The wood window replacement advantages of Heirloom Windows are unlike any other available on the market today. At Heirloom Windows we offer unique product solutions, such as our Ultima Windows, that combine highly efficient and ultra thin Spacia Vacuum Insulated Glass and extremely durable rot resistant Accoya wood. The use of thin Spacia glass allows to recreate deep and rich sash window profiles that are historically accurate and virtually indistinguishable from the original window while eliminating the need to modify the existing window jamb.
The advantages of the use of vacuum insulated glass over the use of regular insulated glass is the thickness. Replacement windows with regular insulated glass in historic homes require jamb modification as well as jamb liners to install the replacement sash system. Vacuum insulated glass is thin enough to install within the existing jamb and incorporate deep millwork sash profiles only found in historic windows.
Learn MoreWe create long lasting and maintenance free windows through incorporating the use of Accoya wood in each of our designs. Sustainably sourced Accoya wood carries a 50 year warranty and is rot resistant, experiences minimal swelling and shrinking, and lowers energy costs compared to traditional wood windows.
Learn MoreSince window "manufacturing" (as opposed to on site fabrication) began in the United States, a great deal of standardization has occurred. There is always the oddball out there, but for the most part, from around 1865 onward, there have only been a handful of predominant sash molding profiles. By far, the most common has been the "Roman Ogee" and therefore this is our standard profile with others optional.
The importance of shadow lines and the appearance of depth can't be stressed enough when it comes to purchasing historically accurate wood replica windows. The perception of depth is a very important aesthetic characteristic and one that sets traditional windows apart from those that are more contemporary. Many contemporary windows have almost no offset between the glass surface and the exterior plane of the sash surface, creating an uninteresting "flat" look. We create depth through the use of Spacia Vacuum insulated glass and other unique design details.
Learn MoreThere are a number of ways to achieve maintenance free, but few that can be made to look indistinguishable from an original solid wood sash frame. The main challenges are a) making water tight joints b) recreating a glazing system that resembles the glazing putty found in traditional sash and c) ensuring the "joinery lines" are identical to traditional sash.
Balances are an element of windows that is often taken for granted. There are a wide variety of balancing methods currently in use but the most popular among the highest quality window manufacturers is the "Constant Force Balance" (CFB) system. We choose to use the CFB system because of their simplicity - they work well forever. The CFB has no moving parts!
Learn MoreJamb liners have such a contemporary appearance and are typically made from standard formula PVC. They are essentially un-paintable and therefore inappropriate for many of our customer color schemes. Our historically accurate Ultima Windows incorporate thin vacuum insulated glass and install without a jamb liner. Our Magnum window uses a jamb liner of sorts, it is minimal and inconspicuous, and paintable so that it virtually disappears into the window frame.
Our windows are designed with the historic time tested standard, mortise and tenon joinery. The strongest of joinery methods since the wood fibers are continuous. A mortise is a slot or trough, usually in the edge of a piece of wood. If it's toward the end of a piece of wood it can be open on the end "open mortise" or not (closed mortise). A tenon is a tongue of sorts on the end of a board. It's made by removing stock from either side of the tongue leaving shoulders.
Learn MoreHeirloom windows can be configured as standard, arch top, round top, Gothic arch and/or with unequal sized upper and lower sash. Likewise, they can be ordered with any conceivable muntin configuration and even the muntins can be ordered to specific widths to match your current units.
We have designed Heirloom windows to be installed by a moderately skilled and confident Do-It-Yourselfer, or a contractor. We provide detailed instructions and tech support accessible, by phone or e-mail. Quite honestly, almost anyone who can read a tape measurer and has the proper tools can do it.
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