Replace One Window and Keep the Storm Window
The aluminum storms on the house are fine and they all match. One window behind them is shot.
Reply within one business day. Or call / text 763-250-3621.
To replace a window and keep the storm window, JMB Builders takes the storm off, replaces the one window behind it as an insert inside the old frame, and puts the storm back on the same frame. The new window is sized so the storm still fits, with an air gap. One window is a welcome job across the Twin Cities metro, priced per window, window included. Photo reply within one business day, or a free in-home estimate.
- Storm comes off, goes back on the same frame
- Priced per window, window included
- In stock or custom ordered; lead time on the quote
A lot of Twin Cities houses have aluminum combination storms over wood windows, and the storms are often in better shape than the windows. When one window behind a storm is rotted, fogged or will not open, you can replace that window and keep the storm. The storm is screwed to the outside of the old frame or the blind stop, so an insert replacement that stays inside that frame leaves the storm's mounting right where it was.
Two things make it work. The new window is ordered to fit inside the old frame as an insert, so the frame the storm hangs on stays. And the new window's depth is checked so there is still an air space between it and the storm; a new window pushed tight against the storm traps condensation. The storm's weep holes at the bottom are cleared so that space drains.
If the old frame is rotted, the storm cannot stay on it, because the frame comes out. In that case we replace full frame and either reinstall the storm on the new exterior trim or leave it off, since a new double-pane window does not need one. We tell you which at the measure. Inside, the trim is matched and primed; painting is quoted as a separate line, or paint it yourself.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough: a reply within one business day, or ask for a free in-home estimate. Or text the photos to 763-250-3621.
What you supply
- Photos of the window from inside, and from outside with the storm in place
- A close-up of the storm's frame where it meets the window frame, and of the sill
- Your pick of style, color and glass for the new window, or ask us to match
- Paint or stain color for new interior trim, or leave it primed
What JMB supplies
- A check of the old frame at the measure so the storm can stay on it
- The new window, in stock or custom ordered through ABC Supply, sized to fit inside the old frame
- Removal of the storm, the old sashes and stops, and haul-away of the old parts
- Insert install with shims, low-expansion foam and sealant, with an air space kept to the storm
- The storm cleaned, weep holes cleared and put back on the same frame
- Interior stops or casing, primed and caulked; painting quoted as a separate line
- Photos of the finished window in your job folder
How it is priced: per window
Quoted in writing from your photos, with a reply within one business day. What moves the number:
- Size and style of the new window, and in-stock white vs. a custom ordered color or match
- Whether the old frame is sound enough to hold the storm, or the job goes full frame
- Depth of the old frame and the air space needed between the new window and the storm
- Condition of the storm itself: it goes back on as it is, or you choose a new one
- Interior trim kept, matched or replaced
- First floor vs. second story access
Send a close-up of where the storm frame meets the window frame outside. That shows how the storm is mounted and whether it can stay.
How long it takes
Half a day on site for an insert behind a storm, including taking the storm off and putting it back. An in-stock window is picked up for the install; a custom ordered one has its lead time on the quote.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized reply within one business day. Prefer a look in person? A free in-home estimate is always an option.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
Insert, storm goes back on
The old frame is sound. The storm comes off, the new window goes in as an insert, and the storm is cleaned and screwed back on the same frame with its weep holes clear.
Full frame, storm remounted
The old frame is rotted and comes out. The new window is flashed to the rough opening and the storm is remounted on the new exterior trim if you want to keep the look.
Full frame, storm retired
A new double-pane window does not need a storm. The old storm comes off for good, and the new window is capped or trimmed outside to match the house.
Replace One Window and Keep the Storm Window: questions, answered
Can I keep my storm window if I replace the window behind it?
Yes, when the old frame is sound. The new window goes in as an insert inside that frame, and the storm goes back on the same frame it came off. JMB Builders does this one window at a time across the Twin Cities metro. If the frame is rotted and has to come out, the storm is remounted on the new trim or retired.
Does a new window need a storm window?
No. A new double-pane window with low-e glass seals and insulates on its own. People keep the storm so the outside of the house stays uniform when only one window is replaced, or because the storms are in good shape. Either choice is fine; the window works without it.
Will a storm window cause condensation on a new window?
It can if the two are tight together with no air space and the storm's weep holes are plugged. We size the new window so there is a gap behind the storm and clear the weep holes so that space drains and vents. That keeps moisture from sitting between the two.
Will the new window fit behind my aluminum storm?
An insert sized to the inside of the old frame does, because the storm is mounted on the outside of that frame, not on the window. We check the depth at the measure so the new window does not push into the storm's track.
Is a window behind a storm in stock or custom ordered?
An insert in a common size in white vinyl is often in stock at our supplier. A color, grille pattern or odd size inside the old frame is custom ordered with the lead time written on the quote. Send photos and we reply within one business day, or book a free in-home estimate.
Can you replace just the one window and leave the other storms alone?
Yes. One window is a welcome job for JMB Builders. The other storms and windows are not touched, and the replaced window keeps its storm so the house reads the same from the street.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners and the builders we work with. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
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Read morePage reviewed October 25, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All windows pages
Where we work
Window Replacement & Installation near you
Based in Zimmerman, scheduling across the Twin Cities metro. Closest first: