• If the sash (the moving part) is stuck to the frame with paint, a little flat tool with sharp teeth called a window zipper can help. The zipper is about the only way to zip through paint. Don’t try using a utility knife or putty knife. Invest the two bucks and get a proper window zipper.
• Lay a 1×1 against the outermost part of the sash and gently tap on the 1×1 with a rubber mallet. This may help unstuck the sash.
• Try removing any built-up paint in the window tracks. If the paint is loose and flaky, then use a narrow putty knife or chisel. If the paint is hard, try paint remover and scraping.
• Do you have a spring-loaded balance mechanism? Then get out a screwdriver and look for the little screws in the window tracks. These screws help you adjust the force of the balance mechanism.

Window film isn’t bad stuff at all. But applying window film is a bitch. Have you ever seen some idiot who has self-installed window film on his car? Seen those bubbles and creases? Well, that’s the kind of thing that may happen when applying window film on your house’s windows.

The only saving grace is that your house’s windows are flat. The idiot’s car windows are curved, which makes the install much harder. And makes him less of an idiot than previously thought.

Trying to get two pieces of window film to meet side by side is nearly impossible. You’ve got enough problems trying to get the film to meet up with the glass’ perimeter, much less trying to mate up two pieces of window film in the middle.

But the easy way to do this is to simply overlap the two pieces of window film. Then use a straight edge (i.e., your metal ruler) and X-Acto knife or very sharp utility and cut right down the middle of the overlap. Then you can easily remove the two waste pieces of window film. Voila—two pieces of window film that meet up perfectly.

A garden window is essentially a five-sided glass box that protrudes from your house as much as two feet.

The reason why garden windows are not very energy efficient is because they can utilize as much as twice the amount of glass for the same size window opening than would a conventional window. Glass, no matter how well-sealed or filled with gasses, is a notorious energy waster.

So, it’s the fervent wish of many homeowners to punch as many windows in the basement walls as possible. But how do you cut an opening in the basement walls for windows?

While this is not a DIY guide for cutting openings in basement walls, we want to let you know two important details:

1. If the basement wall is made of concrete block, you can conceivably cut the opening by yourself. The reason why concrete block responds well to a circular saw outfitted with a masonry blade is because you are cutting out the mortar between the blocks, not the blocks themselves.
2. If the foundation wall is poured concrete, you’ll probably want to have a contractor cut the window opening (and possibly install the window, too).

Prefabricated bay window kits are available that supply the roof framing, flashing, seat board, and all other needed elements. There is no need to design your bay window from scratch anymore with prefab bay window units available from most home improvement stores.

Answer:  Possibly, but usually not.

Generally, a one-for-one window replacement does not require a building permit. But when you start to increase your house’s “footprint,” building codes begin to apply. True, a bay window does not rest on the ground, but it does decrease the distance from your house to the house next door.

Another consideration is whether you need special tempered glass for the bay window. Because bay windows have seats that permit both sitting and (often with children) standing, this stronger tempered glass may be required to prevent people from accidentally falling through.

Installing a bay window is a pretty big deal, so it’s definitely worth making a call to your local building permitting department to make sure you are keeping within code.

The nailing flange on a new-construction window is that metal or plastic apron-like piece that extends outward to let you nail the window against the house.

Note that replacement windows will not have a nailing flange; only new-construction windows will have this nailing flange.

The nailing flange is the thing that really ties your new construction window tight against the side of the house. Even though it will eventually get sealed down with silicone caulk, you want to make sure that it stays in good condition.

So, make sure that you do not bend out that nailing flange until the very last minute. Bending it out ahead of time means that you risk creasing it and making it less weather resistant.

If you have a wide window opening, one obvious way to span this distance is to buy a wide replacement window. But specialty-size replacement windows really drive up the cost of your window project. One way to get around this is to use a mullion post to install two windows in that opening.

For example, instead of installing a 60″ wide window in that space, you may decide to install two 27″wide windows side by side. Between the two windows would be a mullion post. The mullion post would cover the rest of the 60″ distance; tie those two windows together; and provide structural stability.

In fact, a mullion post isn’t just a good idea when installing two windows side by side; it’s a necessity.

Be sure you buy the right kind of caulk for filling gaps around exterior window casing. You’ll want to make sure that the caulk you buy is both silicone and is paintable.

Not all silicone caulk is paintable; not all paintable caulk is silicone.

Silicone caulk holds up much longer for exterior use than latex caulking. Many homeowners will caulk the casing with silicone and then leave it at that. If you have vinyl siding, that may be the case, since vinyl siding is not exactly paintable.

When contemplating how to position windows in a room, most people think in terms of the horizontal position of a window in relation with another window. But what about vertical positioning?

Most home decorators agree that windows need to be positioned so that they align in a straight line at the top. While this may seem counter-intuitive, consider this: right above the tops of the windows you have the juncture between the wall and ceiling. This juncture forms a perfectly straight horizontal line which could compete with the tops of the windows, if those window tops ran in a staggered line.