You might say, ‘who need a checklist just to unstuck a window’. However, recognising what is causing the problem and knowing how to handle it will save you a lot of time and possible expense. This article intends to outline a checklist for helping you to identify why your window or windows are stuck in the first place and also what you might need to help you to deal with the problem. You can find more window related topics at http:sashwindowsguide.com at any time.
Windows stick for various reasons. If you have a window that is sticking you could consider the following:
• What is the topographical location of the window within the home. Is it north facing and therefore getting excessive amounts of rain, or perhaps south facing and suffering from a lot of sunlight.
• Other weather factors can affect the performance of your windows, such as excessive humidity and large temperature ranges.
• When were the windows last painted. If the windows have been recently painted your problems could lie with excessive paint on the frames that have sealed your windows closed. If your timber windows have not been painted for a number of years, then the timber could be getting warped or swollen by rain.
• Was construction work carried out on the windows or on some other part of the house recently. A window sticking might be an outward sign of either bad workmanship or an underlying construction problem.
If you run through this checklist you may be able to figure out what the reason is that is causing your windows to stick. Following on, you should be able to consider taking action in one of the following ways:
• If your windows are sticking due to weather conditions, actions such as lubricating the metal moving parts, putting some silicone spray in the sash channels, smearing vaseline or some other gentle grease on parts that would like ongoing protection, will help unstuck your windows and prevent them sticking again.
• You may need to use a rubber mallet in order to get your windows unstuck in the first place. Gentle pressure works best and always remember if using a ladder that your own safety is of paramount importance.
• If your windows and especially your sash windows are stuck due to excessive paint or varnish, free the paint seals with a blade and then either sand down and lubricate the affected areas, or if there has been a build up of paint over a prolonged period you may have to remove all of the paint and start with a fresh coat of paint.
• If you feel that there may be an underlying construction problem or a difficulty arising from bad workmanship you should get proper advice from an expert.