Some windows have an energy panel, often confused with a storm window. For windows that move up and down and stay in place but are noisy you may just need to spray the pulleys with a lubricant. Double-Hung windows have two operating sash that move up and down allowing for ventilation on the top, bottom or both. Finally, lower the installed sash, and the braking pawls on each side of the sash will be released. For windows that won’t open easily or stay up, you’ll have to access the pocket in the jamb to understand what the problem is. Brace yourself—there will be immediate upward tension. Top window won't stay up. The little metal cam on the bottom corner of your sash will brake the locking terminal that’s under tension inside the track. First let s talk about what a Double Hung actually is. CAUTION! How to Make a Sliding Window Easy to Move, How to Install a Spring Handle on a Fireplace Insert Door, How to Burglar-Proof a Window Air Conditioner, Swisco: Adjust Tilt Window Spiral Balance, Lowe's: Prime-Line Vertical Hung Wood Window Counter Balance Friction Spring, How to Adjust a Double-Hung Window Spiral Spring, How to Replace Double-Hung Window Balance Springs, How to Adjust a Double Hung Window Spring. These tools are available at local hardware stores. Insert a screwdriver on the locking terminal and twist clockwise to release the pawl. Instead they have liners on each side that contain a spring assembly. Carefully install your window sash by positioning one cam, then the other, onto the top of each locking terminal. Replace the whole vinyl jamb liner unit (Photos 1 – 4)—including both balance cartridges. If you ask a child to draw a house, he or she likely will not draw a modern slider window, a casement window, or a picture window.Almost certainly, they will draw a box with a gable roof and a single-hung or double-hung window. This number is the glass size code for your window; a parts retailer can’t fill your order without it. 1), and slide the wash assists down to the top of the lower sash. Single-hung and double-hung windows are two of the most basic, classic, and timeless styles of windows you can install in your house. Both offer easy cleaning from inside your home and remain flush with … The spring will add tension between the frame and keep the window in the position you set it in. The sash has to be low and level before you lift the first side out of the jamb liner. Purchase a spiral balance tension tool. If so, search online or look in the Yellow Pages under “Windows, Repairs.” Search for outfits specializing in a range of window repair work, and avoid the listed hardware stores that may only replace broken glass. Slowly raise the locking terminal and let it rest at the bottom of the balance cartridge. Andersen offers windows to fit the needs of just about anybody. Our jamb liner came out of the left hand side of the window opening. Our storm windows are from the mid-20th Century, are corroded, have broken handles and screens, and are next to useless. Don’t use abrasive cleaning solutions or materials, don’t allow metal parts of cleaning equipment to touch the glass, and don’t use scrapers of any kind. The cartridge with the shorter S-clip is always installed on the exterior side of the window. Hammer it in until the nail sits flat. It's clear what the failure … Wear safety glasses for this step. Your double-hung top sash won't stay up. Remove the window sash from the vinyl track. I just include it to help people identify what I've got. Carry out the steps relevant to your repair in Photos 1 – 7. He placed second in the NFO Screenwriting Contest and received filmmaking awards from Manchester Community College and Norwich Free Academy. He currently attends Academy of Art University. This is a DIY repair that you can do once you have the right parts and these complete, step-by-step instructions with photos to guide you through the entire process. This is what my balance bar looks like, it doesn't seem to have any problems with the string or spring. For right-hand side jamb liners, reverse any instructions calling for turning a screwdriver clockwise or counterclockwise. Place the sash spring in the center side of each window. There are essentially two main causes of windows that refuse to stay up. It sounds like the balance has lost some of its tension. He has been published in the Norwich Free Academy "Red & White," UNLV's "Rebel Yell" and on various websites. If the locking terminal is broken, the cord in one block-and tackle mechanism may have snarled. If your double hung window isn’t opening or closing properly locate your order number and contact Simonton for a new balance assembly. Some windows are vinyl on both sides, while others are vinyl on the outside to withstand the elements but have a natural wood look on the interior. Once the pulleys are restrung, run some cord out the bottom of the balance, clamp it with a locking pliers and reconnect the pulley block to the spring. Locate the right and left wash assists at the top of the jamb liner (Fig. Purchase sash springs when sliding windows occur on a double window set-up. Remove this type of vinyl jamb liner by working a stiff putty knife between the window stop and the track. (Note: The parts and the repair techniques are different for wood windows and all-vinyl windows.) If you do not have any nails, use steel wire spring nails for the project. My Windows Won’t Stay Up. Depending on the model, the nail holes will appear in different area. In most cases, the sash cord is degraded or torn which makes the repair fairly easy. Imagine this: You’re taking one of your wood double-hung window sashes out of its frame when suddenly and violently, the spring-loaded balance releases and snaps up into the vinyl jamb liner. Repair a broken double-hung window by repairing the jamb liner. Then order repair parts from the manufacturer through the dealer where you bought your window. It's cost effective, the inconvenience is minor and in my thinking, any investment should go toward new windows that will save money in the long run. Slide the cartridge down the center of the channel in the vinyl jamb liner and hook the S-clip over the top of the track. Determine which is the top end of the jamb liner and which is the sill end (the angled cut). Insert the metal bar on the left side of the sash into the left side … If you’re going to buy either the entire vinyl track unit or just the damaged balance cartridge, copy the number stamped on the cartridge’s face (inset, Fig. Is there a cable or something that needs replaced? Modern double-hung windows (the upper and lower window sashes slide up and down past each other) don’t use pulleys and sash weights to support the sash (the moving part of the window). Most springs come with included nails, but if it doesn't, use a steel wire nail. Alan Donahue started writing professionally in 2003. One possibility is that the one, or both, balances of the window have become disconnected from the sash. How can I keep the top sash in place? Return Stops. Lift your window and look under it. You must decide if you’d prefer to let a pro handle this repair. The original double-hung windows are in fair condition, mostly. 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