How to dismantle older window?


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Old 08-29-17, 07:46 PM
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How to dismantle older window?

Do I need to remove the wood trim inside this room in order to repair the sach on this window? When sliding the window up to open it does not hold. I have to use a stick to hold it up. Now the outside window has slid down too.
I've watched YouTube videos about how with newer windows you can just unscrew some screws and then the window just pivots out, but this one doesn't work that way. There are screws in the middle on either side but they do nothing. I suspect that the pieces holding the window in place slide out coming inside to the room.

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Old 08-30-17, 05:27 AM
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You said you want to remove the trim. The trim is the molding around the perimeter of the window and it pretties up the transition from the window to the walls. You do not need to remove it to work on the window.

That window is relatively modern. Look in the other side of the window or at other windows in your house to see what type mechanism it uses to hold up the sashes. In most cases you will not need to remove molding or disassemble too much to replace the tensioners. The big problem however will be finding replacement tensioners but the first step is identifying what you have.
 
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Old 08-30-17, 08:22 PM
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Obviously I don't want to have to take the trim off, but the side pieces can't come out because the windows are blocking them. They can't come out towards the room either because the trim is blocking them. It's catch 22.
 
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Old 08-30-17, 09:33 PM
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If I had to guess, I would say that the sashes probably tip in to clean, and that once they are tipped down you can pivot one of the pivoting corners out. Can you tell if there is any sort of latch on the top corners of the window sash? Or if pushing in slightly on the jamb sides (just above the top of the window sash) allows you to pull the top corners of the sash inward a little ?
 
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Old 08-31-17, 07:27 PM
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Here's some more pictures. Note that the brown sides are all one piece. See the pink X's. There's a screw half way up this plastic piece but unscrewing it does nothing. You can see the sash strings hanging out.
There's also screws on top of the sliding window. I tried taking the screws off the window. Didn't help.
Would be nice if there was a YouTube video on this type of window.


 

Last edited by AndyRooney; 08-31-17 at 07:57 PM.
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Old 08-31-17, 07:50 PM
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No, those screws (top of window) are likely there to hold the sash corners together.

You could try sliding a thin putty knife between the top corners of the sash and the plastic jamb... slide it up and down and feel if it hits anything... or try to pry it open slightly and see if you can see anything. Those plastic jambs were sometimes spring loaded or had a foam cushion behind them, so you may be able to force them over slightly and pull the top of the sash free.

Or... you could very well be right, that the trim has to come off to get them out. Many tilt packs are that way... but if yours don't tilt in, they must come out as a unit... meaning you take the trim off, remove all screws, move the sashes to the middle... then pull both the jambs and sashes into the interior (top first)... and keep your hands on the sides because the jambs are spring loaded. Or at least they are supposed to be.

What's your goal in taking them out? Unlikely that you will find repair parts.
 
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Old 08-31-17, 07:55 PM
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The sliding window won't stay up. The sash cord is evidently broken. I can barely see what looks like maybe a 1/4 sash cord inside. Kind of strange that there's this little tiny cordage (1/16"?) flopping out. Not sure what that's for.

I've watched videos of windows that have latches that allow the window to tilt out. This one has no such latches. I will try taking the trim off.
 
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Old 08-31-17, 08:24 PM
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Did you even try the putty knife?
 
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Old 08-31-17, 11:58 PM
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I can't jam anything in there. I took off the interior trim on one side and a piece of wood, which I'm not sure is part of the window or not. There's yet another strip of wood. I'm beginning to think that dismantling the window if possible is my best option.

If worse comes to worse I could always shop at Lowes for this window.
 

Last edited by AndyRooney; 09-01-17 at 12:14 AM.
 

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