Window replacement-tricks for mobile homes?

[ponch37300]

I need to replace one window for sure, has a crack in it. Might end up doing more to try and get some energy savings but we'll see how the first one goes.

The house is a ten year old 80x16 single wide and the window is a 30x60 single hung double pain window. Outside is vinyl siding and the J channel is built into the window, great for new construction but not so great when replacing! And I believe there is some sort of fiber board for the outside sheathing but not 100% positive.

I have hung windows before in new construction and done some replacement windows so that part isn't hard for me. Just wondering if there is any tricks to replacing the window since the nailing flange is under the siding. Can I just unlock and take the nails out of the siding for about a foot all the way around the window while I do the replacement and then put the siding back together? I bought the repair manual from mobilehomerepair but it shows replacement on a really old home, didn't really help to much for my situation. Anything else to consider when dealing with a mobile home vs. stick framed houses?

I am going to see what HD or lowes or menards has to offer for windows. Does anyone know if a 30x60 is a common size or going to need to be special ordered? I found one mobile home repair site online that has them for 172 plus shipping, I haven't had the chance to shop around so not really sure if that is a good price or not.

One last thing, I think my windows aren't that good, can hear sound pretty easy threw them and they get pretty cold in the winter. Pretty sure a lot of heat gets out threw them in the winter. When taking the inside trim off the window I noticed there was no insulation between the window jamb and the R.O. framing, and the jamb was just held in by the inside trim-no shims or anything. I did notice "great stuff" foam insulation, looks like they sprayed it around the rough opening right before drywalling it, trying to seal the drywall to the rough opening framing. Is this the correct way to do this? I have always installed the window and then jambed it out and used spray foam between the jamb and R.O. framing, and then caulked between the jamb and the window. I guess the way they did it it is sealed but just seems like it could be done better?

Thanks for any advice on this, if it's not to bad of a job I think I'm going to do it this weekend if they have windows in stock, want to get it done before it gets cold and the vinyl isn't flexable anymore and will crack.

[Greg]

Well Ponch, November is not the best time to do windows but... I have my doubts that you will find a stock window that size but you might get lucky. If you do go with a stock size you may want to go a little larger it's easier to open it up a little than fill it in. You will need to open up the siding as you said.

Take a close look at the frames for any sign of rot.

JD has done lots of windows perhaps he will offer up some advice as well. Greg

[JD]

Yeah, you could try to just loosen the siding. You may need to loosen the siding back 3' - 4' or so to keep from stressing out the siding and attached nails. You will need to have enough room to use a screw gun or nail puller. I usually take off full panels and just reinstall them. It is important to mark the wall where each panel was before removing them. If you get out of line, getting that last piece to zip together is very difficult. Actually, it is always difficult but it can get worse! Sometimes you have to close up the repair with screws. If you do, get stainless pan head screws and predrill the siding with a bit bigger than the threads of the screw, to allow for expansion and contraction.

While you have your siding off or held back, install Tite-Seal or other underlayment/flashing tape to the rough opening. This will protect the wood if there is a leak in the future. Then use the same flashing tape over the nail fin if the window has one.

[joedirt63]

i'm not expert but i did one window on my 14x60, with new construction window. i was able to pull the corner channel off the edge and slide enough of the sideing out from the window frame to gain access to the STAPELS lots and lots of staples long one too, sheeeeesh. best to cut them in half and pull with side cutting pliers, well thats how i did it, i used this butal type metal faced flashing over the nail strip and spray foamed the gaps, found a trick. when foaming the gap wrap plastic around the inner frame. this way when the foam expands it may ooze out onto the frame, with the plastic it will peal off .another thing is you won't need j channel with the new window. i did one this spring and so far so good ,big test is this winter, pa winters are just as bad as up state new york.

[joedirt63]

home depot has new construction,vinle and anderson wood. i have 3 30x56 windows and they have 3000 series for about 160. bucks they're not the best but they stock alot of them. anderson they stock too but they're 200 plus a pop. to get in store stock you may have to adjust the rough opening size, greg always says ,and i agree go larger. it's easier to take away than to add, but you may have to close the hole up a bit. the window i did is smaller. i went from 30x54 to 30x41, but i had extra vinle sideing to fill in with,pluse i was doing sheet rock on that wall anyway. double dutch hard to find a match,most of the sideing was hung by j clips rather than nailed or screwed,witch is why they probably slide so easy.

