Replace Weather Stripping on Leaky Vinyl Windows

[@Know-How-Now]

You might find these other Know How Now videos about vinyl windows helpful: kzbin.info/aero/PLvce66kQTjJScYgkayF5hWHcA8t_JuUC_ There are hundreds of videos at Know How Now, subscribe so you can always find the channel…. It’s free. I always respect your time and do my best to keep the videos brief, but informative. Check out the channel with this link: www.youtube.com/@Know-How-Now/videos

[@DaveToniClaxton]

Excellent! Very articulate, thorough, descriptive step by step instructions with great video.

[@Know-How-Now]

There are several other window repair videos on the channel and many home repair videos too. Have a great day!

[@robertdunbar5854]

I didn't know anything about windows , now I do ! Excellent video. Thank you

[@Know-How-Now]

You are welcome. It took some work to get the correct size weather stripping. Considering the price of new windows it was worth the work. There are a few more videos about windows on the channel. kzbin.info/aero/PLvce66kQTjJScYgkayF5hWHcA8t_JuUC_

[@jeffP777]

Happy to like and comment for support. I subscribed because your videos helped me fix a stove burner. I like your attention to detail and explanation of process and or process of elimination. You helped me find out why my burner wasn’t working and exactly what part to order and how to install it. Thank you!

[@Know-How-Now]

Thank you for the Kudos and for your support, Jeff. I do my best to make quality videos. I've learned to take my time and try to do things correctly the first time. It's much better than having to do something a second time or worse cause a bigger problem. Hopefully my research and documentation will make the project/repair easier, successful & faster for anyone who watches the videos. Have a great day.

[@jeffP777]

Know How Now Yes it was easy because I found the infinite switch was faulty and swapped it out

[@chia-chunchung4573]

Thank you for this video. It is very helpful. Since winter is coming, I will need to replace some old weatherstripping. Your video showed exactly what to do.

[@Know-How-Now]

You are welcome!

[@Hi_mynameis_Joshua]

Thank you for this walk-thru. It's been so hard to find clear instructions!

[@Know-How-Now]

You are welcome, Joshua!

[@hoedown175]

Thank you! This was so helpful. Now I know how to move my windows so I can clean and replace the weather stripping

[@Know-How-Now]

You are welcome. It's my pleasure to help.

[@lzh3131]

Thanks for the detailed video. I was about to buy a couple of new windows. I’m going to follow your advice. I’m pretty handy.

[@Know-How-Now]

I have no regrets about replacing all of the weather stripping on my windows. Most of the work was making sure I had the correct sizes of weather stripping. I was wary about buying windows from Home Depot, that my friend, a home builder, had recommended 20 years ago. The company that owns the brand is honoring the life time warranty. I have gotten a couple of replacement sashes for windows that have leaked, the American Craftsmen brand is not the same quality as the windows I bought.

[@SabrinaRutgers]

Super helpful - makes me less nervous about DIY. thanks!

[@Know-How-Now]

You are welcome. Pulling the first old weather stripping out of the first sash was a little scary for me. It took a bit of effort to make sure that I had the correct sizes of weather stripping. For each window there were 5 different sizes. I was fortunate that the people who handled the warranty work for American Craftsman were willing to work with me. The windows work like new now. I think I will be good for another 20 years.

[@HB-yq8gy]

Thank you got the same windows. "Know How Now" tool belt Diva!

[@Know-How-Now]

I have a playlist with a few other videos about these windows: kzbin.info/aero/PLvce66kQTjJScYgkayF5hWHcA8t_JuUC_

[@chooch5728]

My replacement windows are 15 yrs or so old and leak in cold air like crazy. I wasn't sure if you could replace the weather stripping. Thanks for your video I'm going to give it a go and see if it helps.👍

[@Know-How-Now]

The tough part is going to be getting the correct size weather stripping. I was lucky to have a manufacturer that was still supporting/honoring the warranty so I could get the correct replacement stripping. I'd experiment on one window if you have to guess at the size.

[@minimemass]

Thank you. I’m going to research and attempt the replacement of stripping on all windows.

