I just moved into a house with '80s era aluminum storm wimdows
There are two glass panels, one screen
Three slots for each to travel, inner, middle, and outer
The inner is the screen

My question is with the position of the glass, which one is up, and which is down

In each window, the previous owners left the glass in the middle track up
And the glass in the outer track down

My step-dad saw this and said they were backwards, it should be outer=up and middle=down, so rain won't get inside the storm

I started switching them until I realized they were all middle=up/outer=down

Needless to say, it's a little breezy out here (just had my first Nor'easter in this house-and water did get in some of the storms), and heat is really expensive, I'll take any small advantage I can get

So my question is:
Is it...?
A) outer=up
B) outer=down
C) doesn't matter, either way works
D) doesn't matter, a good breeze will blow through those things and will still blow out a candle no matter what you do
E) doesn't matter, the snow will cover them all soon, install a hatch-type door in the roof while you still can

 

Your Step-Dad is right.

 

Your step dad and Johnam are both right.

 

It depends on which way your ratchet notches are pointing as to which window is up or down. Everybody may be right, but if the window was installed upside down, it don't matter. If the rachets won't let you put the windows in the position mentioned, look on the lower rail of the window from the outside and see if there are two bulges about 6" from the outside edges. These are weep holes and must be in the down position and must never be caulked or otherwise stopped up.
Repost and let's see.

 

Ratchet notches appear to be in the proper postion
Weep holes appear to be on the bottom
Previous owners appear to have had the storm window glass in the wrong postions

Thanks guys!
I feel warmer already

 

Wow did that make a difference

It's been a little warmer outside, but windier
The drafts are pretty much gone now
And the rain doesn't seem to get in the north windows anymore
We haven't had a nor-easter to really test them yet, but it sure has helped

Thank You!