Rattling Windows for Dummies

Double-hung sash window

One of the few areas of agreement between the Antisocial Network staffers and the people at content farms like HubPages and eHow is a shared dislike for plagiarism. They don't like it because it reduces SERP, we don't like it because it's intellectually lazy and dishonest. Different strokes, we guess... Whatever the reason, though, we especially dislike plagiarism when the miscreant introduces inaccuracies while trying to reword the original, sort of like how Alec Preble messed up in plagiarizing "How to Fix Rattling Windows"¹ for TheBump.com (a Leaf Group niche).

Preble's text is a copy-reword-paste of content on a British company's website, opening with almost identical wording (Alec only cited some buddy who claims to be a contractor, plus Angie's List):

"Rattling windows aren’t just annoying, they are also an indication that something is wrong and there is an issue that needs to be corrected," at Sash Windows, London; became "Rattling windows aren't just irritating -- they're also an indication of an issue that needs to be corrected" after Preble's adjustment.

Would that were all that Alec copied... and more to the point, we sure wish that while he was plagiarizing the website, he'd done a better job of rewording. For instance, Alec thought that,

"Rattling happens when glass settles toward the bottom of the pane and creates a gap between the glass and frame, or degradation of the frame due to repeated use over a long period of time."

In the first place, the glass is the pane; in the second, "degradation of the frame" is a lot more likely due to weather than to "repeated use." But what the hey, they probably don't teach anything about windows in the English department. So let's see how Alec thinks you should stop the rattles:

• "Examine the frame around the glass for cracks or loose caulk. Remove loose caulk with a putty or utility knife and apply a new bead of caulk around the entire window." – Ummm, that's not the frame, that's the sash; and you'd be wise to evaluate the glazier's points at the same time.
• "Apply a bead of caulk around the outside of the window frame, where the sash meets the trim." – No, Alec, that's a fix for windows leaking cold air. It won't stop rattling.
• "Open the window all the way and measure the bottom of the track. Measure the track from the base up to where it's covered by the window. Cut pieces of rubber compression strips to size with a pair of scissors. Install the strips along the bottom and sides of the track according to package instructions." – "[R]ubber compression strips"? Does Preble mean weatherstripping?

Preble left out repairing damaged window frame components or, worst-case scenario, replacing the entire window. We're surprised, however, that he didn't suggest stuffing newspaper in the cracks, since that's about the level of competence our Dumbass of the Day has shown the other five times he's been on the podium.

¹ The original has been deleted by Leaf Group, but can still be accessed using the Wayback machine at archive.org. Its URL was   living.thebump.com/fix-rattling-windows-9485.html

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