[@Know-How-Now]

I don't regret doing the work. Hopefully the company that made your windows is still in business and can help with the correct replacement parts.

[@sharigallaher5110]

You answered all the questions I had about problems I was having when trying to replace my weather stripping! It turns out mine was stapled in as well, and I couldn't figure out how to block drafts from the leaky corners. Thank you!

[@Know-How-Now]

You are welcome, Shari. It's nice to hear from you, thank you for taking the time to write. Best wishes for your window rehab.

[@naturebound1064]

Excellent video!!!

[@bandislife2004]

Beautiful windows!! Excellent work as ALWAYS!! Thank you!!

[@Know-How-Now]

Hi Rebecca! Thanks for watching the video. Have a great day.

[@marymcclelland940]

Just saw this when looking for info on weatherstripping replacement. I have the same windows and hope they are still supporting them. They do still sell American Craftsman windows at Home Depot so hoping for the best. Most of my screens have failed as has the weatherstripping. One upper and one lower sash have had the seal fail, clouding the windows. Hoping I can also get those replaced.

[@Know-How-Now]

If you are the original owner, they will send you a new sash. If you aren't, a replacement sash isn't super expensive. You'll have to transfer the latch from the old sash to the new sash. The top sash with come with a slightly different latch, already mounted. Ask them for a new one for the bottom sash. They will likely give you crap about this. I used to be able to call them directly, they were nice and honored the warranty without any hassle. Now you have to file a claim on the website. I can't decide if they are doing this to make it more difficult to make a claim or they are just incompetent. If they give you crap, try going to the Millwork (windows & doors) department at Home Depot and they might be able to help you. Always be civil, but you might have to tactfully twist their arm. I have a video that shows how to replace the screens. After you do a couple, it's not that hard. I'll give you some links. Fixing them is way cheaper than buying new ones. Link to replace screens: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fYjMoHice6xlh5I Link to make a claim: homedepot.plygemwindows.com/resources/warranty/american-craftsman-warranty/ Link to my video that talks about warranty rights: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n5DVYapjq76Nh8U Link to file a claim: homedepot.plygemwindows.com/resources/warranty/american-craftsman-warranty/

[@korbendallas4232]

Thank you for sharing.

[@Know-How-Now]

You are welcome. It was a lot of work to get the correct weather stripping. Replacing the weather stripping went quickly after I did a couple of them. I am not sorry that I did it. I think the windows will last another 15-20 years.

[@OffendingTheOffendable]

The glass sometimes has info also

[@jmacfarlan]

Great video, thank you for the inspiration to refurbish my windows. I just inspected all my windows and gave them a clean and they are working better now. Many of them had flattened weather stripping pile and so I'd like to replace them. Unfortunately they were installed by a previous owner and there were no brand or installation stickers / marking to let me know the manufacturer. I searched home depot and was surprised to not find any replacement weather stripping pile. I just got lots of Frost King products that didn't see the right thing. Any idea where I can BUY the pile weather stripping? perhaps it goes by another name? Thanks!

[@Know-How-Now]

Hi James, if you have any window manufacturers in your area, the local contractors may buy from them. There are companies that sell window/door hardware. You might try Swisco, here's a link to their website www.swisco.com/cl/Door_Window-Replacement-Hardware Best wishes for the window rehab.

[@BMETFerg]

What immediate benefit would a homeowner notice by replacing the aging weather stripping?

[@Know-How-Now]

Stopping air leaks from the old stripping. Some of my weather stripping crumbled into dust when I removed it.

[@tiger7199]

Thanks for the info. The company I purchased my vinyl windows from 18 years ago is now defunct. I'm getting some condensation on one of the windows and I think it's the weatherstripping around the window. I was wondering if I can find a replacement weatherstrip at my local hardware store.

