Replacing windows; birds in the air conditioner
Q. My significant other and I are buying a 1926 house with pretty good windows with aluminum storm windows. The inspector said that our asphalt shingle roof is 30 years old and is an interlocking system, and there is "no sweat" over how much longer it will last. Should we be thinking about getting new windows and a new roof?
MITCH JONES, Dorchester
A. For starters, forget about those two things for a while. They can wait. This is the time when I go into my perennial sermon on the folly of certain things around the house. Replacement windows is one of them. We have been brainwashed by the window industry into believing that we must have new double-glazed windows to save heat, fuel, and comfort. Maybe. Maybe not. If your windows are in reasonably good shape, reasonably tight, and can be weather stripped if not already weather stripped, there is no earthly reason to pay $700 to $1,000 for one replacement window. And if your storm windows are also reasonably tight and workable, then, combining the storm with the main window, you have essentially what a replacement window is. There are variations, of course, depending on whether the new window has Low E glass and a gas, not air between the panes, but the differences in insulating value are likely to be minor. The only thing to consider is that if your windows are weight-loaded (with pulleys, sash rope, and iron weights), there is a potential loss of heat through the weight pocket, where the weights go up and down as the sash is opened and closed. This is minor, in my opinion.
Say you put in 20 new windows for $500 each. That is $10,000, which will never be made up in savings achieved by the new windows in anyone's lifetime. It is also interesting that replacement windows are generally warranted for 20 years. Twenty years? That is nothing for a good window. But of course that warranty is on the double glazing and its seal, which they still can't get right.
Storm windows are another matter, and at least they are relatively inexpensive to replace, $200 to $400 a pop. Old storms can be very leaky, because of their design, and a new one might make a difference. The best storm windows I have found (and own) are Harvey Tru-Channels, which are virtually airtight because they fit in a U-shaped groove, not an L-shaped groove as in old storms.
As for those interlocking asphalt shingles, they are no longer made, I believe, but if they ain't broke, you don't have to replace them.
Concentrate on real essentials, such as enjoying a trip to Japan or Europe or any place you'd like (and can afford) to go. And, of course see that the house is well insulated (walls, attic floor, and basement ceiling).
Q. Birds nest on the sill under my window air conditioner. How can I prevent that?
COOL BUT UNHAPPY
A. Buy hardware cloth at a hardware store. It is 1/2-inch steel mesh that is very strong, much stronger than ordinary screening. Nail or staple this cloth to cover the sill. Be careful cutting and working with the hardware cloth; it can cut you.
Q. I have a wooden arbor that is not treated. I plan to put it four feet from the house. It's fairly large, and the posts will be in or on the ground. Will it attract termites?
WORRIED
A. Yes, termites will go for any wood that close to the ground, possibly before invading a house. But if you see termite activity, you can act before the infestation gets worse. Go ahead; I think it is worth putting the arbor where you want it. You can treat it with a wood preservative but I don't think it will make much difference.
Q. Is there anything you could recommend that would prevent assorted rodents and birds from chewing into the trash bags? We've tried urine sprays and stinky sprays. We are surrounded by oak trees and birds' nests. We've given up trying to grow tomatoes.
LEA ARNE
A. One easy way is to buy big plastic barrels with heavy covers that can be secured with a heavy spring latch, which will be good for anything but a raccoon. Another way, considerably more work but absolutely foolproof, is to build bins to hold your trash cans. I built one of pressure-treated plywood and pressure-treated 2 x 3s, big enough to hold the cans and with the back several inches higher than the front, so hinged covers can be applied so they slope down enough to shed water and are too heavy for even a raccoon to push up, particularly since they are sloped.
Q. I've let one burner on my glass cooktop get so dirty (cooked on) that I cannot get it clean with the usual glass cooktop cleansers. There is no raised surface to the cooked-on stain, so a razor blade is useless. Do you have any other suggestions?
MARK
A. This is what I did just the other day. I too tried the razor blade without much success, although I did get a bit of residue off. Then I scrubbed it with Brillo, with ample water for lubrication, and it came clean. I then cleaned the whole top with a stainless steel cleaner; the label said it was OK to use on porcelain, which is similar to glass. The scrubbing with Brillo did not scratch the glass.
Hey, look, up in the sky! Is it a bird or a UFO, faster than a speeding bullet? No no, it's Bill Tragakis coming to the rescue. Bill is president of Watertown Supply, and called the handyman to say that yes, indeed, his company carries stainless steel escutcheons for covering places where the tile has been removed. While the Ann Arbor reader is obviously not near Boston, he can always call the company or find one in Ann Arbor.
Thanks, Bill, for your advice and your friendly voice.
Globe Handyman on Call Peter Hotton also appears in the Sunday Homes Section. He's available 1-6 p.m. Tuesdays to answer questions on house repair. Call 617-929-2930. Hotton also chats online about house matters 2-3 p.m. Thursdays. To participate, go to Boston.com. Hotton's e-mail is photton@Globe.com.