[ponch37300]

Went to homedepot and the closest they had in stock was 30x56 or 58, don't remember. Didn't ask about special order but figured it would be a lot. Went to menards and they had a 30x60 crestline in stock for 165! I'm not sure but it looks really similar to the one in there now. I was just looking to see what they had and had to pick the kids up from school so didn't look to hard, just happy they have them in stock.

I am going to go this weekend and pick one up and get it in before it gets to cold, was around 50 today so not to bad to be working outside.

JD, when you say to use titeseal on the window opening do you mean basically just covering the wood so if water gets in it won't rot? I have used the rubber flashing on the nailing flange before, I run a bead of caulk behind the flange and then nail the window in and then use the rubber stuff to cover the flanges.

Thanks for the advice everyone!

[rookie35]

Hey Ponch,
Isn't already cold up there in Wisconsin?
IMO, I would insulate the outside of the window with either more great stuff or stuff it with fiberglass and just get a glass cut, remove that plastic molding holding the window in place, scrape out old silicone and resilicone and set new pane in and put new molding in. Alot easier and cheaper.. Just my opinion.

[JD]

Ponch. Yes, that is basically it. I didn't mention the caulking because I was talking about the flashing. Sounds like it is used like your rubber. But the Tite-seal, which is similar to a bunch of other brands works very well and is cheap. $10 a roll or so. It is peel n stick and very sticky.

When it comes to ordering the window size, I would pay the extra $50 - $70 to get a window that fit the hole as it exists. That is just way too easy! If you have rotted framing and you are going to strip it down and replace stuff, then you might as well go standard size and save the money. But for the difference in price, I would not take down walls and reframe just to replace the window.

JMO

[ponch37300]

Thanks for the advice JD,

I think we are talking about the same thing, a roll of what I call rubber that is self sticking on one side. Before that stuff I put a bead of caulk behind the nailing flange so even with the rubber flashing on top of the nail flange I still run a bead of caulk behind just for backup!

As for the window I found an exact replacement at menards. It's a crestline which doesn't get that high of reviews but they only one I found that was an exact fit. I don't see a name on my current windows but they look really similar. Was hoping to get something a little nicer but will go with crestline since it's the only exact fit without special order. Also I don't plan on replacing all the windows anytime soon so don't think one good window would make much difference.

Thanks for all the advice everyone. Had some car repairs come up this week and some other things so didn't get a chance to do the window like I had hoped, it is almost 60 degrees today so would have been a perfect day. Will see how the weather is next weekend and if it's not to cold I will do it then. The cold weather doesn't bother me and can send the woman shopping for the day but just don't want to start cracking the vinyl siding.

[joedirt63]

this is my first window project,and the newly painted sideing. wanted to make window smaller,from 30x56 to 30x40 ,planing on putting another in the side between the houses gets the morning sun on that side.

[Mark440]

After freezing my butt off for the last 5 winters, I am replacing every single one of these aluminum frame, single pane windows. Of course, not one of them is a stock size except at a mobile home parts dealer - and their pricing is formidable.

Home Depot and Lowe's both offer custom ordering for just about the same price as you'd pay for the stock sizes. I ended up getting 10 of the 11 windows from Home Depot at $145 each - but had to order the kitchen window from Lowe's due to its size. And - the best part - ALL of them qualified for the tax credit!!

Luckily, all of my windows had the nail fin on the outside of the exterior siding. While two of the original windows were nailed in - all the rest were screwed in. I am still cussing over all those nails.....!

Best advice I can give if your going to order 'custom' windows:

1> Measure twice - maybe even three times. Check it, double check it. Then have somebody else check it.
2> Group the windows by rough size - then remove one for each group and measure the rough opening - height, width, and diagonal. Thankfully, mine were pretty darned square - but there were definitely differences in the elevations.
3> If your current windows have nail fins - and you can get to them easily - buy new construction windows. That nail fin is a blessing!

