Designed and built a two story addition to my house for instance.

I would be surprised if there isn’t some sort of out door work needed for trim/siding and such.

9

Yes, it it is risky to undertake this project if you have no outdoor access to the window.