Well, I replaced my old aluminum storm windows with vinyl storms... I want my old ones back.... lol I thought it would look nice to have all white windows & trim outside and my old grey aluminum windows did rattle and looked a bit ratty... What I didn't take into consideration was the width of the frames... I went from frames that were one inch, all around, to ones with 2-1/2 on each side and 4-1/2 on top and bottom... It cuts off an awful LOT of my viewing area and I can't use my window fans without putting 2X4's on the sills... Hubby said cutting down on the glass area would cut down on the heating bills... Well.... I didn't notice one bit of difference... And now, on the second floor, ice builds up on the inside of the storms... I was told it was due to a poor installation job and/or because I don't have double paned windows or it could just be cheap storms, who knows, although at the time it seemed like a lot of money... Would of, could of, should have??? If I had had second sight back then I would have repaired & painted the frames and saved my money for something else... Like this years heating bills or gasoline prices... LOL Rita

From the photo - That is not black trim. That is the storm window frame with a black accent paint around it. I can guarantee you that when you remove the storm window, the fin of the aluminum window beneath it will not be exposed. With vinyl siding, it is NEVER correct to install exterior trim on top of the siding. I don't know what your original siding was, underneath the vinyl. Do you? But with aluminum windows, I can almost guarantee you that the siding butts up against the window frame. IF there was a casing trim of some kind, it was most likely removed when the vinyl siding was installed. You remove the storm window. Then you remove the sashes/glass and mullions (if any) from the window, leaving just the frame. Then you pry the frame into the opening, pulling out the nails. You also hope at this point that the vinyl "J" channel was not nailed through the window fin. If so, the "J" will come off with it. When the frame is out, you then have the opening you will be dealing with. You can have the new window made to slip between the "J" and cutting back the sheetrock, or you can have the new window made to fit sheetrock to sheet rock, and trim the outside appropriately. You'll be able to see where the studs are, and the window cannot be bigger than the rough stud to stud opening. The problem is the vinyl siding. I hesitate to recommend cutting that back. Perhaps someone else here has a suggestion on how to do that without risking cracking/chipping and ruining the siding. The other problem with cutting it back to reveal the window fin is that you no longer have the right "J" channel - though maybe they can find some and slip it around the siding cut. But then you also cannot nail it properly after the fact. This is why I recommend leaving the "J" and siding alone. What abosolutely MUST be done in your situation is that the proper drip cap/flashing MUST be applied above the window. It must go up behind the sheathing, and turn out over the window, extending past the "J" channel, and then a downward bend of app 1/2". In your case, you have to have someone custom bend that on site. The addition of vinyl siding will make any pre-made drip cap unusable. It must start from up behind the sheathing or original siding, NOT the vinyl siding. Also make sure that the new windows are fully injected around the frame with low expanding insulating foam. This will be an absolute must for your application. That's probably clear as mud. But I did my best for you. Keep in mind, this is a standard every day job for any competent window company, and I did thousands of windows like this that never leaked. But if you get a crew in there that takes short cuts and depends on caulking for shedding water, you're going to be in big trouble down the road. Hope that answers your question. What the other guys here said is more true than you can know. "Contractor" guys are clueless about this kind of stuff, and it shows in the end results, and we've seen it a million times. I also want to tell you that if you chince on this, you will get a chince result and look. The money has to come out of somewhere. You don't want it to be the product or the workmanship. Pay for a good job done right, and you won't be doing it again in less than 10 years. Ignore this advice, and you will. It's not an insult to your intelligence, which I'm sure is adequate. It's just the fact of it. And unless you do this for a living for years, you cannot know, and I don't mean to offend, but that's the reality.

Xena99, Contrary to what some people think, it's not the temperatures that are destroying your window frames, it's UV degradation - the bane of ALL plastics. Any plastic (pvc & fiberglass included) can be made more resistant to UV damage by simply painting it. When it comes to windows, you can install all of the hi-performance windows that you want, but my money will always be bet on storm windows - simply because they work. You can tint them or do whatever you want to them without hurting your new windows or their warranty. As a matter of fact, when properly installed they will actually extend the life of your new windows and the money you save on your heating/cooling costs will pay for the storm windows long before they wear out. Many articles have been written regarding the poor pay-back that results from hi-performance windows vs. added up front costs and the glass failures that only make the pay-back figures even worse. Here is a link that might be useful: Storm Windows

The only way to avoid noticeable glass loss is to go with sash kits or full frame. May want to concentrate on air sealing the casing on both sides, adding insulation won't help much when the walls are uninsulated. A nice storm and properly fitted sash kit would probably be more air tight than many inserts . Install sash kits can be tricky business especially in a house that old, and should be installed by someone experienced at installing them properly.