How to Deal with a Broken Window Sash
Posted on: 11 November 2019
With the arrival of spring, plants begin to bud, birds begin to sing and there's that fresh feeling in the air. You can't wait to ventilate the house following the long winter and it's finally time to open up all those doors and windows. However, there is one big problem as it appears that the sash cord that surrounds the main window in your living room has broken. What do you need to do in order to fix this as quickly as possible?
Old Technology
This type of technology may be somewhat old-fashioned in the modern world, but your windows are nevertheless counterbalanced by weights hidden within the frame. These weights rely on a cord that runs back and forth over a pulley and helps to deal with the weight of the window as it is being moved up or down. Unfortunately, these cords can deteriorate as time goes by and eventually one will snap, making it very difficult for you to open and close the window.
Tricky Work Ahead
If you are going to replace this yourself, make sure that you have the appropriate tools, the right type of replacement cord and a fair amount of patience. Check with your supplier to make sure that the cord is up to the job as if not, it will only break again in due course.
Starting off
You will have to use a tool with a sharp edge to remove the beading from the window frame so that you can get down to work. When you do so, you will be able to see the sash on the inner side (or what's left of it) and should then be able to trace your path to where the individual weights are. These may be hidden by a temporary cover which you will need to open once again and once you've done that, remove the adjacent area of beading to locate the outer sash.
Once you have progressed this far, you will need to remove all of the old cord and cut off what is still connected to the weights with a pair of scissors.
Moving on
The next part may get a little tricky, as you will need to feed in the new cord over the pulley and down through the channel towards the weight compartment. You may need somebody to help you do this as you work, but the objective is to tie the cord to the weight and knot it securely. Do this on both sides of the window and you will need to ensure that the sash is neither too long nor too short, to take into account the position of the window when it is open.
Once you have done this, replace the inner sash by once again feeding it over the pulley and into the channel hidden within the window frame. Again, you will need to connect the sash to the weights carefully and check to see that it is long enough to cater for the movement of the window.
The Alternative Approach
Some people find this to be a very tricky operation and it can be especially difficult for those who do not have too much patience or may not have somebody to help them with the work. In this case, it is far better to bring in a repair specialist who has done this type of work many times instead. The sooner that you call them, the sooner you will be able to welcome that spring air into your place.
For more information, contact a sash cord replacement service.
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