When you get ready to install:

1> Wait till it gets cold outside. You'll move a bit faster - and other inhabitants are more likely to lend hand to quickly close up the gaping hole in the wall!!
1> Make sure you don't have any rotted out boards - fix as needed.
2> Remove the old window ... and then slip the new window into place - using just a couple screws to hold loosely in place - or a pair of hands to do the same. Now go inside and shim it so that it is level - and try to match elevations with adjacent windows without having to put undo force on any corner or section of the window.
3> Take the window out, nail down the shims so they stay in place, and then caulk the living hell around the outside. I did a very thick layer to compensate for the faux wood grain siding. I applied directly to the siding covering the first full half-inch or so around the rough opening.
4> Next, I set the window into place by putting the bottom in first (at an angle) and then sliding it rest of the way in gently at the top. A couple quick screws on the sides pulled it in fairly well.
5> The FIRST important test.... IF caulking isn't oozing out the nail fin holes - you need more caulking! If the caulking is good - screw it down all the way around.

6> On the inside, I put backer rod in first - and put it in pretty quick so that it butts up against that wet caulking. Use a size that fits in easily - but not loosely. If you have to jam it in - its too big. Home Depot has got different sizes with the window/door insulation stuff. After the backer rod, I put in regular pink insulation - and again...don't jam it in. You should be able to just kind of poke it in around the edges. (Note - if you're doing vinyl's, and you over-pack the backer rod and/or insulation - it will eventually disfigure the frame).

7> The final test: Being that none of us smokes anymore , go down to the local head shop and get some of that stick incense. Light it up - and let it get to smoking - then slowly move it around the inside edges of the window. If you have a draft...the smoke will reveal it pretty quickly. You may want to do this before you do the backer rod/insulation stuff.

8>Trim it out as you want it.

FWIW - the first window took a couple-three hours to understand all the steps. After that, it was about an hour to install each new window. Also - all of the original windows had a clay-type of gunk instead of caulking to seal them. I scraped all of it off before I put down the new caulking. Lastly - the new windows will probably set in deeper - so if you had mini-blinds or slats - they may not fit with the new windows in place.

I have 5 of mine done - and the difference in temperature control is astounding! The place still stinks from the incense - but I'll live. The other 6 are due in right after christmas. Oh - neither Home Depot or Lowe's had a "minimum" for the custom orders. Just make 100% certain you measure 100% accurately - and that YOUR measurements are indicated in the paperwork.

[Mark440]

Home Depot and Lowe's both called on the same day for the balance of the new windows. All-in-all the process to install remained the same and all 6 were installed in one day.

As i mentioned before I had to buy one window from Lowe's as the Home Depot order program would not allow the size I needed. I am glad to have a new window - and thankfully it is the kitchen window...but the Lowe's window protrudes out an extra 3/8 to 1/2 inch (than the HD units)...and will be a bit more difficult to trim out. I am speculating that their "new construction" window is designed for the nail fins to be mounted behind the exterior siding.

FWIW - the variation in temperature throughout the house is much more even - and that electric furnace is coming on and about half as much as it did before. I am very much looking forward to the cost savings.

One last thing - I did a refi a few months back. The VA has an energy upgrade program I wanted to use to replace the windows. Every single quote was well over $5000 even for the really, really cheap windows (and non-tax-credit elgible)...with most bids being closer to $6500. I passed on their offers.

I installed all 11 windows in about 2 days, the bill came to about $1700, and I figure another $300 will cover the trim out. And - many, many thanks to HD's 12 mos no interest!!! If I can see an average reduction in my electric bill of just $45 a month....then these new windows will have fully paid for themselves in less than 4 years. I'm happy!

[Greg]

$300 for trim out?? Thats $27 ea. Do your self a favor and use better moldings and wood for the sills, the improvement in the looks will make it worth the extra money.

Don't forget the toys er I mean tools that you will "HAVE" to buy to do the job, lets see now Miter saw ($250) finish nailer ($100) compressor to run finish nailer ($150) That alone kind'a blows the $300 budget!! Greg

[Mark440]

Greg,

You're right about the trim out. It's gonna be a little bit more than I thought!

Now, for those tools.... you mean there's a limit?

[Mark440]

I am a spreadsheet kind of guy. And while I do like a good building project - like building an outdoor O gauge train layout, or replacing windows...I always end up back at the spreadsheet. I guess its just a "numbers" thing.

Over the years, I have accumulated lots of numbers. One set of those is my utility expenses. So, it was a very pleasant surprise to see that my new windows had a really nice impact on the numbers. Bear in mind I am all electric.

My average January electric bill (over the last 7 years): $346.76.
For January 2011 the electric bill was: $270.11.

And all I did was replace those junk aluminum windows - WoW! what a difference! - and I haven't stopped doing the "snoopy" dance since I got the bill.