Aesthetic opinion wanted re. storm windows

[GibsonGM]

Ok, I have storms that were put on the house a long time ago, but they're not originals. The are just a TAD too long for the way they cased the windows...the window tops stick out 1/2" more than the sides. I pulled it out flush to illustrate, normally they set sloping in, which is terrible, they'll warp in time. The window casing only does this on the gable end here, strangely.

I'm left with needing to either add a strip of wood to the storms, or the window casing. Not sure which is the better way. We don't take them off the 'affected side', since that's where most of our weather comes from.

Incidentally, this is the side I was having trouble with due to sun and ended up blopping and oil priming, which you see in the photo.

Thanks for opinions!

[Manalto]

Definitely add the wood to the storm window; finagling of this sort (no judgment here - I'd do the same) belongs on the less-permanent piece of architecture. The house's idiosyncrasies will in this way be left intact.

If I understand correctly, as they are now - sloping in - they will direct water to the sill, won't they? If so, another reason to resolve the issue.

[GibsonGM]

YUP, good call, Manalto! If I nudge them out a bit as shown here, they are just a tad over the sill, ideal for shedding rain. I recently added those cornices you see at top (did not have any!) with lead flashing going under the claps above for that purpose. I agree, if you are 'modding', better do it to the part that was modded in the first place, as these storms were!

Water was getting in behind the claps next to the lower windows a bit due to no cornices...not enough to do damage (yet), but enough to make the claps swell / shrink and pull the caulking around the window. Only stained the rosin paper behind, didn't get at the sheathing. Hence my need to strip it all out, blop it, oil prime, repaint etc. It is all caulked properly now. Not a situation I want to leave unsolved! I recently removed the AC siding, so it was protected for many years. Now it needs to be done right so I can keep the original siding. This is probably why they WENT to the AC tiles back then.

[heartwood]

i think the storms should have been 'inset' rather than an 'overlay' application...because the top casing sits proud, the storm can not lay flush against the left, right and top casing...if you are going to add wood, I would add it to the storm...you could route out a groove and install a silicone weather seal bulb... http://www.conservationtechnology.com/b ... enter.html I think WS 32 or 33 would work for your application...you really don't want a complete seal around the storm...I know, it sounds counter intuitive but it's good to have a space for air circulation...

that's my 2 cents worth......
.....jade

[GibsonGM]

Thanks Jade, good link to save, too. The other option is to take some off the bottom of the storms and move the hangers...that could be done I suppose, but then they would be 'bottom-weak' rather than 'strong' if that makes sense.

I like felt...totally into the 'moist air dynamics thing'! Sealing those puppies would result in rotted sills. I like what they do - stop the rain and hard winds from getting at my sashes, and that's all. The interior storm panels are for air-sealing, so I hear ya re. too much seal....

[Mick_VT]

Take em off and fit interior storms

[GibsonGM]

I use interior panels in winter Pop right in, and out again in spring. No frosty windows!

But - these storms are pretty good-looking, so I'm going to keep them. Plus, they protect my sashes from the 60+ mph winds I get up here...

[awomanwithahammer]

Note to moderators: We could use a glossary here. What in the world do "modding" and "blopping" mean? I saw another term the other day that sounded like gibberish, but I don't remember what it was.

[GibsonGM]

"Modding" would be short for modifying...not a standard term for this forum, but in other places it is. I used the word since someone had "modded", or modified, something on my windows - they put on storm windows not meant for that type of casing (and they are too long). But that's what they had...so I agreed that if someone did a 'mod' (modification), I'd probably be better off working with what THEY did, rather than start doing a "mod" of my own to the original window casings...if desired, then the storm windows could be removed and voila, you are back at the original window casings with no modifications.

"Blopping"....blop...is "blopentine", a mix (typically 1:1) of boiled linseed oil and turpentine...combination of the 2 words! It is an old-school method of penetrant wood preservative. Typically applied to wooden tool handles, things like that, but often to window rabbets (groove the glass goes in)/other window parts, and sometimes to dried out, stubborn exterior wood before treating with oil primer. It penetrates fairly deeply, where other things will not (even oil primer). Common among restoration folks, something of a holy grail. I am new to using it myself, and am really impressed with what I have seen so far.

Hope that's helpful!

[awomanwithahammer]

Ah, a portmanteau! How very beamish! I might have to try that. Do you buy it readymade or do you have to mix it up yourself?

I had thought maybe modding might be short for modernizing, but that would be silly on this forum, now, wouldn't it?

Thanks for the explanation, Gibson!