Windows in Hartford rattle because the houses are old and the openings have moved. Wood sash in West End brick, cords that snapped years ago, and storms that no longer latch are the ordinary front elevation. Three-families on the North End and in Frog Hollow carry bays that leak where the bay meets the main wall. Alley windows get painted shut and rot quietly. Say which face of the house takes the wind.
A draft at the meeting rail, a soft sill under a kitchen window, and a vinyl unit foamed into a crooked brick opening are different jobs. Paint over rot is not a repair. Storms that buzz all winter and never seal will not save the stool. Look for the stain on the apron and the swell in the casing. That is the water you already have, even if the glass looks fine.
Single panes in a steamy kitchen sweat because of cooking and a fan that goes nowhere. That is not the same as fog inside a sealed unit. Know which you have. Odd sizes in brick are common, and a stock window that almost fits leaves a gap the foam will not forgive in January. Historic brick blocks may want the old sightlines kept, which means sash work rather than a new frame proud of the molding.
Replacing one double-hung on a side wall is not replacing a bay. The bay roof and the seat may be part of the leak. Weights and pockets full of debris are a repair if the wood is still sound. If the sill crumbles, the opening needs more than a cord. Describe the wood honestly. You can tell soft from painted if a key presses in.
Count the bad openings and name the rooms. Mention bays, storms, and any window that must still open as a way out. Have the neighborhood and whether the building is brick or wood. A short list is enough. Call the number on this page.