Window age help!

[Doug Edwards, CMI]

Just for information purposes, if the window is a double paned insulated glass, if you look closely along the metal spline that is sandwiched in between the panes of glass there is a tiny date stamp. You will need glasses or extremely good eyes. I do not report on ages of windows but on the physical condition but that is me. I find there are about 10 or so ways to determine the age of a home. I first go to the County property appraisers website and the age is on the records. Typically it will eyb (for estimated year built) and then ayb (for actual year built). Varioius software they use will vary but it is generally on there somewhere. I also look in the HVAC closet for the insulation installation sheet, inside the toilet lids, the serial numbers on the HVAC, the final inspection tag from the county inspector (if still around) often inside the Circuit breaker panel there will be a sign off sheet for final, and sometimes the homeowners had the date actually scratched into the concrete somewhere. There are others but I am only on my second cup of coffee and can't think of any right now. I am sure there are some others that can offer items. The window spline only works if the window panes havent been replaced and may be different throughout the house.

[tneumann]

In my case the county had the home built in 1968 but the inspection stickers show 1964

[Doug Edwards, CMI]

That is exactly how I would present it to the clients too. Let them decide what to do about it. I did one yesterday that the the owner and their realtor listed as 1992 when it was actually completed in early 91. Is that a big deal, don't care, Im not buying it. I simply tell the client and let them figure out what they want to do about it. Could it come back on someone, sure, but not me.

[wforsyth]

Originally Posted by jspringstead

Thanks Joseph! Great link, Anderson did fax me a shorten version, this is more detailed.
The reason I date window glass is to help determine actual construction date or age of home. This is just one more piece of the puzzle, like toilet tank lids, furnace and water heaters. This particular home was most likely 12 yrs. older than advertised, which my clients were pleased to be aware of.

The County Assessor websites have the information about the age of the house. They will tell the year it was built as far as I know in most cases.

[wforsyth]

Originally Posted by tneumann

Yesterdays inspection showed the house built in 1968.....the inspection sticker in the electric panel showed 1964 and the insulation tag in the attic showed 1964....

I hope I don't get a bone in the butt for that one...I hope I never get a bone in the butt....

I just didn't need this visual Tony.

[wforsyth]

I would just recommend that the owner's do their own due diligence in regards to the home.

[Peter C. Russell]

Glass thickness says it all. The thicker the glass pack/ insulated unit, the better u/r value. You could write it as although the windows are functioning as intended the may need upgrading to ensure full energy efficiency, or something like that.

[Marcel R. Cyr]

http://www.certainteed.com/CertainTe...roContEduc.htm


Marcel

[Kenton H. Shepard, CMI]

Originally Posted by dedwards

A new 2 X 4 or an old one? How does one get the age of a piece of nominal timber?

Dendrochronology, Doug. First you take an increment borer and get a core out of the 2x4. This sometimes involves shasing the 2x4 around until you catch it, then holding it down with your foot while you drill.

Once you get the core you can then compare the tree ring patterns in the core to photographs of core samples in the data base of the International Tree Ring Data Bank http://hurricane.ncdc.noaa.gov/pls/p...pages.treering to come up with a date. To have this done by an expert is about $150.00 and you can just tack on $50.00. If you have to remove the 2x4 to drill... I guess prices vary some. I'd charge by the lineal foot.