Dodgy Window?

[MisterFish]

Hiya

I have a Victorian house that a previous owner had some half assed double glazing put in.

As part of a completely different job, (Cosmetic renovation work to the outside), I have come across something that I think may be a problem.

In the front, top floor bedroom they have put in 2 x two pane units. Outside there is an ornamental pillar which they have backed with a upvc board. Inside the room is a matching board.

Take a look Here.

When I removed the inside board I confidently expected to find a brick pillar similar to the ones on the floor below between the two boards .. probably with some expanding foam around it. What I actually found was … fresh air.

Now, aside from the fact that two double glazing units separated by a 30cm x 15cm column of nothing has the insulating capacity of … well nothing, I think I may have a structural problem here. There is a fair old crack in the stone lintel above the window which was here when we arrived so I don’t know if that is anything to go by.

Would anyone who has a clue about these sorts of things like to advance an opinion as to whether an original window in this sort of setting would have been in any way load bearing? If so, how would you go about making it good? Or failing that how best should I move forward? Insulating it is a question for another day.

Thanks guys

M

 

[crank39]

The fresh air you have would of housed the weights for the old sliding sash windows, these would of just been boxed in hence no brick pillar

 

[MisterFish]

Would that mean that the window never was load bearing? Because it sure ain't now, and I really would rather the roof stayed where it currently is rather than took up residence in the top bedroom.

 

[crank39]

No the window would never been load bearing, you'll probably find a timber lintel on the inner skin, quite common in period properties

 

[Harbourwoodwork]

I wonder what the original barge boards looked like