How To Replace A Damaged Cord On A Sash Window Yourself

January 23rd, 2012 by Damian Hounslow

From time to time, the cord may need to be changed due to wear and tear. With some time and effort, a homeowner can learn how to change a broken cord on a sash window by themselves. To make the repair, have a putty knife, small pry bar, flat head screw driver and several small nails on hand.

The first step will be to remove the interior stop. Use the putty knife to pry it open or unscrew it. Next, move the inner sash out the way carefully. The cords fit into stile grooves, which are vertical pieces inside the frame, and they are held in place with knots. Carefully pull these free and set the weights down. A good idea is to clean out this area of any dirt before reassembling it.

The third task is to open the parting strip from one of the jambs. A jamb is an upright support found in the window frame. This may be held in place with nails, so take care when pulling it off. Move the upper piece out of the way and take off the cords.

The weight pockets must be taken out next. This involves taking off the weather stripping first. Access to the weight pockets should be behind small plates at near the bottom of the jambs. If not, they are behind the interior casing on both sides of the window. In either case, remove the pieces and get the sash weights.

Be sure to measure out the new cords before you replace them and cut the to the right length. Untie the old ones and add the new ones by sending them over the pulleys and then into the weights. Each weight has an eye, which a small bar you can loop the string around. Tie it off here. You can also use wire to help keep it in place.

You can make it a little easier on yourself by nailing the weights to the frame. Pull the weight up to the top of their pockets before you do. Now take the outer cords and attach them to their slots with a screw. Put the plates and weather stripping back and then replace the parting strip. You can take out the nails now. You next have to lift sash and tie the strings to the inner sash then put the whole thing back together.

It’s recommended to go ahead and replace all the strings while you have it open, so that you don’t have to do this again for a while. You can opt to use chains instead of string if you want. In the long run, doing it yourself will be cheaper than having a professional do it.

Regardless of what kind of sash window repairs London locals require, it is as near as an Internet search. You can learn how to achieve sash cord repairs using local professionals and technicians.

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