Doors and Windows - kitchen window repair

Our kitchen window has suddenly lost all tension when opening. Its very hard to push up and will not stay up. How do I adjust or repair the tension springs? Its a double hung, tilt-in sash type.

Most likely you have either gotten the pivot point out of the "shoe" which is connected to the balance spring, or you balance springs have failed.


Let's hope it's the first one, since that is easy to correct.

Raise the sash that is giving you trouble. Look on the sided of the frame for a pc that looks like a square sorta plastic deal with a slot in it.......IF you can see one on either or both sides, the sash is out of the shoe......it SHOULD be raising with the sash, but isn't. Go look at one you're NOT having a problem with and notice you don't see the shoe.....it's at the bottom of the sash and goes up as the sash goes up.......

Tell me if that's the case and I'll tell you how to fix it or what to look for next.

I don't see anything on either side when I raise the sash. However, when I tilt the lower sash inward I can see both springs/spindles(?) and they appear to be attached but very loose.

Well, doesn't sound like the "easy" solution, which is the sash was just out of the shoe.

Sounds like you have the older, spiral type balance system. Most likely ONE has been bad for a long time and the other just failed. One will operate the window, sorta, and though not quite normal in the amound of "zip" that picks the sash up, it will work. But when the other goes, ain't nothing to hold the sash up.

OK...one more test here. Tilt one of the problem sashes out to about 90 degrees from normal ( like you were gonna clean it ), and pick one side up or push one side down WAY farther than the other. This will let you take the sash completely out. Set it aside.

Now take a pair of needle nose pliers and pull the end of the balancer spiral out of the slot in the shoe....remember the shoe is where the sash pivot point is....and HOLD IT FIRMLY as you take it out. Feel any resistance, like it wants to turn left or right out of the pliers ???? That would be normal...a "loaded" spring. They tension themselves as they spiral downward out of the tube.

No Tension ??? or Very little ??? Try turning the spiral end with the pliers holding tightly against the way it wants to spin...in other words, load some more tension onto the spring IF it will take it. IF it just turns freely, then the end up in the tube has broken free of the tube ( which they do ) and you need a new balancer spring.

You might try here

www.swisco.com

or a local window company.

Buy a spring the same length, remove the screw at the top that holds the tube, install new spring, "load" it like I told you ( you might also see if you can buy the correct tool for this job....a little crank deal with a hook on the end that makes this job a snap)....you might need 2 pair of pliers.......just load it lightly to start, then reinstall your sash and you're back in buisness.

Tn...Andy-

Thanks much. Sounds just like what I have. Tomorrow I'll try your fixes...its quittin' time! Thanks again! I'll let you know how it turns out.

Tn...Andy-

Replaced both balancers after trying to re-tension one to no avail. A local window company had the exact replacement parts including the little claw tool (you were right...having the claw tool made tensioning the spiral spring a snap!). Window works great now. Thanks very much for your help.

Regards,

Craig Cosgrave

You're welcome......and may I assume my apple pie is in the mail ? :)