Shared Knowledge

"Marvin Wood Double Hung Windows - Difficult to Move Up or Down"

Summary: could be paint on edge of widow that slides on vinyl; paint on vinyl track; broken sash tube or broken vinyl track.

Background:

When everything is as it should be, Marvin wood double hung windows should move up and down "easily".

How "easily" depends on the size of the window.

And "easily" is not as "easily" as some other windows because with Marvin you have a wood edge sliding on a vinyl track where vinyl track is tight against wood.

If you have a window that is difficult to move upward to open, will not stay in place or even impossible to open, could be either: paint on wood edge of window; paint on vinyl track; broken sash tube or broken vinyl track.

Diagnosis of problem:

Remove window. "Marvin Wood Double Hung Windows - How to Till In for Cleaning or Removal"

If lower window will not move at all.....

Open latch on window, latching bottom window to outer, top window.

If bottom window refuses to move upward at all, try to push upper window downward to get windows to separate at locking edge.

With separation between top and bottom window, on bottom window, use one hand to push vinyl track inward while pulling edge of window outward.

Once one edge of lower window slightly out of vinyl track at top, repeat for other side, pushing vinyl track in with one hand while pulling window out with other.

Now slowly pull the window top edge towards you.

Because the window is still in the windowsill at the bottom, the window will not come completely down.

All you are trying to do here is break any paint that might be holding the window from moving.

Now push top edge of window back into vinyl track on both sides.

Now lift window as best you can. "Marvin Wood Double Hung Windows - How to Till In for Cleaning or Removal"

Paint on window edge:

The wood edges of Marvin wood double hung windows must be clear of any paint.

The image below shows how your window edges must look like.

If there is any paint on the wood edge of the window, anywhere, it must be removed.

You can use sandpaper, 200 grit or higher, to remove paint.

Once all paint has been removed, suggest buying some wax and waxing the entire wood edge of the window.

Paint on vinyl track:

With a window out of the vinyl track, the vinyl should not have any paint on it, anywhere.

The image below shows a "paint clean" vinyl track.

If you have paint on the vinyl track, you must remove it however you can.

A knife to scrap off??

Broken sash tube:

Marvin wood double hung windows use a "sash tube" that has a large spring in it. This spring is clipped to the top of the vinyl track and has a window catch mechanism at the bottom that slides with the window up or down.

It is my experience that sash tubes on smaller windows never break but on large inner windows, they can fail in multiple ways.

If a window is removed and you see "string" or "elastic" hanging at bottom, you have a broken sash tube and it will have to be replaced.

You can call Marvin and have them do sash tube replacement or you can do-it-yourself.

"Marvin Wood Double Hung Windows - How to Replace a Broken Sash Tube"

Broken vinyl track:

Looking at the top of the inner window track, the bumper guard is not all the way up flush with the top of the wood window frame and you can see where the vinyl track is broken, the clip on the sash tube has broken the vinyl track and the track must be repaired.

You can have Marvin come to your home and repair or replace the vinyl track.

You can repair the vinyl track do-it-yourself.

 "Marvin Wood Double Hung Windows - How to Repair Vinyl Track Where Broken Out at Top"

"Marvin Wood Double Hung Windows - How to Reinstall Windows into Vinyl Track"