Re-glazing windows is pane-less

After putting away the summer garb and pulling out the winter woolens, getting ready for colder weather usually means prepping the house against leakage. Insulation and caulking are two of the first things that come to mind, but window panes that are either cracked or missing glazing and hanging on by a thread are an easy fix that can make a difference both in the inside comfort level and the dollar figure on the energy bill.

For windows that have glass held in by points and glazing, the method is the same no matter what size the window or how thick the glass. Either way, the old glass and glazing must be removed completely to create a clean 90-degree angle of perimeter edge around each pane.

If there is broken glass that needs to be removed, it's best to wear rubberized gloves and safety glasses to protect against being cut, according to Frankie Rodriguez, window repair specialist for Howells Glass Company, 114 S. Queen St. To contain mess while you're working, remove the window sash and lay it on top of a large trash can. The glass fragments fall directly into the can and you won't have to handle glass shards any more than necessary.

To get the glass into manageable pieces, etch it into sections with a glass cutter and wiggle the glass to loosen it from the remaining glazing. Often, the hardened glazing is brittle enough to break away from the wooden pane with the glass sections, according to Rodriguez. If not, the old glazing can be heated with a torch to soften it slightly and then scraped or wiggled loose. "The heat from the torch or heat gun will soften it but will also mark the frame," says Rodriguez. "But if the window trim is going to be repainted anyway, it's OK."

Working from scratch with all of the old glazing, glass and push points removed, cutting the glass is the part that usually causes anxiety. Rodriguez says that after taking the opening measurements, reduce both dimensions by 1/8 inch so the glass will fit.

"More often than not, the frames aren't square," he says, "and it's not possible to cut a sliver off if the piece is cut a little too big."

Ideally, 1/16-inch thick glass is used for single-window panes, and a 1/8-inch thick glass is used for bigger windows or door panels. Privacy glass also is standard in residential applications such as bathrooms, and bears a pattern that distorts visibility.

To keep glass from rattling and increase weatherproofing, Rodriguez "back beds" the glass. That means he applies a bead of caulk on the lip where the glass will be placed before it's glazed into place.

To cut glass, lay it on a firm surface. With even pressure, run the glass cutter once along the edge of a straight edge. Think of the score line as the open pages of a book, and the bottom side that hasn't been scored as the spine. Hinge the two sides of the glass away from the score line to complete the cut.

Glazing points, a minimum of two per side, are pushed into the vertical lip of the sash opening to hold the glass in place before finishing the installation with the glazing.