|
|
|
Finding Parts For Old Windows
Our house was built in 1946 (Troy,
Michigan). We have Wallside Windows in 1/2 of our house and the other 1/2
we think are Sears replacement windows. Where can we find parts for the
inside? The window is not staying up and we were able to take out the part
from the inside of the frame.
We are not having any luck finding parts for the windows. Any ideas? We do
not have a written warranty so Sears won't help us with the repair.
Thank you.
hobostew
Unfortunately
we have no special knowledge about locating window parts. My first
approach would be to use the Yellow Pages and call around to local
lumberyards to see if they carry any parts, or can help locate the
manufacturer.
The window industry is interesting and changing rapidly. I have often
been amazed at the large number of window manufacturers. 20 years ago I
noticed that some very small fabricating shops were making wood and
vinyl windows. That fact, I believe, is a vestige from a bygone era when
windows were made by carpentry shops all across the country.
But for the past 20-25 years there has been an emphasis on energy
efficiency, which has forced window manufacturers to adopt at least 2
new methods: Double-pane insulated glass and insulated sash materials.
The latter method is often solved by using vinyl extrusions that are
welded at the corners. The usage of double-pane glass means that small
manufacturers have to buy sealed units from a factory with special
equipment.
But here's what's relevant to you: many small window manufacturers could
not possibly afford to engineer their own hardware. So they would buy
standard hardware from a company that would sell hardware to all kinds
of window makers.
It stands to reason that some of that old hardware is still made, or
that somebody has some left-over inventory.
Another point: It seems to me that a lot of those small window
manufacturers could not compete with the big national companies like
Andersen and Pella, so they got wise and went into the business of
making custom windows, mostly for the replacement market. If you can
locate a local custom window maker (not just an installation contractor)
they may be able to direct you to a supplier of window hardware.
You could also search the Net looking for "window hardware,
wholesale, manufacturers, custom". And also type in your state or
city to possible narrow down the results to your local area. My two
favorite search engines are Google and Dogpile. Dogpile submits your
search to a dozen other engines (but not Google) so it saves you time.
Another source of info is called Thompson's Registers. They are a set of
HUGE reference books intended for manufacturers looking for info. They
are kind of a Yellow Pages for manufacturers. They should have some info
online, but they may charge money. Call your local library and ask if
they have a set of Thompson's Registers. An even more likely source
would be a college library. Of course all this takes some time.
The old house I live in has century-old double-hung windows that
sometimes don't stay up. I just use a stick of wood to prop some of the
windows open.
Also, you could attach a simple barrel bolt to the lower corner of the
sash, and drill some holes in the jamb for the metal rod to slide into.
This would give you a series of heights to hold the window at. You could
spray paint the barrel bolts (before installing) so they don't look so
obvious. This is probably the easiest and cheapest solution. You might
even find spring-loaded barrel bolts just for this purpose. My
hundred-year-old windows use a spring-loaded pin that fits into a series
of holes in the jamb. You just pull the pin and raise the window, and
let the pin find the next hole.
If you do this approach, keep all screw-holes away from the glass as far
as possible. It's possible to drive a screw into a sash and break the
glass. The glass-to-sash overlap is generally no more than one inch.
Bruce W. Maki, Editor.
|
|
