LESLIE: Now we’re going to take a call from Joseph in New Jersey who’s looking to put some putty into his windows.
Maybe some energy-efficiency issues going on there, Joseph?
JOSEPH: Yes, the house is 50 years old. It’s brick veneer. We got about 14 windows and the putty is all cracked.
LESLIE: OK.
JOSEPH: I plan to putty. I want to know when the best time to putty the windows is.
TOM: Well, it’s probably a good time to do it right now. You know, the fall is what I call the Goldilocks time for home improvement, Joe. It’s not too hot, it’s not too cold. It’s a good time to tackle this particular project because it’s not so hot that the putty is not going to dry but it’s not so cold where the putty’s really hard to work with.
We’re talking about reglazing here and, to do that, you really need to first scrape out all of the old glazing out of the window. And then you can take the new glazing, you want to roll it into a thin bead, press it in. And then you’ve got to get yourself a glazing tool, which looks kind of like a putty knife with the little curved edge, and then just press that glazing into that window all the way around; try to make nice, neat corners – 45-degree mitered corners – and then let her dry. Now after it dries, you need to prime that glazing surface first. You would use an oil-based primer for that, like a KILZ, and then repaint.
But those are the steps involved and it’s a good time to tackle it right now.
JOSEPH: Good, I’ll get right on it.
TOM: Alright, there you go.
JOSEPH: Thank you very much.
TOM: You’re very welcome. Thanks so much for calling us at 1-888-MONEY-PIT.
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