# Upper Sash Dropping



## firehawkmph

Did you tilt that sash in recently for cleaning? Very easy to not get the side pins back in the spring ballast receptor on each side. When you tilt the sash, if you don't have it at 90 degrees from the upright position, it doesn't lock the springs on each side. Then if you let one side of the sash get higher than the other, the pin in the side of the sash will come out of the bottom of the spring and the spring will contract and slide up towards the top of the jamb. If that's the case, carefully bring the sash up till you can angle the pin back into the little holder on the bottom of the spring. Once you are sure both pins are in, level out the bottom of the window, and push it back down evenly, so you can tilt the sash back up and lock it into place. Hope this makes sense.
Mike Hawkins


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## joecaption

I'd try adding a shim on the outside of the sash between the top and the side adjustment screw to see if that fixed it.


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## Mstrlucky74

firehawkmph said:


> Did you tilt that sash in recently for cleaning? Very easy to not get the side pins back in the spring ballast receptor on each side. When you tilt the sash, if you don't have it at 90 degrees from the upright position, it doesn't lock the springs on each side. Then if you let one side of the sash get higher than the other, the pin in the side of the sash will come out of the bottom of the spring and the spring will contract and slide up towards the top of the jamb. If that's the case, carefully bring the sash up till you can angle the pin back into the little holder on the bottom of the spring. Once you are sure both pins are in, level out the bottom of the window, and push it back down evenly, so you can tilt the sash back up and lock it into place. Hope this makes sense.
> Mike Hawkins


I have not tilted it yet. Thanks


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## Mstrlucky74

joecaption said:


> I'd try adding a shim on the outside of the sash between the top and the side adjustment screw to see if that fixed it.[/
> 
> So you mean between the side jamb/frame amd r/o? Thanks


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## joecaption

Yes.
It's not going to take much.


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## firehawkmph

If both of your springs are still connected, then their tension needs to be adjusted. The window manufactures used to provide a small simple tool for doing that. It basically would grab ahold of the metal strip that was the exposed spring and let you wind it. Usually a turn or two would do it. This would be done with the window sash out of the way. If the windows and springs are set up properly, nothing else should be needed. If you happen to have a broken spring, contact soft lite for a replacement. Many are guaranteed for life. Their plant is about ten minutes from my house.
Mike Hawkins


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## Windows on Wash

+1 Mike.

Usually you can adjust the tension in the balances pretty simply with the set screw or adjust the friction in the balance shoe.


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## HomeSealed

While agree with the above adjustment method, I worry that since it only happens when you close the lower sash, adjusting the balances will only make the window slightly more difficult to operate and not fix the problem. ( Plus im not sure about softlite in particular, but most constant force balances dont have that set screw from the factory, it is sent out in a service kit). Same for joes advice. Both methods will simply make the sash operate tighter. If the window is slightly out of whack, the sash interlock can be catching and causing the problem. It could also simply be a little bit of slop in the manufacturing tolerance as I mentioned in the other thread. It depends on what exactly is happening. Is the upper sash coming down to the point that it is actually open or doesn't lock, or are you just seeing a little budge but it is not affecting the operation at all?


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## Mstrlucky74

Like i mentioned in another post.....while the window was out, before we installed it my wife took out those two screws on the side of the window jamb and the window sprung up......not really fast but it did go up without pushing it up. Did that do anything harmful to the window? Thanks


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## Mstrlucky74

firehawkmph said:


> If both of your springs are still connected, then their tension needs to be adjusted. The window manufactures used to provide a small simple tool for doing that. It basically would grab ahold of the metal strip that was the exposed spring and let you wind it. Usually a turn or two would do it. This would be done with the window sash out of the way. If the windows and springs are set up properly, nothing else should be needed. If you happen to have a broken spring, contact soft lite for a replacement. Many are guaranteed for life. Their plant is about ten minutes from my house.
> Mike Hawkins


What springs are you referring to amd where are they? What exactly do you mean " this would be done wiht the sash out of the way"? Thanks Mike


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## joecaption

Blows me away that your wife was even touching that screw, but it should have 0 effect on your issue.
I also agree if you even have a blance spring in the head of the window adjusting it will have no effect.
Any I've seen have no adjustment. The spring is made to off set the weight of the sash.
But hay there's hundreds of differant companys making windows I've never even seen.
Of cource you have contacted the manufacture and asked them, right?


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## firehawkmph

*The top sash of my new double-hung window won’t stay up—I put it up and then it slowly slides down. How can I keep the top sash in place?*
Often times the top sash is not pushed completely in place to allow the retaining lip to engage the weather-stripping and hold it in place. Make sure the sash is completely raised to eliminate potential drifting. In addition, because Soft-Lite Gorell double-hung windows are made to provide easy fingertip operation, it is possible that the sashes will sometimes drop slightly. Soft-Lite Gorell recommends contacting your local installing dealer for any service needs. 
If you prefer to reduce the sash drift yourself, use a flat-head screwdriver to turn the built-in frame adjusters (located at the mid-height of the jamb). Rotate the screw a ¼ turn at a time until the sash stays in position. Do not adjust the Phillips-head screws in the jambs. Soft-Lite Gorell also offers a tensioning pack that can be added by your dealer if necessary. This pack is equipped with its own tool.
[ Back to Top | Previous Page ]
*The top sash on my double-hung window just falls down when it is not locked. How can I fix this problem?*
Soft-Lite Gorell windows employ one of the finest and most stable window balance systems in the world—constant force balancing. In rare cases, the connecting pivot bar can become dislodged from the balance shoe. This small bar—located on the bottom corners of the sash—must slide into the white nylon housing with the black cam located in the side of the window's frame. If it is not connected to the cam, use a Phillips screwdriver to loosen the screw, then retract the pivot bar. Align the bar with the black cam, insert it and tighten the pivot bar screw. 
[ Back to Top | Previous Page ]

The above was taken from this link:
http://www.gorell.com/pages/product_care.htm

Hope this helps.
Mike Hawkins


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## HomeSealed

Not sure why those screws would have been taken out.. but as Joe mentioned, no big deal, especially if the sides were then shimmed. In addition, they didn't have anything to do with the fact that the window went up on its own.
Good links from firehawk... What will determine if that is your issue (balances) as I mentioned earlier, is the degree to which you are having the dropping. Generally if one side has popped out of the balance shoe, that sash won't just move a little bit, it is not going to stay up at all.


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