Repairing Double-Hung Wood Windows

If you have an older home with double-hung wood windows, you know that every so often the ropes that hold the counter weights rot and break. Here's how to repair it yourself and save money!

We brothers grew up in our grandmother's house, a turn-of-the-century home with double-hung wood windows. Guess who was assigned the task of repairing and maintaining those contraptions. Even though dad was the handiest guy in the neighborhood, we were the chosen ones.

Every time a sash rope broke it was our responsibility to make the repair. If you have an older home with double-hung wood windows, you know that every so often the ropes that hold the counter weights rot and break--sending the counterweight into window oblivion. You also know that there is nothing harder to open than a double-hung window without the help of both counter weights. In time, we got rather good at making this repair.

Here is how it's done:

First, prepare the work area (put a drop cloth on the floor to protect the carpet. If the floor is hardwood, cover it with a sheet of 1/4-inch wallboard. This will prevent damage to the floor if a tool or window part drops).

Next, remove the trim pieces from either side of the window opening that keeps the lower window in place. Nothing else prevents that window from falling out, so be careful. Use a sharp chisel to pry the trim away from the frame of the window. First break the paint connection by running a razor-knife blade the full length of the trim. Doing so will reduce paint chipping and, in many instances, will eliminate damage to the trim. Note: Use a wedge between the side of the window and the frame to hold the window in place while you remove the trim. Once the trim is removed, the wedges are pulled out and the window and its frame will fall out of the opening.

The next step is to remove the lower window. The weight ropes usually are held in place with a small nail or screw. Remove the fastener from each side, being careful not to drop the window, and then pull the rope away. Move the window to a safe location. This would be an ideal time to repair the frame, re-glaze the window and sand and paint the frame.

With the bottom window safely out of the way, the center trim easily can be removed so that the top window also can be removed. Even if there is nothing wrong with the weight ropes attached to the top window, it is wise to replace them as well. Removing the trim is a big part of this job. Once the trim is out, it is a mistake not to renew all the ropes at once. When one rope goes, it indicates what soon will follow with the other ropes in that opening. Make sure to slide the top window to the lower position and wedge it in place before beginning to remove the center trim. Note: The outer trim that holds the lower trim in place is mounted onto the inside face of the frame. However, the center trim piece is usually recessed into a dado. So, be careful to keep that in mind as you use your chisel to pry it loose. In other words, the back of the trim is below frame surface. After using a sharp razor knife to break the paint seal on both sides of the trim, slightly imbed the tip of a sharp chisel into the side of the trim. Tap lightly with your hammer so you don't split the trim. Next, place a wedge or small block between the chisel and the frame to act as a fulcrum. Prying the trim out will be easier using this technique.

Next, remove the upper window in the same way as the lower window was taken out. Place the upper window away from the work area.

Remove the four weight chamber covers; these are usually held in place with screws. If painted, they might require some tweaking. To loosen the paint connection between a screw and the surrounding area, insert a screwdriver into the slot and tap lightly with a hammer. This will accomplish three things:

1. It will clean the screw slot.
2. It will break the paint seal.
3. It will slightly loosen the bond between the screw and the wood that it is imbedded in, making the removal of the screw easier.

With the covers removed, replace the ropes, making sure the new ropes match the old ones in length. Put everything back together in reverse order. One last note: This is a good time to make sure that the weather-stripping is up to snuff.

See more weekly projects in the Windows and Skylights category!