Improving Window Operation

Like most other things in the home, the windows become worn with age and need to be maintained to ensure that they continue to work properly. If a window doesn’t open or close easily, the problem is generally some kind of obstruction. Wooden windows have their own set of problems—if they haven’t been painted properly, moisture can make the wood swell and stick. The newer vinyl models generally only need some kind of adjustments to their mechanisms. The best way to identify the problem is to open and close the window several times and watch to see what happens.

When dealing with most of the homes on today’s market, there are generally several types of windows that you’ll come across and the more complicated of these is the casement window that generally has a mechanism to move the window out on a hinge. If a casement window is hard to crank, the problem may be as simple as a dirty crank assembly. It’s easy enough to clean, but you need to take it apart enough to be able to see all of the assembly clearly. Open the window far enough so that you can see the extension arm and then pull it down out of its track. While you can clean the arm with a stiff brush, you should only wipe the hinges with a rag.

When you’ve finished with the cleaning, you’ll want to spray the track and hinges with some kind of lubricant and then reattach the arm. Note here that if a cleaning doesn’t solve the problem, the crank assembly itself needs to be repaired or replaced. Double-hung windows are another type of window that has some common problems that are easily rectified.

Most of these newer windows don’t need maintenance, they have spring-loaded sash tracks that don’t really need much maintenance, but you can take a toothbrush and damp rag to clean the vinyl if the window’s movement seems a little stiff. Of course, dirt buildup is common on storm window tracks and you can use a toothbrush or a hand vacuum to clean the tracks and improve the movement of the window.

Spring lift windows operate with the help of a spring loaded lift rod inside a metal tube. All they generally need is an adjustment, and to do that all you’ll need to do is unscrew the top end of the tube from the jamb, then twist the tube to change the spring tension.

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