We had our house built 5 years ago and the windows that were installed are double hung vinyl…..they are a decent window except for the counter balance “mechanism” for lack of a better term. We actually had to have the mechanism replaced in three of the windows right after we moved in. Well, since then three more have failed. I was there when the window repair rep fixed the others and the mechanism is an aluminum tube with a corkscrew type of insert that is attached to the sash, that when the window is raised or lowered “unscrews” or screws back in depending on the direction of operation.
The builder has since gone out of business(divorce I believe killed the business) and we are more than happy with the rest of the house but I need to get these windows fixed. The weight of the upper sash is being held by the locking latch.
I want to contact the manufacturer to have them repaired but I don’t know the manufacturer….we took pictures of the house as it was being built but I cannot read the stickers on the windows well enough to see the name!!! It is a blue background with white text but I can’t read the name.
Is anyone familiar enough with windows to at least point me in the right direction??
Replies
Find a contractor in your locale that sells and installs replacement windows. Tell him you need some new spring balances, and ask if he can help source them for you.
If you are in a large metropolitan area, there is likely a window maker somewhere locally, that has balances in all the various sizes for making their product. The contractor will know about that.
You should be able to remove one of the balances by unsnapping the jamb cover part that hides it. Once removed, you can take it to your source and get a matched one, new, that will replace the defective one.
Here is a company in the Kansas City area.
http://www.allaboutdoors.com/
They both do repairs and they also sell replacement hardware (On the left column).
You might be able to ID the balances. If not they might be able to talk you through it.
But in city of any size I would think that there would be similar companies that do repairs.
Someone in this forum told me about Blaine Hardware (Maryland and Chicago). I just received a shipment from them today. They have a pretty good website, and they answer questions by email and phone (but they cost me mucho because they filled in the custom's form incorrectly).
http://www.blainewindow.com
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
They make a tool for adding pressure to the counter balances.
Costs a few dollars and worth a shot.
Pull the sash out of the frame and twist the counter balance shaft as much as possible.
May not work but worth a try
I'm only half as dumb as I look.
What you have is spiral or tube balances.
Blaine is a good source as is http://www.strybuc.com/
They come in different lengths, diameters and weights.
I'd suspect if you are having this many issues on newer windows there is a problem causing failure. Missing sash stops would be my first guess... Many builders throw them away but they are important in limiting the travel of the window, otherwise the sash shoes hit the bottom of the balance causing failure.