Windows & Doors for Older Houses in Beverly Hills
Window and door work for older Beverly Hills houses, flashed so water drains out of each opening, with original sashes repaired where the wood is sound.
Water gets into an old window opening in a few predictable places: the sill joint, the corners where head casing meets jamb, and any gap where putty has dried and lifted from the glass. On an older Beverly Hills house, keeping it out starts with finding which of those has already failed. We look at the paint on the sill, press on the wood below it and check the plaster or siding under each corner.
Flashing a full-frame opening
When a window is replaced back to the framing, the rough opening stands open for a short while, and that is when the water path is set. A pan goes under the new unit so any leak drains outward. Self-adhered membrane laps the sides and head in shingle order, upper layers over lower, so water always runs across a seam and never into it. The exterior trim goes back over that, and the joint at the sill gets a sealant line that can flex as the wood moves.
Keeping original sashes dry
A sash that stays in place gets attention at its weak points. Loose glazing putty is cut out and the glass is bedded again. Soft wood at the bottom rail is dug out and filled with epoxy consolidant, then shaped and primed. If the sill has flattened, its outward pitch is restored so water leaves it, and weatherstripping goes in at the meeting rail and jambs. Paint closes the end grain, where old wood takes up water fastest, and the joint below the sill is resealed.
About our Windows & Doors serviceEverything we do in Beverly Hills
Windows & Doors in Beverly Hills: common questions
Each opening is judged on its frame and sill. A square frame with a sound sill can usually be repaired with new putty, new cords and epoxy where the wood is soft. A sill rotted through, or a frame pushed out of square, points to full-frame replacement for that window.
Measurements start at the sash. We record the width of the stiles and rails, the depth of the glass in the frame and how the grille bars divide each pane. Those numbers go to the manufacturer so the new unit carries the same lines from the street, and the original exterior casing is kept where it is sound.
Window and door permits here come from the City of Beverly Hills. Full-frame replacement or a change to an opening's size needs one, and new units have to satisfy the state energy code, which the inspector confirms on site. An opening that grows may also need a new header, and that goes on the plans.
Windows & Doors in other cities
Other work we do in Beverly Hills
Talk to us about your house in Beverly Hills
Send the details and we will set up a walk-through and a written scope.