[@Know-How-Now]

If the condensation is inside the pane, the window's glass is likely leaking. You can replace the glass if you are mechanically inclined. If you are not real handy, if you have a local company that makes windows, they might repair it for you. You would have to remove the sash and take to them. Below is a link to a website that sells window parts. They may be able to help you get the correct size weather stripping. I can tell you that the weather stripping on my widows that was a little over 20 years old crumbled as I removed it. IMHO, the window stripping has a life span around 20 years, depending upon your climate and how much sun exposure. I feel it was worth replacing the weather stripping on my windows. www.swisco.com/?gclid=CjwKCAiAwrf-BRA9EiwAUWwKXh6qxTk65Nsz-gHLErvU8fOLvk2UM0AFq7uqzpgNja5x4U6p7mq31xoCFM4QAvD_BwE

[@tiger7199]

@@Know-How-Now ok thanks a lot. The window is shorter and slides horizontally. I can see now where the two windows meet in the center. There is a strip of fuzzy weatherstripping. I think they call it "widow weatherstrip pile" that where the condinsation starts and runs vertically where the two windows meet. I think that fuzzy pile strip needs replaced to seal again. Do you think I can find that type of weatherstrip pile? I'll check out the link you gave me. Is that what they call that kind of stripping? Do you know? Thx for your help.

[@tiger7199]

Yes it looks like they do have the pile weatherstripping. I'll have to measure mine and see if I can find the replacement for that. I'm pretty sure that is where the window is leaking cold air in causing the condensation. Thank you for your help.

[@Know-How-Now]

You are welcome. Best wishes for the repair.

[@thaitichi]

Why did they add the 2 sticky pieces at 8:32, and what are "chimney blocks" ?

[@Know-How-Now]

The sticky pieces with the high pile add an extra seal between the bottom & top sash where there isn't the "lock rail"... not sure what that is called. For sure mine originally didn't have those. Most of my chimney blocks were missing. I have no idea why. The chimney blocks stop any air coming up through the tracks for the bottom sashes.

[@kenweiss6720]

I had 29 double-hung vinyl replacement windows installed 24 years ago. They are high-quality windows made by Thermal Industries which have gone out of business. 2 of the windows are now leaking. One is leaking at the left corner of the bottom sash. The other is leaking at the right corner of the bottom sash. What is the likely cause of the leaks and how can I repair them myself. I have changed balances and shoes but am in uncharted waters when it comes to window leaks as they never leaked till now. Thanks, Ken

[@Know-How-Now]

I would guess that the weather stripping on the bottom of the sashes is starting to fail. Two of my windows are around the age of yours. When I pulled the weather stripping (the brush type) out of the channels there was a lot of dust... the stripping was crumbling. It is likely that your windows are close to this condition. It's a shame the manufacturer is out of business. You might experiment on one window and try to identify the weather stripping sizes. If you have success, do the rest. It will be hard to do because it is crushed. On my windows the stiles (sides) were all the same size. The rest of the stripping was a different size. Try Swissco www.swisco.com/?gclid=CjwKCAjw2vOLBhBPEiwAjEeK9tDDzeASu_kjI8Ph5IUwJfsj9jkonV2o7MXG_0soclUaJvIFy1hhSBoC0fQQAvD_BwE

[@kenweiss6720]

@@Know-How-Now Thanks for the reply. The water leaks occurred three months ago when a hard-driving easterly rain occurred. Thanks for the Swisco recommendation I ordered wool pile insulation for the sides of the windows. However, there were no further water leaks for 3 months. Out of sight out of mind. But that does not mean the problem went away. I had another hard-driving easterly rain about a week ago. And this time I had water leaks from 3 windows. While the company is out of business, and the 20-year warranty expired over 5 years ago I called the installer who is still in business. He came over, opened the bottom sash, and poured water into the sill below the window, and sure enough, the water came out of the weep holes. Since the weep holes were not clogged he said he did not know the cause of the leaks and since the windows are 25 years old he is recommending replacement with Okna 2 tone (brown in front, white inside) double hung vinyl replacement windows. He did not do other water tests. I said maybe it is the wool pile weatherstripping. He opened the tilt locks and tilted the bottom sash to show me there were two columns of pile weatherstrips on each side. He said there was no way water could get through that. I can shine a flashlight from outside in and you can easily see the light come through both columns. So maybe changing the two columns on each side would prevent water leaks. I contacted Swisco and they said it might stop the water coming through. However,. Swisco said it is possible changing the weatherstripping would stop water and air leaks. But it might not work if the window was too warped. I notice on some of these old windows that the weatherstripping space on each side varies from 1/16 to 1/4 of an inch. I don't know if that is too warped? It is rather cold right now and I prefer holding off changing the weatherstripping to the spring. In the interim, I called a window repair company. They said over the phone they could change the window seals and that would stop the leaks. I don't understand what that means. Maybe he means changing the bubble weatherstripping below the bottom sash. So, right now the problem is still puzzling me. If someone (not a salesman) can prove to me they are not repairable, I will order replacement windows as needed. Until that point, I will keep trying to figure this out. Thanks for your advice and for listening to me rattle on.

