You invested in an old house because you adored all that naturally historical character. Yet, the windows in your old house are lacking where efficiency and function are concerned. Replacing those old windows should be a task done with great care. The wrong moves and you will lose much of that architectural charm that caused you to fall in love with your home in the first place. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when replacing windows in your old house so you don't lose its vintage appeal. 

Stick with the same window shapes. 

If you want to maintain the authenticity of your antiquated home, window shapes should remain the same, even if it costs you a bit more to achieve that feat when buying replacements. Old houses are pretty notorious for having things like transom windows, Queen Anne windows, or porthole windows in different parts of the house. If you get rid of these windows and replace them with more basic shapes and styles, you are going to detract from that old charm that your home boasts to onlookers. For instance, taking down porthole windows in the bathroom may add more natural light, but from the outside, the house will lose the vintage charm that window offered. 

Don't change the primary material of the windows. 

Your old house most likely has wooden windows because wooden windows were the norm for many years. If you go through and pull out all of these old windows and have modern vinyl windows installed, this will drastically change what the home looks like. It is a far better idea to stick with the same kind of window frames when replacing your old windows. The change will not be so drastic aesthetically, and your home will not go from vintage to modern in appearance with the change. 

Consider refinishing the windows that you can. 

No matter how you look at it, new windows are not the same as the ones that were built a long time ago. They may function the same, but many of the most modern windows will look far different than their newer counterparts. To maintain the integrity of your older home, don't just go out and get all new replacement windows for every unit; it may actually be possible for some of them to be revamped. Old wooden windows that still have good panes and have been well-built can be refinished. 

Contact a replacement window service for more help.

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