Before purchase, we completed a thorough inspection resulting in an 18 page document certain to put anyone to sleep. The bottom line, the house was in excellent structural shape, needed infrastructure updates over time and oh by the way, only four windows open. Four.

The estimate to replace all the windows with true divided light, real wood windows with the best insulation rating was in a word, terrifying. However the benefits and the dream factor far outweighed the cost (atleast in my mind).

Wait. We wanted the house because of the quality of construction and authenticity of its age. Time for some research.

Old windows are made of true hard wood, free of glue and epoxies that break down over time and with a good storm window have an insulation rating equivalent to modern windows.  Plus a restored window can last another 100 years!

Enter the Window Doctor. A locally based artisan who restores old windows to their former glory!  Restoring one window a day, the Window Doctor and his talented craftsman scraped paint, recalibrated window weights, re-roped and added copper weather stripping to each window.

According to this team, some windows in the house had not been opened in 70 years. They also said they were in the best shape of any windows that age they had ever worked on. Looks like we made the right choice!

Time to go open a window.

For excellent articles on this topic visit This Old House and the National Park Service (both preservation experts).