With many homeowners wanting to keep their vintage windows and find answers to the inefficiency of their windows, Chosen has developed a new mobile workshop to replace single pane glass with one-piece double pane insulated and energy efficient glass. This new system uses the existing old growth fir sash and keeps the inside vintage profile of these old windows in place.

Owner, Vern Forrest, using his new system to remove the needed wood on the outside of a sash to receive the new double pane glass in his new mobile workshop.

Sash after the needed wood on the outside has been removed. It is ready for the new insulated, energy-efficient glass panel.

Original sash.

Sash after the new glass was installed and wood trim that takes the place of standard glazing was applied

With Chosen’s new system all muttons are kept in place. From the inside of the sash the window still has all the original elements. After a small amount of wood has been removed from the outside of the sash and the new double pane glass has been inserted the divided look is duplicated with fir muttons, completing the look on the outside of the window. Weather-stripping is added to eliminate noise and drafts. Weights and cords can still be used or one can upgrade to vinyl jamb liners with tilt-in sash for easy cleaning.

With this option, the weight and cord well can be filled with insulation to decrease heat loss. To complete the finished look on the outside of the sash, fir strips are used to mimic the look of glazing compound. The wood can be painted and will last for years.

There are a few options for window replacement. One is to insert pine, vinyl, or fiberglass but all require removal of the original fir sash. Another option is to install aluminum storm windows. If you wish to keep the divided light windows with the vinyl, pine, or fiberglass, you will have to pay more to retain the vintage look.

In 1985 Chosen’s owner Vern Forrest started his business specializing in auto glass, mirrors, and residential glass. “As seal failure of insulated glass in aluminum windows developed, this became our primary service,” claims Forrest.

In the early ‘90s Chosen was asked to provide warranty fulfillment work for a major manufacture of wood windows. Although these windows were less than 10 years old they found dry rot in the wood components when replacing new glass. Developing a system to replace the rotted elements, the company gained an exemplary reputation for rebuilding wood windows. Chosen has an inventory of over 100 original profiles to match major manufacturers’ window and door components.

In 1998 Chosen launched into direct marketing of wood window maintenance and emerged as Chosen Wood Window Maintenance, Inc. Over the next seven years it has become the largest caretaker of wood windows in the greater Portland metropolitan area. Chosen has several service crews using mobile onsite mini woodshops that provide fast replacement. If your windows are damaged, Chosen also offers reproduction of sash, dry rot repair, and glass replacement.

For a free evaluation of your wood windows call 503-266-3830 in Oregon or 888-317-7584 in Washington. For more information about Chosen Wood Window Maintenance, Inc. logon to www.Chosenwwm.com.