[@Know-How-Now]

It sounds like you are getting some unclear/conflicting advice. I'd be asking myself, if there hasn't been a problem for so many years, what has changed? I would wait for a warm day and spray the window with a hose and have someone on the inside watching or maybe tape some paper on the inside seam to see where it gets wet. I'd think if the window could warp that would have happened way earlier in it's life. The windows are usually screwed in on the sides, so maybe a screw was driven in too tight during install and now the weather stripping is failing? Best wishes and it would be great if you can let us know the solution if you find it. I love when people write details like yours. I'm sure it helps people who read the comments. Thanks for sharing.

[@kenweiss6720]

@@Know-How-Now Hi again. Two window repairmen came by. They thought the pile weatherstripping gap on each side of the window was too wide allowing rain to get in. But they said the pile weatherstripping on the sides was fine. So they shimmed the window sides to narrow the gaps. A month later I had driving April rains and once again I had leaks coming inside the house from the bottom two corners of the front support lip (this lip secures the front of the bottom sash along with the rear support lip) both of which secures the bottom sash when the lower sash is fully closed..I called a different window repair company. They tested the weep holes which worked. But they said too much water was accumulating in the support channel holding the bottom of the lower sash. That support channel has a vertical one-inch lip on the front and a half-inch lip on the back of this channel to give the bottom window sash extra support and security when you fully close the window. On each side of that channel is a weep hole opening channeling the water to the actual weep holes in the back of the window and away from the house. But during heavy rains, the support channel cannot handle the overflow and it leaks into the house. Their idea is to put two overflow holes in the back lip of the channel to divert water directly out the back of the window while still allowing most of the water to flow out of the side openings of the support channel en route to the weep holes. They said if that did not work changing the bottom two bubble weatherstripping seals may prevent water overflow into the house interior. Your thoughts on their proposed solutions. Thanks

[@Know-How-Now]

I've read your note a few times. Without seeing the situation it's not fair for me to try to second guess the window repair company. I have a fuzzy idea of the problem. If their solution is not expensive it's worth a try. The thing that keeps coming up in my mind, is what has changed to cause the 2 windows to leak? It doesn't make sense that why now can't the support channel handle the water? The design worked fine for many years. Water is a funny thing, and it's hard to know the path it's taking to get inside. Could it be getting inside another way? I understand why you don't want to replace the windows until you are sure there is not a fix. Did you try spraying the window with a garden hose? You could direct the spray at specific spots.

[@trankt54155]

Do you know if they sell aftermarket weather strips for the vinyl windows? The windows in my house have been there for 20+ years (all vinyl windows from Nusash) and the feathery weather strips all look frayed and some are even missing and needless to say air gets in....also, some of the double glass panes have condensation that is trapped and would not evaporate. I tried to repair them but it looks like the double glass pieces are sandwiched with black polyurethane adhesive after removing the apparatus and breaking a few brittle beads. I have not attempted to remove the sandwiched glass pieces so I could clean out the watery condensation for fear that I might break the glass and that would leave me stranded with broken glass...Have you tried to REPAIR the double glass pane? Thanks for your reply.

