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:
- It will clean the screw slot.
- It will break the paint seal.
- 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.
