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My 14 year old house has double-hung (upper half drops down, upper half lifts up) windows.
Well, they would drop and lift if they didn't stick.
The vertical tracks (sash?) appear to have vinyl liners/snap covers.
They need lubricating, but I've asked at three places (Lowes', and two blind/window covering stores in Cary) what to lubricate them with, and they just try to get me to upgrade all the windows to vinyl windows. Nope.
So, how do I lubricate/maintain these windows in this climate, so that they will open and close (at least, will do so for 10 months of the year)? Where can I get the "right stuff" or who can service them?
Or does anyone have a "nifty secret" like a bar of soap, or candle, or ???
Silicon spray may do the trick, but I have never heard of lubricating the tracks. Wood windows can be a bear with the expanding/contracting due to humidity levels. The best cure to keep them working is simply to open/close them a few times in succession every couple weeks. A good technique to get them open is by fist, with a short range but direct "pop" downward motion using the fleshy part of the fist under the pinky. Hit it right on top of the lower sash frame where the latch is on both the left and right sides. (I am an inspector and find myself opening stuck windows A LOT lol) Hope that helps a bit!
I never found anything that worked for very long. We used to have wood windows in NH, and out of frustration I used to take a hammer to them, and even that didn't always work!! After 10 years, we finally got new vinyl windows, and then we moved!! haha. I enjoyed them for all of about 9 months!
Yeah, wax or soap has been one common remedy. Not painting them to close the edges is one good way to keep them functional. Exercising them about like a dog helps. At least one opening / closing a week.
Might try that silicon spray. Maybe even something like Pam. As they age, they can have embedded dirt in the sash. Can try taking them apart and cleaning, giving a lite sanding in spots. Most lubes tend to soak in and not be all that effective, if it traps dirt, may hurt.
Before the days of replacement windows there was a track system you could buy to rehab the old double hungs. Was sort of for energy saving but it worked to make them operate a lot better too. Basically you took the windows out, installed a track in the opening on the sides. Think it also replaced the need for ropes and weight pockets. Then trimmed off a tad of the window sash on either side, installed a mating track type affair on the window to engage in the main track. Involved using a table saw to very accurately cut a bit off. Had to measure everything very carefully. Remember looking at the systems for my Old House of the time. Never did it.
Might still be around for retrofitting historical houses. Haven't seen them available for years. Think one of the This Old House programs had a guy doing it out of a mobile trailer. Don't remember exactly what he was using. Do recall that also replaced the need for using the window pocket weights and ropes.
Lot of times they jam because things are not quite square any more. You might be able to remove the windows, trim a tad and use a very hard wood shim surface like hickory, maple to give two slick hardwood surfaces to slide against each other. Part of the problem was always the frames where made from a softwood and that never slid good wood-on-wood especially as they aged.
Might look to see if they can get water / wet from the outside. Storm windows over them is just about a must. If they get a lot water, they will tend to stick for a while after.
Glad I have seen my last ancient window. Ain't crying no tears over the parting. Love those good quality tilt in vinyls.
1. Are they painted shut? If so, use a broadknife to score the paint, work it in and get that mechanical obstruction resolved.
2. If they are removable sashes [tilt out or have a "compressable" track that you can squeeze over], remove them and examine the lift/sash mechanism. Often a homeowner doesn't get a removable sash reinstalled into the lift mechanism properly and it jams up.
3. Lubricate with silicon wipes [so the spray doesn't get all over everything] or with beeswax.
4. If you can figure out who manufactured the windows and if it's one of the major millwork companies [Anderson, Pella, Marvin, Kolbe, in this part of the country] contact a dealer and he will be able to get parts, manuals, etc. for nearly every model, sometimes even old out of production models.
I'm assuming the windows themselves are wood? Maybe a dehumidifier?
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