I have painted several steel doors and never removed the moulding and glass. Why ask for problems? A steady hand keeps the paint where it is supposed to go, and a quick rag or your clean finger removes any that may go astray.

George: Your original steel windows are a vanishing resource. If you make an effort to save them, and not toss them in the landfill, you will be doing your old house a very big favor. You mention they are cold. Insulation is created with stable air. When you pair a single pane window with a well fitting storm, you create inches of stable air. The resulting R-value meets or exceed that of even high end replacement windows with insulated glass. (I know this not just from the studies. I have a few new construction windows in my 1959 house and they are noticably colder than the original windows with storms.) Also, you would not need insulated glass if you were to have custom storms built. I know of two companies in the Northeast who specialize in steel window restoration, one in Delaware (Window Pro)and one in Peekskill, NY (Seekircher). I'm sure there are others around the country. Best of luck, and I hope you will give your beautiful old windows a shot.

You will need to check with your local/state environmental oversight body to see how the asbestos caulking is defined. Technically, the steel window with the lead paint can be removed by contractor if he is an EPA certified renovator. You might be best suited to have an abatement company remove everything and prepare the opening for your contractor to install the new windows.

I do not but I did end up ordering through Doorwin and it was TERRIBLE! We had so many problems with them. They lied to us over and over. 1. Their designers could not get our designs correct. We found so many mistakes which took months for them to get right. 2. They sent us the wrong handles (what we signed and agreed to) and refuse to make it right telling us we should be happy with what we got. We told them to compensate us $100 per handle since we now have to buy new ones (this is what they cost in the US) and they said they would only pay $25 per handle. 3. They shipped another persons order on our cargo (free to them) without telling us! We paid $7000 for freight and customs (this doesn’t include the actual purchase of the doors) and they said the other persons order didn’t add to our cost. Lies! Then they came back and admitted it in fact did and they would pay us $300 LOL! Their order was 10% if the total weight! Plus it is ILLEGAL to sneak product onto someone else’s cargo under their name. Customs will now have to take legal action against them. This is a VERY unethical company! They make so many excuses as to why you should just be happy for what you got. They don’t realize in the US we expect to get what we paid for and not lied to. I am telling you spare youself and DO NOT use them. I am happy to explain more details if anyone wants to contact me.