The last count I heard was 18 dead in Alabama.
15 at that High School in Enterprise that was hit.
Keep Them, their Families and the Rescue workers in Your Hearts...........
Ric
Deadly Tornado hits Alabama
Amen! We're anxiously awaiting news of our friends who live there. The school is about 5 miles from their house so we're not too fearful but won't feel comfortable until we hear from them.
Judy
Tornadic activity all over the state, but of course the school at Enterprise was the biggest tragedy where several high school students were killed.
In west central Alabama where I am there were tornado sirens most of the day, but the major storms were south of us. The wind blew out my makeshift windows I had put in after the hurricanes Ivan and Katrina both of which had damaging 70 mile an our winds here. Now I really do have to become a window expert. I already had about 40 double hung windows to repair. But, now that several have no glass I have to hope for fair weather and the patience and skill to "do windows". Big Time.
gloria125 - Bless your heart!!! I'll pray for something or someone to assist you with your task.
We've heard from our friends in Enterprise and they are fine, but it was one close call.
Judy
Thanks, Judy. Ive had the windows to repair for a long time, since I bought a 100 yr old house as a restoration project. I just never expected to lose so much glass. It makes my project more urgent. Not many people know how to do historic windows. In a few years, I will be one of the experts!
Judy that's GREAT news!
Gloria good luck on your task... I'm glad though that glass was the only problem.
Ric
From my experience growing up in Tornado Alley in the Panhandle of Texas.
Go to the bathtub, pipes are more likely to be in cement or at least buried deep enough to hold down the bathtub. Get entirely out of any moble type home. If it came on a truck, it most likely can fly.
We were also told to stop cars over ditches and crawl under them. Put sofa cushions on top of yourselves in a bathtub.
Best advice I've got according to Dan True, weatherman in Amarillo forever!
;)
My dogs were intent on serenading the tornado warning sirens. I finally had to leash them to get them to a first floor bathroom where we waited out the storm. I had visions of flying dogs!
gloria, I used to work for a company - MW Manufactures, They make windows and doors, my wife still works there.
Dyson: Thanks. These are all hand made windows. Each one is slightly different. Most of the glass is original wavy glass--so Ill have to replace with regular glass. The hard part as restringing the window weights.
gloria - you want to make sure and use what is known as "insulated" glass, it is actually two pieces of glass mounted on a steel spacer with an air gap in between, this makes a huge differance in energy costs to heat and cool the home.
thanks, Dyson. I will check it out. Is this what they call E-glass?
no - "E-glass" is another animal altogether, it is made by putting several (usually eleven) very thin layers of metal on one side of the glass, you cannot see the metal which is put on the inside of the insulated pane. Hang on I'll try to get a link to the window co. I used to work for. http://www.mwwindows.com/home.html
You can start there for research.
thanks, dyson. Im not quite sure how the vinyl clad sash fits into wood frames. Ill check it out.
I had a friend who used the vinyl clad sash in a restoration project with wood frames - he was pleased with the outcome of the project.
gloria I have found tons of window weights at salvage yards for dirt cheap.. I'm using them for yard ornaments.. lol
Ric
I hope I can repair the one's I have. Historic windows are really a sophisticated level of craftsmanship that should be preserved. Like plaster walls, many people would discard them and replace with something far inferior. But, windows do take a beating over time. And those that are over 100 years old to need to assessed for compromises if they are going to work for another 100 years. I hope my window weights do not wind up in the salvage yard!
gloria any good (even amateur) cabinet maker or woodworker should be able the reproduce the damaged pieces you'd need for the windows.
It's basically and usually the lower part of the frame that gets damaged over time. The sills may need replaced too but hey beats a whole new window.
We didn't do a restoration as our house is a tweener (1930's) built by the CCC.
So we just went w/ double hung vinyl. If it were a classic we would have restored...
Good Luck!
Ric
I am a woodworker.
VERY nice!
It will be a LOT of work for you but Serious Satisfaction.
Ric
I worked at a historic house museum here for some 20 years. we had a crew of restoration carpenters and I picked their brains as much as I could. They repaired the rotted wood with restorers wood putty, or, they let in splices of mahogany. I also have 3 years of cabinetmaking at the local junior college, where I made replicas of some of the hand made pieces in the museum. I am looking forward to the window restoration, but I know the old glass can never be replaced.
My 8 over 8 individual paned windows were replaced with vinyl inserts. the best I can say is: they seal. they make the house more wind/draft proof and they look good. The old ones were virtually falling apart but I hated to see them go. If you can save them do.
The bottom framing on the upper window had sagged so much it no longer touched most of the center two panes of glass. tee hee Kids were apalled when they realized I'd simply filled the space with bathtub caulk. Well dang it worked.
Good on ya mate... and luck to you. ~Blooms
Ive been sticking styrafoam sheeting in mine, but it blows out if there is much wind. All I can say, is it is just going to have to wait until I get to it. In the mean time, some days I am wearing two layers of long johns. thanks, blooms.
funerals for the kids start today at enterprise. What are a few panes of glass when that community has lost so much.