Old windows, kept working
Window repair in Philadelphia, written for rowhouses and older homes
Most of the windows in a Philadelphia rowhouse can be repaired one part at a time. This guide explains what is fixable, what to ask, and how to reach a local window installer when you are ready.
- Fixes for sticking, rattling and painted-shut wood sash
- Local rules for historic districts and lead paint in older homes
- A plain look at when repair is enough and when it is not
Why so many Philadelphia windows are worth repairing
Philadelphia is a city of brick rowhouses, and a large share of the older ones still have double-hung wood sash windows, the kind where an upper and a lower sash slide past each other in a frame. Those windows were built from solid, old-growth wood that you rarely see in new products, and almost every part of them can be freed, re-corded, re-glazed or rebuilt without touching the rest.
- Rowhouse layout
- An interior rowhouse shares side walls with its neighbors, so the windows are on the front and back only. That makes each window count for light and airflow, and it is one reason a stuck sash is such a daily annoyance.
- Historic review
- The Philadelphia Historical Commission reviews exterior work, including windows seen from the street, on properties on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places. The Commission generally prefers repair of original windows over replacement.
- Lead-safe work
- If your house was built before 1978, the painted wood around a window may contain lead. Federal EPA rules require lead-safe work practices from certified firms when repair work disturbs that paint.
- Who the permits go through
- Building permits in the city come from the Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I). Plain repair of an existing window is different from changing an opening, so ask your installer which applies.
What is your window doing?
Pick the symptom that sounds like your window. Each answer points to the usual cause and the usual repair.
Most often the sash is painted into the frame or swollen from humidity. A repair crew scores the paint lines, frees the sash, sands and waxes the channels, and checks that the stops are not set too tight.
Loose sash, worn weatherstripping and failed glazing putty are the usual causes. Bronze or vinyl weatherstripping and a snug stop bead often fix the rattle and cut the draft without new windows.
Individual panes can be replaced. Old putty that has dried and fallen away lets the glass move; re-glazing with new putty or glazing compound, then painting, seals it again.
Press a screwdriver tip into the bottom rail and sill. If it sinks in, the wood is rotting. Small areas can be cut out and filled with epoxy or a wood patch; badly rotted sash are rebuilt or replaced individually.
That is a failed sealed unit, found in newer double-pane windows. Those cannot be repaired in place. The sealed glass unit is replaced, often without replacing the whole window.
How a repair request works here
- Send the short formGive your name, ZIP code and a phone number or email, and add a line about the window problem.
- A local installer reaches outThe installer may call or email to ask a few questions and to set up a look at the windows.
- Get a written scopeAsk for the work to be listed window by window, with materials and who handles painting and lead-safe cleanup.
- You decideCompare it with any other estimate. There is no obligation, and this site does not do the work itself.
Questions to ask any repair installer
- Are you registered as a home improvement contractor with the Pennsylvania Attorney General, and can I see the registration number?
- Do you carry liability insurance and workers' compensation, and will you send proof?
- Is your firm EPA lead-safe certified for work in a house built before 1978?
- Will the contract be in writing, list each window, and state who removes and reinstalls sash?
- If the house is in a historic district, have you worked with Historical Commission review before?
Common questions
Can old wood windows in a Philadelphia rowhouse really be repaired?
Usually yes. Sash cords, glazing, weatherstripping, loose joints and small areas of rot are all routine repairs. Sash that are rotted through, or frames that have moved because of a structural problem, are the cases where individual replacement is considered.
Is repair cheaper than replacement?
It depends on the condition of the windows and how many you have. Repair of a few windows is often less than full replacement, but a house with many badly rotted windows can change that math. Ask for repair and replacement estimates side by side.
Do I need a permit to repair a window in Philadelphia?
Plain repair of an existing window often does not, but work that changes an opening, the frame or the structure can. Properties on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places have additional review. Confirm with L&I or the Historical Commission before work starts.
Does this site do the repairs?
No. It is an information site that connects homeowners with a local window installer. It is not a contractor.