How to Repair Single-Hung Windows

If your single-hung windows rattle, are drafty, have loose joints or broken glass, or won't move, they need attention. Here are some suggestions.

How to Repair Single-Hung Windows With Broken Glass

If the upper glass pane is broken, raise the lower sash a few inches. Remove the screen and the screws securing the horizontal bar. Tap down the bar in one corner until it comes off. Then wiggle and pull the sash bottom downward several inches. Hold the sash top and bottom and move to one side until the opposite side pops out. Remove the panel, and swap the glass. Replace the sash, then the horizontal bar. Install the screws and screen.

If the lower pane is broken, release the mechanism holding up the sash when open. With a string and spring assembly, pull out the metal clips located in the side jambs above the sash. Remove any rubber stops. Raise the window fully.

For a top window mechanism with string hanging down the sides, remove the black plastic pieces covering the side jambs. Remove the screws securing the string. Then, remove the panel. Swap the glass. Re-install the window panel following, in reverse order, the removal steps.

How to Repair Stuck Single-Hung Windows

To repair, remove each sash. Strip off old putty and paint. If you suspect the window does not move because the wood has swollen, sand down the sides for a better fit. If a weight is broken, replace it. Re-epoxy the joints. Re-install each sash. Apply weather-stripping to seal gaps.