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How toWindow Repair

How do I fix a window that won't stay open?

On an older wood double-hung window, a sash that drops shut usually means a broken sash cord or a counterweight that has come loose. Check that the sash slides freely, then look at the cords; replacing a broken cord with new rope or a chain is one of the most common window repairs.[^nps] Newer windows have spring balances, so photograph the part before you buy a match.

Free to ask. Local shops send quotes, and you pay only when you book one.

By Kasra Taheri, Founder, LoclisPublished

Researched and drafted with AI, then checked claim by claim against the sources listed below before it was published. Prices and rules change; the dates beside each source say when it was last checked.

Step by step

Read when to stop and call a pro, further down this page, before you start.

  1. Step 1: Find out how the window is held up

    Open the window and look at the sides: an older double-hung window is usually held by cords and weights, a newer one by balances in the side channels.

  2. Step 2: Check the lower sash moves freely

    A sash painted into its channel or dirty in its tracks can drop or bind, so clean the tracks and sash edges first.

  3. Step 3: Test for a broken cord

    If the sash falls as soon as you let go and feels light, a sash cord has probably broken.[1]

  4. Step 4: Check the lead-paint risk

    Before removing trim or scraping paint in a pre-1978 house, read the EPA's rules for painted surfaces.[2]

  5. Step 5: Get at the weight pocket

    The weight pocket is frequently accessible through a door on the face of the frame near the sill.[1]

  6. Step 6: Secure the old cord ends

    Detach the sash cords from the sides of the sash and pin or knot their ends so they do not fall into the weight pocket.[1]

  7. Step 7: Fit a new cord or chain

    Replace the broken cord with new rope or with chain.[1]

  8. Step 8: Test the balance

    Raise and lower the sash and check that it stays where you leave it; sash weights can be adjusted for easier operation.[1]

  9. Step 9: Photograph balances that are not cord and weight

    If the window has spring balances in the side channels, photograph the label or the part before ordering a match.

Work out what is holding the sash up

A window that will not stay open has lost its balance, and what that means depends on the window. An older wood double-hung window is held up by cords running over pulleys to weights hidden in the frame. If one cord breaks, the sash feels light and drops the moment you let go. Newer windows usually use spring balances in the side channels instead.

Start with the simple causes. Clean the tracks and the sash edges, and check that the sash is not painted into its channel. A sash that binds will often drop in jerks, and that is a cleaning job, not a repair.

A double-hung wooden window with six panes in each sash and dark shutters on a stone facade, in black and white
Photo: GSA, National Parks Service, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Before you touch the trim: the lead-paint rule

If the house was built before 1978, think about paint before you pry anything off. Any renovation, repair or painting project in a pre-1978 home or building that has lead-based paint can easily create dangerous lead dust.[2] In general, the RRP Rule does not apply to homeowners doing RRP projects in their own pre-1978 homes.[2] The EPA adds that it does apply if you rent all or part of your home.[2] It also applies to anyone you pay: anyone paid to perform work that disturbs paint in housing and child-occupied facilities built before 1978 must be certified in lead-safe work practices.[2]

So you may repair your own window, but keep dust down, and if the paint is old and failing, hiring a certified contractor is the safer choice.

Replace a broken sash cord

A common cause, and one that is often fixable at home, is a broken cord. One of the most common work items is the replacement of the sash cords with new rope cords or with chains.[1]

To reach the weights, look near the bottom of the frame on the inside. The weight pocket is frequently accessible through a door on the face of the frame near the sill, but if no door exists, the trim on the interior face may be removed for access.[1] If you have to remove trim, pry it gently, working a little at a time, so that it can go back on.

Once the sash is out, the old cords must not slip away. The sash cords should be detached from the sides of the sash and their ends may be pinned with a nail or tied in a knot to prevent them from falling into the weight pocket.[1] Tie the new cord or chain to the weight, run it over the pulley and fasten it to the sash.

Then test it. If the sash still drifts, the weight is probably too light or the cord is the wrong length. Sash weights may be increased for easier window operation by elderly or handicapped persons.[1] That also shows the balance can be adjusted.

If the window has a different kind of balance

Spring balances, tilt-in channels and casement operators vary by maker and age. Do not guess. Photograph the part, find the label or stamped number on the window, and take both to a window shop or ask the manufacturer for the correct match. Fitting the wrong balance can leave the sash too heavy, too light or stuck.

When repair is not the answer

A window that will not stay open is sometimes one symptom of a worn-out window. ENERGY STAR lists windows that do not open or are painted shut,[3] and windows with air leaks or drafts and degraded sills and sashes,[3] among the signs that replacement may be worth considering. If the sash or frame is soft with rot, no new cord will fix it.

Stop and call a pro if

  • The window is above the first floor. Do not lean out or work from a ladder to reach it; have a pro do it.
  • The wood is soft or rotted around the sash, sill or frame.
  • The house was built before 1978 and the paint is failing. A person you pay to disturb paint must be certified in lead-safe work practices.[2]
  • The glass is cracked or loose. A falling sash can break it, and handling it is how people get cut.
  • The window is a historic or special unit whose parts you cannot match.

Getting help in Virginia

If you are weighing the cost, read how much window repair costs in Virginia and whether to repair or replace original wood windows. More guides are on the Home Repair answers page, and local pros are listed under Doors and Windows on Loclis.

When you are ready, describe the window and local pros will quote it in writing.

Common questions

Why does my window slide down by itself?
On an older double-hung window the usual cause is a sash cord that has snapped or come off its weight, so the sash is no longer balanced. A dirty or painted-in channel can also make a sash bind and then drop, which is why the tracks come first.
Can I fix a sash cord myself?
In many houses, yes. The Park Service's guidance on historic windows lists replacing sash cords with new rope or chain as one of the most common repairs.[^nps] The sticking point is the paint: in a house built before 1978, removing trim can disturb lead paint.
Do I have to use lead-safe methods if I fix my own window?
The EPA says that in general its RRP Rule does not apply to homeowners doing projects in their own pre-1978 homes.[^epa-rrp] The same agency still warns that repair work in such a house can easily create dangerous lead dust, so keep dust down and keep children out of the room.
What if my window has no cords at all?
Then it has some other balance. Many newer windows use spring balances in the side channels, and casements use hinges or an operator. Photograph the part and the window label, and take them to a window shop or a pro.
When is a window worth replacing instead of repairing?
When the frame or sill is rotted, or the window leaks air and water. ENERGY STAR lists windows with air leaks or drafts and degraded sills and sashes among its reasons to replace.[^es-windows] See the repair-or-replace answer below.

Sources

  1. [1] Preservation Brief 9: The Repair of Historic Wooden Windows, Technical Preservation Services, National Park Service. Checked October 27, 2026.
  2. [2] Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Checked October 27, 2026.
  3. [3] High Performing Windows or Storm Windows, ENERGY STAR, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Checked October 27, 2026.

Want a pro to handle it?

Describe the job once. Licensed local businesses send quotes, and you pay only when you book one.