Community Commentary:

On Tuesday, the City Council is tentatively scheduled to hear a report on the Planning Department’s practices for reviewing window replacement applications. The Planning Department currently follows guidelines developed in accord with the Design Review Boards, reviewing each application on a case-by-case basis and referring those found to be incompatible with the subject house and neighborhood to the commissions.

On Tuesday, the City Council asked planning officials for a report on these practices, apparently in response to complaints from residents whose window replacement applications have been denied or sent to design review.

Replacing original windows in an older home is one of the most common and most costly mistakes a homeowner can make. Windows are one of the most significant character-defining features of Glendale’s fine old houses, from grand mansions to modest bungalows. The window types, proportions and design are unique and specific to each architectural style. They feature recessed frames, projecting sills and true divided lights that add depth and scale to individual façades and entire streetscapes. They are made of materials that are far superior to anything available on the market today — sometimes steel, but usually old-growth wood, dense, strong and naturally pest-resistant.

When these original custom windows are replaced with poor quality, off-the-shelf, flush-mounted vinyl or aluminum units with false muntin grids sandwiched between panes of highly reflective glass, a great deal of the character and value of an older home is irretrievably lost. This in turn decreases the value of adjacent properties and, like falling dominoes, entire neighborhoods become less attractive, less desirable and less valuable.

The truth is that the necessity for replacing old windows is usually exaggerated and frequently outright fabricated. They rarely need replacing; they will last indefinitely if properly maintained. And because windows make up such a small percentage of a home’s exterior envelope, replacing them does not significantly improve energy efficiency.

Old windows can easily be retrofitted to improve their energy efficiency, at a fraction of the cost of a full replacement. In fact, a retrofitted single-glazed wood window is only marginally less efficient than a new dual glazed vinyl or aluminum unit, and because retrofitting is usually cheaper than replacement, the return on investment is much greater.