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Serving the Tulsa, Oklahoma metro. A storm window is a second window fitted over the one you already have. On the right house it is the best value in this entire trade. On the wrong house it is money spent propping up something that should be replaced. Here is how to tell which one you have.
Or call (918) 417-1098
Storm windows run roughly $150 to $450 per opening installed, which is a quarter to a third of the cost of replacing the window. They work by trapping a layer of still air between the storm and the original sash, and by stopping the air leakage that is the real problem on most old windows. A good exterior storm over a sound single-pane wood window gets you close to the thermal performance of an ordinary double-pane unit, for a fraction of the money, and without removing anything original.
Three situations, all of which are common in the older parts of this metro.
Original wood sashes that are structurally sound. Midtown Tulsa, Maple Ridge, Brookside, the older streets in Sand Springs, and the Route 66 era housing in Sapulpa are full of houses with 1920s to 1940s windows made from old-growth wood that is denser and more rot-resistant than anything milled today. If the sashes are solid and the joints are tight, they can be reglazed, weatherstripped and kept for decades. A storm window over the top handles the insulation, and the house keeps the wavy glass and the proportions that give it its character. Replacing those with vinyl inserts shrinks the glass area, flattens the sightlines and is frequently the thing that makes a period house look wrong.
A property where the budget will not cover full replacement. Storms on every opening for the price of four or five replacement windows is a legitimate way to make a house comfortable now and replace windows later on a better schedule. It is not a compromise anyone should apologize for.
A rental, or a house you will sell within a couple of years. Replacement windows recover well under their cost at resale. Storms cost little, improve comfort immediately and do not pretend to be an investment.
Worth being blunt about, because it is easy to spend money in the wrong place here.
If any of those describe your windows, double-pane replacement or vinyl replacement is the page you actually want.
Mounted outside over the existing window, usually aluminum framed, often triple-track so the glass and screen panels slide and the window underneath can still be opened. They protect the original sash from weather as well as insulating, which on a wood window is half the value. The standard choice.
Fitted inside against the window frame, held by compression or magnetic strip. Invisible from the street, which matters in a historic district or where an exterior storm would spoil the elevation. Excellent for sound reduction. The trade-off is that they do nothing to protect the exterior of the original sash, and they have to be removed to open the window.
A storm panel with a low-emissivity coating, which is a relatively recent and genuinely worthwhile upgrade. Independent testing has shown low-E storm windows delivering a large share of the energy benefit of full replacement at a small share of the cost. If you are buying storms at all, this is the version to buy.
Weep holes at the bottom of an exterior storm, so condensation drains out rather than sitting on the sill of the window you are trying to preserve. A snug fit at the perimeter, since the air seal is where the performance comes from. And on triple-track units, that the panels actually move, because a storm you cannot open is a storm that stays shut all summer.
This is the hail belt, and an exterior storm window takes the first hit. That is a genuine benefit on an irreplaceable original sash, and a genuine maintenance item, because a storm panel is cheaper to replace than the window under it but it does need replacing when it breaks. Check whether the panels are individually replaceable before you buy.
After a hailstorm, look for three kinds of window damage: cracked or broken glass in the storm panel, dents and bent tracks in the aluminum frame that stop the panel sliding, and torn or punctured screens. Damage that stops at the storm panel usually means a panel replacement, not a new window. If the prime window behind it is cracked too, or the sash has pulled loose, that is a replacement conversation.
If you plan to file an insurance claim, photograph every damaged opening before anything is removed and note the date of the storm. Get a written quote that lists each window separately. Be wary of anyone who knocks on the door the morning after a storm and asks you to sign before an adjuster has seen the house.
Storm windows have a reputation as a cold-climate item, which undersells them here. The still-air layer works in both directions, and a low-E coated panel reflects a meaningful amount of solar heat away from a west-facing room in July. If a company only talks about winter heat loss, they are selling you half the product.
One more thing that matters on old houses: most of the discomfort from a hundred-year-old window is air leakage rather than conduction through the glass. Weatherstripping the original sash properly before fitting the storm often delivers more comfort than the storm itself. Ask for both to be quoted.
Window Replacement Near Me is a free referral service, not an installer. We connect Tulsa-area homeowners with an independent, insured window installation company and may receive a fee when you are connected. Prices here are general guidance for this market rather than an offer. Your estimate, contract and warranty come from the installer.
Storm window work and historic sash repair are specialties, so say on the form or the call that the house has original wood windows. It changes who is the right company to send.
Over a sound single-pane wood window, a well-fitted low-E storm gets you much of the way to the performance of an ordinary double-pane replacement, at roughly a third of the cost. It does not match a high-specification modern unit, and it does not fix a window that no longer operates. On a historic house with good original sashes it is frequently the better decision overall.
Exterior is the default: it insulates and it shields the original sash from weather, which on old wood is half the point. Choose interior when the exterior appearance must not change, when an exterior mount is impractical, or when sound reduction is the main goal. Interior panels do nothing to protect the outside of the original window.
Yes, particularly low-E coated ones. The trapped air layer slows heat transfer in both directions and the coating reflects solar heat away from the room. On a west-facing wall in an Oklahoma July that is a noticeable difference, and it is the half of the benefit most companies forget to mention.
It is generally not recommended. The gain is small, and the trapped heat between the storm and the insulated unit puts extra stress on the inner window's edge seal. Some manufacturers specifically warn that doing so affects the glass warranty. If the modern window is underperforming, the answer is usually the window, not a storm.
They help a great deal, because most of the discomfort from an old window is air leakage rather than heat passing through the glass. You will get the best result by weatherstripping and adjusting the original sash first and then fitting the storm. Ask for both on the estimate and you will feel the difference immediately.
Usually yes, and they are often the preferred approach precisely because nothing original is removed. Interior panels are invisible from the street, and many exterior storms can be specified in a color and profile that sits discreetly on the elevation. Check any local requirements that apply to your property before ordering.
One matched local installer looks at the actual sashes and tells you which is worth your money. Free either way.
Or call (918) 417-1098