[MassHistPres] FTC ruling on replacement window complaints

[Ward Hamilton at Olde Mohawk Masonry & Historic Restoration]

Garrett,

I would say that the FTC brochure doesn't address retaining existing wood
windows at all.  It does say that wood framed windows are "heavy and high
maintenance" and that "single-hung, double-hung and sliding windows leak
more air" than other window types.  That's enough to unnerve the average
consumer.  Consider this from NPS Preservation Brief number 9
(http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/tps/briefs/brief09.htm) published 31 years
ago:

"Consider energy efficiency as one of the factors for replacements, but do
not let it dominate the issue. Energy conservation is no excuse for the
wholesale destruction of historic windows which can be made thermally
efficient by historically and aesthetically acceptable means. In fact, a
historic wooden window with a high quality storm window added should
thermally outperform a new double-glazed metal window which does not have
thermal breaks (insulation between the inner and outer frames intended to
break the path of heat flow). This occurs because the wood has far better
insulating value than the metal, and in addition many historic windows
have high ratios of wood to glass, thus reducing the area of highest heat
transfer. One measure of heat transfer is the U-value, the number of Btu's
per hour transferred through a square foot of material. When comparing
thermal performance, the lower the U-value the better the performance.
According to ASHRAE 1977 Fundamentals, the U-values for single glazed
wooden windows range from 0.88 to 0.99. The addition of a storm window
should reduce these figures to a range of 0.44 to 0.49. A non-thermal
break, double-glazed metal window has a U-value of about 0.6."

Ward Hamilton

OLDE MOHAWK MASONRY & HISTORIC RESTORATION, INC
Office 877.622.8973    Online at OldeMohawk.com
Slate Roofing | Masonry | Historic Preservation

> The FTC brochure still doesn't clearly address the retention of existing
> wood windows and pro's and con's of doing that. See for yourself...
>
> ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/homes/rea20.shtm
>
> Cheers,
> Garrett
>
> The Copper & Slate Company, Inc.
> Fine Roofing and Exterior Finish Carpentry
> 238B Calvary Street,
> Waltham, MA 02453
> (781) 893-1916
>
> Work we do:
> http://picasaweb.google.com/copperandslate
>
> Where we've worked over the years:
> http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=206210316541901083869.00049065ef8543e1ef9c3&ll=42.40115,-71.126862&spn=0.125241,0.289421&t=h&z=12
>
>
> On Wed, May 30, 2012 at 10:11 PM, <jdianeol at aol.com> wrote:
>
>> Here's an interesting report on a recent ruling by the Federal Trade
>> Commission against 5 replacement window manufacturers with links to the
>> FTC site for their take on it and both have links to the FTC brochure on
>> their recommendations when you are shopping for windows. It may prove
>> very
>> helpful to some of your commissions in dissuading residents and/or
>> judges
>> that replacement windows are "necessary" for financial hardship
>> reasons...
>> at least it provides another weapon in the arsenal.
>>
>> I hope this gets you the article and the link without violating the
>> hyperlink prohibition
>>
>> after typing in
>> http://
>> Add on the following
>> business.ftc.gov/blog/2012/03/i-can-see-clearly-now
>>
>> Diane Oliver-Jensen, rla, LEED AP
>> West Brookfield
>>
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