How to Fix a Window That Won’t Open

It's warm outside and you want to get to the window to allow a fresh breeze in the living room. The problem? You pull on the window and it seems jammed! You check the lock; sure enough, it's still locked. You unlock it and go to pull the window again. No luck. Now what do you do? If you're still wondering that, then you're reading the right article. Here we'll tackle those stubborn windows that won't open even though you know they can.

If your window is a new one, or if a fresh coat of paint has been applied after the window was installed, then you'll want to take a look at the coat of paint and how it's interacting with the window. Sometimes, windows can be painted shut by paint that has been allowed to dry where the window should normally be allowed to move. Check this paint; if it looks like the paint might be getting in the way, use a razor knife and carefully cut the paint between the "stop" and the "sash." The "stop" refers to a window's frame on the house side of your window. The "sash" is the moving section of your window.

If you've done this and still are having trouble with the window sash not moving, then you're going to want to move on to the next level.

Now it's time to check the other parts of the window that are key to allowing movement. Check out pieces like the parting strip or the jamb. Once you take a step back and look at the areas of the window that should be working but aren't, you should have a better idea of what might need fixing. If you can confirm that each individual part is working, knock it off your list - a process of elimination might help you diagnose the real problem.

It's not an uncommon problem to have windows that seem heavier than they are because of slow-moving parts or parts that aren't quite working properly. If you use this window as a learning experience, you should have a better idea of all of the elements that go into making a window move effortlessly; use this knowledge to not only fix the window that is having the difficulties, but any future windows in your home that might require struggling to get them open.

Photo credits: David 23

Originally posted 2009-12-05 03:12:32.

This post involves:

coat of paint, elements, fresh breeze, fresh coat of paint, jamb, learning experience, living room, moving parts, next level, process of elimination, razor knife, uncommon problem, window sash

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Handyman, How to Fix, windows

Posted by Fix Handyman on June 8, 2010 in Handyman, How to Fix, windows. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.