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Replacing a pane-especially a small onein a window sash isn’t difficult. After carefully removing the old glass and measuring the opening, you can either cut new glass to size yourself or have it done. Install it in the same way the original glass was installed.

CAUTION: Take care when working with glass. Wear heavy gloves and safety goggles if you’re removing
shards. Before removing broken glass, tape newspaper to the inside of the sash to catch any fragments. Pad glass with several layers of newspaper when you’re transporting it and dispose of glass fragments immediately Wood sashes. In wood sashes, tiny metal glazier’s points and glazing putty on the outside of the window hold the glass in the sash.

The steps in reglazing a wood sash are shown below. After you’ve removed the glass, you’ll need to chisel
out all the old putty If it’s hard, soak it with linseed oil or gently heat it with a propane torch.

To determine the size for the new pane, measure the width and height of the sash opening and subtract 1/8 inch from each dimension. Measure the sash at several points to allow for its being out of square.

NOTE: Since wood sashes are re-puttied from the outside, you may have to remove an upper-story window or get up on a ladder to reglaze it.

Metal sashes. In windows with metal sashes, glass may be held in place in several ways. Metal casement windows may use putty or a combination of putty and metal spring clips. Glass in these windows is re-placed in much the same way as for wood sashes. In other windows, the glass is secured with rubber seals, a rubber gasket, or beveled metal or plastic snap-out moldings.

Reglazing A Wood Sash

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Sliding window sashes move along metal, wood, or vinyl tracks fitted into the window frame at the top and bottom. To ease their movement, large sashes often have plastic rollers attached to the top and bottom, or to the bottom only.

Paint sealing the sash to the frame, a dirty or bent track, or sticking rollers can cause the sash to stick or bind. The window can jam or not close properly if its catch is bent, loose, or damaged.

A Sliding Window

Freeing a paint-bound sash. If a sash is clogged with paint, score the edges with a sharp utility knife, then rock the sash from side to side to loosen it. Clean any dirt from the sides of the sash and the frame, and lubricate both with paraffin.

Cleaning and repairing a track
Use a wire brush to clean dirt from the track; for stubborn particles, use the blade of a screwdriver. Lubricate the track with paraffin to keep the sash movement smooth.

Repair a bent track using the method shown below. You may need to remove the sash from the track before making the repair.

If the rollers are sticking, lubricate them with graphite powder or silicone spray until they move freely If they’re broken, you’ll need to remove the sash (see below) and have a glazier replace the rollers.

Repairing a catch. Sliding windows are secured with a variety of catches; the type used depends on the manufacturer and whether the windows are made from metal or wood. If the catch doesn’t work properly you may need to remove the sash from the frame (see below) to fix it.

You may be able to reshape a bent catch. First note how much it will have to be reshaped. Then remove the catch and clamp it in a vise. Using pliers or a hammer, bend the catch to the proper angle. Replace it and check the latch operationit should click as the win-dow closes, and it should have to be depressed fully for the window to open.

Usually the best solution is to re-place a malfunctioning catch or one that is worn or broken with an exact
duplicate.

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Straightening A Bent Track

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A casement window, whether made from wood or metal, has a sash hinged at the side and is operated either by a sliding rod (usually found in older windows) or by a crank and gear mechanism. A window made from metal seldom experiences problems if the hinges, latch, and window operator are lubricated regularly Problems that can develop include a faulty window oper-ator and, with a window made from
wood, a binding or warped sash.

A Casement Window

Repairing a faulty
window operator You can prevent most window operator problems with a simple maintenance routine. Occasionally clean the mech-anism and lubricate with paraffin, a few drops of light penetrating oil, or silicone spray If a casement window resists opening or closing, use one of the methods below to get it in working order again.

Sliding rod mechanism. Look for hardened grease or paint on the sliding rod. Cleaning and lubricating the rod, channel (if any), and pivot points, as shown below, usually solves the problem.

Crank and gear mechanism. First try cleaning and lubricating the exten-sion-arm track (see below).

If the window still doesn’t operate properly, check the gear assembly in the crank mechanism. To do this, you’ll have to unfasten and remove the oper-ator. Open the window partially and remove the screws that hold the operator to the frame. Slide the extension arm toward you along the track until it slips free. Then pull the extension arm in through the window frame.

Inspect the gears; if the teeth are worn, replace the unit with an exact du-plicate that cranks in the same direction as the old one.

If the gear teeth are still sharp but are clogged with dirt, remove any dirt or grease with a piece of stiff wire or clean the assembly with a solvent, such as kerosene. Let it dry Lubricate metal gears with graphite powder, silicone, or petroleum jelly; then turn the crank several times to spread the lubricant. Use silicone spray on nylon gears. If the gears still malfunction, replace the entire assembly with a duplicate.

Correcting a binding sash
If a sash sags or sticks, adjust the hinges as for a door.

To fix a paint-bound sash, scrape away any excess paint and sand the surface smooth. If a wood sash has
swollen, sand the part that’s rubbing. If the stop has swollen, remove it, sand as necessary and reposition it. Seal and refinish any bare wood after sanding.

A mild warp in a sash made from wood can be compensated for by adjusting the stops or by adding weatherstripping.

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Cleaning Three Types Of Window Operators

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