Pocket Doors and Sash Weights
The first time I got to this stage, I’ll confess it was a bit of a mystery. I’d read a few online articles and understood that there were perfectly sized counterweights somewhere in or around the window that would allow the sadh to be placed at a specific height and not move up or down. There were many things I wasn’t clear on though:
- where were these sash weights – it certainly wasn’t obvious and you couldn’t eyeball them anywhere – i had considered the prospect of taking the entire window system apart which seemed daunting
- what did the they look like, did i have to replace them, or could i fix them, what if one of them was missing
- how many of them were there – i may have though there was only 1 weight – turns out there are generally 4 of them and occasionally 6 of them on sets of double hung windows. We’ll discuss too of them in this article.
- what did i have to do to make them useful again – i could imagine but a picture is worth many words or text blogs
Turns out that many of these window systems have a fairly ingenious hidden door that allows you to directly access and fix most sash weight issues. You may not find it very cool but I sure did.
So lets have a look:
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have look on the window frame (just exposed when you removed the stop) for a small screw set into the middle of the wood. It will be very flush but it likely won't be painted. Unscrew this screw! In other windows it could just a pressure fit (so no screw) or the screw is mounted on the wall side of the window rather than on the interior window side. |
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With a little very gentle persuasion you'll find an entire door - almost 12 inches high - in the side of your window. Remove this door carefully. Its a snug fit and has been a fine piece of carpentery in every window I've worked with it. |
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this is what the inside of the window casing looks like. From left to right you can see the Window Trim (in white), a red vapour barrier, in this case behind the wall board on the inside of the wall and infront of some old plaster walls that were there originally. Then a gap and if you squint you'll see a piece of old sash cord sticking up. |
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give that loose cash cord a gentle pull and you'll be able to gently pull the sash weight out of the cavity that extends beneath the window. |
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and here you see a full sash weight (heavier than you think) - i suspect this one is cast iron, its got a nifty notch for tying the weight to the sash cord - this one had the weight of the sash cast in letters into the weight. 6 lbs if i recall. Its dusty will have insulation on it (hopefully) and you don't want to lose it. Don't let it roll out the window. |
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and then do the same thing on the other side of the window - removing the door and taking the sash weight out. |