Window Doesn't Close Properly

Dave in Michigan

I have a window that doesn't close properly. The bottom "panel" doesn't go low enough so I cannot lock it. The lock has to go into the "hole" (as shown in the picture), but when I close the window, the lock is higher than the hole, so it cannot be lock (so I am cold).

Does anyone have any suggestion on what I can do or check?

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slakker

Can you post a pic of where it's stuck? Is it not closing all the way? Is there anything in the side rails?

XSleeper

If the top sash operates, check to see that the top half of the window is pushed all the way up. And if the window tips in to clean, tip it in and see if the window is hooked into the pivot shoes correctly. Then shut it and see if it locks.

Dave in Michigan

Slakker, thanks for your reply!

It is indeed not closing all the way.

I don't know if the pictures below will show it clear enough. The bottom beige thing is the window sill. I have made 2 color block to show how far the window would go inside the bottom thing (I don't know how to call it).

The left picture is the good window. You can see the window goes in nicely, so the height is small. The right picture is the "bad" one. It doesn't close all the way, so the height is bigger. I don't know if I explain it well.

Since it is easy to check if there is anything on the bottom that is hindering the closure, I had checked and found nothing, so I am suspecting something might be in the side rails, but how can I check that? Can the side be opened?

Any suggestion would be appreciated. I have lived in an apartment for 25 years, and in an apartment you would just called the maintenance guy, so I never paid attention, and I never had a window problem in an apartment either.

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Dave in Michigan

Goodness! I never knew that the window could tip in. I have been wondering how I could clean my window on 2nd floor. Glad I didn't get a tall ladder and tried to clean it from outside!

So just now I tipped it in, moved it up and down a little bit. Now I broke something. I have either broken the springs or somehow loosened it. There was a "PRANG" spring sound, and now the window is not connected to the spring, so if I lift it up, it will fall down again.

That is not my major concern now. But after trying tipping in and putting it back, it is still not closable.

gregzoll

Most likely, the mechanism came loose from the string, or the string broke (most lower end use a cheap mechanism for the spring assembly). I have a window in my garage that I had to take the window out, to get to the spring assmbly, then had to put it together. All that the assembly is, is a couple pieces of plastic, some string, a spring, and a piece of steel rod.

Dave in Michigan

The problem has been fixed (accidentally)!

This morning I walked into the room and didn't feel the usual coldness that I used to feel when I walked into this room. I took a look at the window and noticed that it had gone a little further down. I pushed it a little, and it went all the way down! And now I can lock the window easily!

And the difference from before was the springs. I think I have accidentally unattached the springs from the bottom sash. That means that the springs were not installed properly, were too short, or were so strong that when installed, the window could not be pushed down completely.

I will have a warmer winter this year for sure!