DIY Window Installation: What They Don't Tell You

hey guys Sean of American Window Concepts I want to go over a few things you need to think about before you install some windows on your own are you sure about [Music] that now I'm talking mainly California because this is what I know my business is in California so I can speak to Californians without any issue at all when it comes to this type of a topic when you're saying Hey listen I'm going to go and replace my own windows in my house let's say you want to do retro depending on the kind of Windows that you have in your house so if you have a single pane aluminum window and you're going to replace it with a retro style of window it's going to be a retro flange or a zbar if you're doing Milgard or whatever but you're looking for a retro flange that is going to basically cover the existing metal frame that's in your house currently if you have a wood window from the 20s 30s 40s 50s so on you want to do a retro window well you're going to need a block window frame very important and how you do that but you got to keep that in mind and then the last point is going to be the nailing flange window so this is you're doing full tear outs right breaking stucco 12 in around each window door pulling everything out and then basically reflashing the opening and then adding your brand new window and then screwing it in from the outside with help of a friend that is going to be the three type of installations right so you have either the Retro the Retro flange you also have retro in a block frame but that's for wood windows only and then you're going to deal with nailing flange so that's the first thing you need to tackle and understand you know thoroughly before you get involved the next thing is going to be what type of caulking you're going to use I am big on polyurethane so if you are installing on the outside I use polyurethane on the outside why because it's very very durable on the inside I'll use an acrylic urethane so that's a water-based product you can get it in white tan black you can get it in multiple colors but the cool thing about acrylic urethanes is that it's water-based right so it's not petroleum based like the polyurethane that you're going to use on the the outside that's something different you don't want to use polyurethane at least I won't use polyurethane on the inside because it's messy as heck you know if unless you're taping everything like you would on the outside but at that point why why even risk it just go with a nice acrylic urethane and get the interior finished up so another thing I would want to talk about would be checking with the manufacturer whether it's Milgard or anlin or whatever they usually will have instructions as to what the best practices from the Manu ufacturers for the installation get those you want to have some kind of an instruction if you've never done it before maybe you want to watch some videos online and you know how people are doing it and get a baseline but then also look at some instructions as like the proper way to do an installation so if you're also installing the window yourself you got to make sure that the warranty applies as well and if the if the warranty is going to be okay with you installing it or just don't tell anybody there's that too right there's a lot more to it that's not that's not going to be everything but these are the main things that I would say you got to think of before you go and say hey I'm going to go replace my windows in my house by myself or with a friend but have no experience doing it hopefully this helps guys make it a great day hey guys if you live in the Ventura or Long Beach area and are interested in a free in home estimate go to our website American window concepts.com and we'll reach back out to you as soon as possible if you guys find this information valuable and you want to continue to learn more about Windows and Doors subscribe to our Channel thank you so much