Our Weathervane Wood Window Repair Process

First, a little background...

Weathervane Wood Windows were the window of choice in the Seattle/Metro area during the housing boom of the 80’s and 90’s. The windows featured an original, sealed sash window pane designed to be long lasting and resist the Northwest weather. And in a way, they actually succeeded as the sealed sash units with standard poly seal spacers have actually outlasted most contemporary wood windows of more convention "wood-stop" design. For homeowners of Weathervane Wood Windows that are older than 20 years,  however, they have a poor reputation as the homeowners find all their windows turning hazy and foggy with failed seals. (Pozzi Wood Windows share an almost identical sealed sash design as Weathervane Wood Windows - with the identical lifespan and problems. Our Signature Repair Service works just as well on the Pozzi Window sashes as the Weathervane sashes.)

In our opinion, Weathervane's poor reputation is not entirely deserved. On the whole, the lifespan of well maintained Weathervane Wood Windows have averaged around 20-25 years here in the Northwest. That is nearly double the lifespan we see with the currently popular (and cheap) vinyl windows being used in all new construction. Imagine how the homeowners with windows only 6-10 years old feel about all their foggy, failing double pane vinyl windows...then discovering they have no warranty!

Two Types of Weathervane Wood Windows

There are two basic design types of Weathervane windows:

1. Sealed Sash: These have a wood sash that cups the entire double-pane glass unit (Integrated Glass Unit) and then the sash is screwed into the window frame. The banner image at the top of this page is an example of a sealed sash Weathervane window. 
2. Wood Stopped: This is the more conventional wood window design, where the double pane IGU is seated directly into the wood window frame and then "stopped" in with narrow strips of wood.

Why Are My Weathervane Windows All Foggy?

One thing to remember about windows  is that they are like roofs...they age and wear and eventually need replacing. And just like a roof, windows need maintenance and care. The most common cause of double pane window failure is simply sunlight (heat). That's why you'll notice that the first Weathervane (or ANY window) Wood Windows in your home to fail will be the ones that get the most direct sunlight on a regular basis. The second major cause of early Weathervane Window pane failure is moisture penetration. Lack of maintenance caulking where the exterior glass meets the wood stop is a common issue we see every day. And last, even if you've done everything right, window components eventually simply age and wear out. 

The first indication of a Weathervane failed window seal is usually a swirling blue haze along the sides or top of a window. Another sign is visible condensation, fog or crystal deposits on the inner glass surfaces. 

With an average lifespan of 20-25 years for Weathervane and Pozzi wood windows, the vast majority of homeowners in the Seattle/Metro and Eastside areas face the daunting task of replacing or fixing all their foggy home windows. Thankfully, Procare Window & Door has a solution to fit every homeowners budget! While other window replacement companies will try to sell you full window replacement, Procare Window & Door offers a quick, easy and quality  foggy window fix; our custom designed Signature Weathervane Window Repair Service. 

Our Signature Weathervane Window Repair Service

We have three repair options for Seattle homeowners with foggy, failed Weathervane Windows, listed in order from least expensive to most.

1. Glass Replacement Only: If your Weathervane or Pozzi wood frames and sashes are in good condition, with little to no wood rot, then our Glass Replacement option will save you thousands of dollars over full window replacement - while still offering all the benefits of modern energy efficient Low-E, etc. This option keeps your existing sash frames so the stain and paint still matches. Some touch up painting may still be required. 
2. Sash Replacement: Replace the glass and wood sash in one quick, easy, no-mess step with our better-than-exact-replica sashes. This mid-priced option is useful when your existing sashes are no longer in great condition. New sashes are available pre-primed or bare and require staining and/or painting.
3. Full Window Replacement: Sometimes, when the window frames are too far gone, or maybe you just want a different window configuration in that room, we can replace your existing Weathervane or Pozzi Wood windows with new windows that match your existing wood windows. Lindal Windows offers high quality wood windows that closely match your existing Weathervane Wood Windows. See our Wood Window Replacement page to learn more.

The best news?  We can mix and match any of these options to suit your home's window replacement needs for a truly custom, low cost solution to your Weathervane Wood Window foggy windows. Living room window frame has extensive rot? Full window replacement there. Two bedroom sashes rotting? Sash Replacement there. Rest of the window frames and sashes in the house in good condition? Glass Replacement Only! 

Procare Window & Door can match your existing inner grids (or remove them entirely, change style/color/etc), add high energy performance Low-E to reduce fading and heating bills, and even suggest bronse-colored internal spacers to add an elegant touch to your upgraded Weathervane Windows.

Common Weathervane Window Problems

The following issues are common to Weathervane (and Pozzi) Wood Windows. Procare Window & Door has solutions to each of them.

• Internal grids as thick as the inner airspace: This does not allow internal air circulation and actually creates a poorly insulated window as heat loss has a direct line: glass-metal-glass.
• Square Inner Grids: The original square internal grids are difficult for some companies to match.
• Water Penetration Leading to Rot: Lack of maintenance by the homeowners—particularly an issue on wood-stop windows.
• Sealed sash construction: A common design feature with most Weathervane and Pozzi wood windows makes it difficult to replace just the double pane glass unit. Only a few glass replacement companies have the ability or knowledge to replace them.
• Made of Soft Pine: Frames and sashes made of pine instead of fir. Pine is a soft, wide grained wood that is more prone to rot if not properly maintained
• Improper installation: A common installation mistake by builders was placing window frames directly upon a brick foundation without proper flashing.

Our Signature Weathervane Solutions

1. Matching Grids: We can match your Weathervane's internal grids, or better yet, upgrade them to a thinner grid that allows inner air circulation (and thus better insulation) while still looking nearly identical to the originals.
2. Replace Just The Glass: If your frames and sashes are free of rot, we have a custom designed solution for just replacing the double pane glass units so you retain the original frames and any painting or staining is very minimal. This is the cheapest, most common option.
3. Replace Just The Sash: If a sash has dry rot or you want all new wood primed for painting, we can replace just the sash and double pane glass window, leaving the original wood frames in place. This is still cheaper than full window replacement.
4. Preventative Maintenance: Caulking of all your external wood-stop windows to prevent water penetration and thus early window failure.

Procare Window & Door LLC is a licensed & insured window glass and door replacement installation contractor serving the greater Seattle/Metro/Eastside areas. Our service areas includes the greater Seattle/Metro area, as well as Lynnwood, Everett, Mukilteo, Shoreline, Edmonds, Mill Creek, Snohomish and the Eastside cities of Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland, Bothell, Woodinville, Issaquah, Sammamish, Renton and Mercer Island WA.