Janice Calpo, who lives not far from me in the great old Curtis Park neighborhood here in Sacramento, is the subject of an article in last weekend’s Sacramento Bee – "Seeing the Light: When it comes to windows, Janice Calpo praises restoration over replacement."
SMUD, the community-owned utility here in Sacramento, has a long history of offering incentives for the installation of poorly made vinyl replacement windows, even when restored wooden windows would be longer-lasting and just as energy efficient. Unfortunately, many homeowners can’t take a longer view of the life of their home and opt for vinyl – hurting the value of their historic home in a market where authentically period means $$.
Janice Calpo, who is otherwise polite, radiant and sweet-tempered, is
the self-appointed "window czarina" of Curtis Park. No shard escapes
her scrutiny.She is a champion of rippled glass, regards complex mullions as though
they were the Elgin marbles, is a patient advocate for those
sometimes-geriatric double-hung windows that open (if they open) and
close (begrudgingly so) with a wheeze, or a rattle, or a sudden thump.In a world increasingly devoted to energy efficiency, reduced utility
bills, whispering appliances, snug windows that speak Tuscan and obey
with fingertip ease, hers is a one-woman crusade to keep the window
faith, to let the true-divided light shine in.
We are totally on-board with the restoration of original windows. In fact, it’s the huge project we are in the middle of. Repairing rot, reglazing, and reinstalling windows is not the easiest chore in the world but the house would lose so much of its charm without it’s origial divided-light windows.
As much of a hassle as it has been, my partner and I both agree that we would absolutely do it again.