Historic Owego Windows

Challenge

This 150 year old home has been beautifully preserved.  The same original windows face the street.  But now, it's expensive to heat such a home with the old windows that are cold and drafty.  Instead of letting in the light, heavy dark curtains cover the glass, blocking out the street in an attempt to keep out the cold, and the noise of traffic.

Our challenge was to preserve the historic beauty of the home but also improve its energy efficiency.  We need to improve the thermal performance of the windows, make them less drafty, and block out street noise so that the dark heavy curtains can come down.  

Solution

The Indow window insert used was manufactured in Portland, Oregon.  It consists of an acrylic pane surrounded by a silicon compression gasket. It's mounted on the window from inside the house, much like an interior storm window, but without any ugly, damaging hardware.  The Indow just presses in place.  It provides double-pane performance on a single-pane window, and blocks out about half of the street noise coming in through the windows.  Once it's in place, it's nearly invisible. This homeowner is now not afraid of the impending winter temperatures!

Project Summary

Home Expert: Ben Kershner

Problem: Drafty Windows

Problem: Cold Rooms

Problem: Street Noise

Solution: Indow window inserts