[@Know-How-Now]

When I talked to the American Craftsman rep about warranty parts, they told me to try Swisco for parts that are no longer supported. I've never had to use Swisco, let us know how it works out. Link to website www.swisco.com/cl/Door_Window-Replacement-Hardware I have not replaced the double glass on any of the windows. I have a leaky pane that may not be under warranty and plan to replace it. I was hoping to fix it this Fall, but I am not sure it will get to the top of the do to list.

[@trankt54155]

@@Know-How-Now Thank you for your reply. Two pivot points were also broken due to metal fatigue because the old ones were zinc cast and the lower sash would not stay up. I looked all over but could not find replacement parts (including Swisco) and started checking Craigslist to see if people would throw away similar vinyl windows when they replace them---no luck---and so it was time to improvise. I browed around in Home Depot and luckily came across shelf supports that have a rod machine stamped and are heavy duty that could support the weight of the sash (and it is heavy---made 20+ yrs ago). Talking about luck.....I just had to make some changes like drilling holes, straightening the S shape to L shape, etc. but heavy duty enough to serve the purpose....It was like 25 cents a piece (8 piece for 2 bucks). . I even started thinking about bending metal sheet and machine tooling for parts, can you believe it?

[@trankt54155]

@@Know-How-Now I tried to do search to contact the company but all I got is ads and more ads for window replacement. I am thinking of buying JUST the sash to replace or do REPAIR...but if I get pissed enough and can afford I would just replace the entire window AND GO WITH A NEW COMPANY that has phone number(s) and way to contact them. I think NuSash is just a manufacturer and does not stand behind its warranty and so makes it impossible for the buyers to do follow up contact since contact info. is not available. You sound like you have a good vibe with American Craftsman. Lots of manufacturers nowadays don't care about customers because they know their products aren't that great (aka crappy) and once the products are sold....their hands are washed.....

[@Know-How-Now]

That's a very cleaver remedy. I've roamed the isles of the hardware store looking for alternative solutions for repair parts too. lol.

[@Know-How-Now]

I don't know how long the good support for American Craftsman Windows will last. Not too long ago Anderson sold American Craftsman brand to Plygem. I got my parts soon after the transition happened, so who knows if Plygem is going to keep that level of support. Before I make a large purchase, I try to call the company that I am buying from. If they are hard to contact or have crappy customer service, I stay away. Sorry to hear you got stuck with a trunk slammer window company. In general, replacement windows are not too hard to install. A friend (He's a pro and has been in the building trade all of his life) and I replaced 11 of them in about 5 hours.

[@kurelgyer]

Did you staple the new weather stripping?

[@Know-How-Now]

I did not staple it and have had no problems. Interestingly not all of the stripping was stapled. I think just the stiles (sides.. and the stapling was not on every window... lazy, sloppy work?) I do regularly open and close the windows too. IMHO, getting the correct sizes of weather stripping is key. I was lucky that the manufacturer is still in business, made good on the life time warranty and sent me the correct sizes. All the sizes were shipped in one box without labeling. It took some time to sort out the sizes and match them up with the existing stripping in the windows. If you don't have this kind of support, proceed with care. Maybe try one window first.

[@kurelgyer]

@@Know-How-Now Hmph. I'm not trying to replace mine. But the manufacturer installed strips on the sides don't always move with the window when opening / closing. They slide out of the tracks ☹️

[@Know-How-Now]

Have you tried to contact the manufacturer? It might be covered by warranty. Maybe the wrong size was used. If you don't have warranty coverage you might try putting a wider "t" size in the tracks. The staples were really tiny and I'm sure a pneumatic staple gun was used to put them in place. On other thought maybe a very tiny nail can be hammered through the strip.

[@danielroden9424]

thanks for sharing!

[@Know-How-Now]

You are welcome. It took more time to research/get the correct weather stripping than to replace it. It took a few phone calls to American Craftsman to figure out what I needed and how much. They sent me everything I needed for free (Lifetime warranty). I think that I will get another 20 years out of the windows. It was worth the time spent replacing the weather stripping.