Doors & Window Installation, Repairs & How Tos

Repair or replace is the first fork, and for windows it usually comes down to the sash and the frame rather than the glass. A cracked pane, failed glazing putty, a rotted sill or a draft you can feel at the stop are all repairable jobs. Replacement earns its cost when the frame itself is out of square or the unit is failing across the whole house, and that starts with measuring the opening correctly, not the old sash.

Doors fail more predictably. A door that binds, sags, swings shut on its own or leaves a gap along the strike is nearly always a hinge, shim or frame problem you can correct in an afternoon. A sagging door usually needs longer hinge screws into the stud, a gap at the top or side is a shim adjustment, and a door that swings itself is a plumb problem in the jamb. A squeak is the hinge pin rather than the hinge, and a loose knob is a set screw or a worn spindle.

Comfort and appearance follow the mechanical work. Sealing, caulking, storm doors, garage door insulation, heat blocking film and soundproofing all deal with what gets through the opening, while blinds, curtains, trim, window boxes and front door color deal with how it looks. Painting a metal, fiberglass or wooden door is mostly prep, not paint.