I noticed at a job recently that the upper sashes on a few double-hung windows were difficult to open and close. The lower sashes operated great. I was told by a knowlegeable individual that the outside edge of the frames of the windows were pinched “in” during installation. I measured the distance between the side jambs at intervals, top to bottom, on the outside of the window…….they were all the same measurement…..the sides were parallel. The screens fit O.K. and yet I’m told the jambs of the windows are “toed” in……. Have any of you guys run into this before?
jocobe
Replies
Jocobe
"toed in" Never heard of that and I've been around those old double-hungs for to many years.
Have you checked to see if they are painted shut. They are supposed to open, before air-conditioning those windows were meant to open, both of them. Lower the top a little and raise the bottom some, dont know the physics behind it, thats all they had, probably worked to some degree.
Maybe in other parts of the country the upper was "toed in" but I havent heard of it.
Doug
Are these new or old windows?
Excellence is its own reward!
Hey Piffin, that being older and wisser is paying off, I didnt even think of them being new, duh!!!
Doug
New windows in a new house....
The riddle grows.
I was thinking that maybe on new construction sombody used spray foam - overused it actually - and pinched things in at the jambs.
Thing is - it seems like the lower sash would fit tighter when it is raised with any of the reasons I can imagine that would pinch the upper, and the upper sash would run freer when it gets lower. Since it is only the upper sash on a few with trouble, I suspect a manufacturers problem, or paint on the track.
One other possibility is this,
With tilt to wash type units, sometimes they don't quite go back together right when puting them back in. Most won't go or work at all but some brandswill still operate, though scratching and dragging all the way. Try taking the sashes out and putting back in to be sure the balance is caught on both sides. Maybe even a squirt of Armourall to lube it up..
Excellence is its own reward!
I was told by the builder that spray foam was not used and that fiberglass insulation was used. What they're telling me is that the outside edge of the jamb, where the upper sashes slide, is pinched in.......top to bottom (not hourglassed). However, the screens still fit......? They are not tilt-wash.......they are regular double-hung vinyl clad. Maybe the wood inside the vinyl cladding is twisting?....I don't know.
jocobe
it's possible for this to happen.. especially with vinly windows..
one possible quick fix is a spray can of white lithium grease...( for vinyl... furniture Pledge for wood )
a common way for them to get pinched in is an overzealous fitting of siding against the jambs..
on Andersen they put a cloth tape across as a visual aid to make sure teh jambs don't get pinched.. as you walk around , if you see the tape is saggin, you know you have to spread teh jambs back to their original configuration
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
I sprayed them with dry silicone and it didn't seem to help much. I was "told" the straps were "taunt" however I didn't witness this.
FYI - Brick veneer with minimal spacing around perimeter....it should've been 1/4" top and sides....and 1/2" at bottom.
jocobe