Window lube?

[Nate Nagel]

Thanks in no small part to posters on this NG, I have overcome any fear I had of disassembling and repairing the windows in my house... got everything in pretty good shape except one of the windows in the kitchen. All windows are Anderson Narroline windows, most circa 1989 but the one that I had problems with was dated earlier than that, 1984 I think? Anyway, both sashes were stuck and there was no screen on this window, which was above the kitchen sink - one that you just might want to open. So I forced it open and found a bottom sash rotted along the lower edge. D'oh. I bit the bullet and ordered two new sashes from Andersen in Low-E glass as well as a screen (the upper sash was badly stuck, and this was the only window in the house that was not "High Performance" or "Low-E" glass anyway.) They arrived today and installed without a hitch, but the upper sash stuck again as soon as I put the sash channel back in the left side of the window. I'm guessing that either a) I need a new sash channel b) I should shave a little wood off the frame to allow a tiny bit more clearance for the sash channel, or c) I should lube the sash channel with something.

I'm guessing that something like a teflon spray would be appropriate? I don't think I want to use anything greasy on wood. Will this really help, or do you think I'm looking at options a) or b)?

Also, I think I may have created more work for myself. I ordered the window in white exterior and unfinished interior as that's how the rest of the windows in the house are. However, someone went back and painted the inside of all the sashes and trim gloss white. Now that I look closely at the windows it looks like the exterior surface is just wood with a really hard, smooth coat of white paint on it. True? Should I just have ordered all white windows and saved myself the trouble of painting? Should I paint the sashes installed or removed?

thanks,

nate

(all other windows working nicely, thanks...)

[Colbyt]

Spray silicone or candle wax (paraffin)

If both surfaces are wood the wax may be the better option.

[Nate Nagel]

The sashes are wood, but the liners (the mating part of the frame) are vinyl.

nate

[David Nebenzahl]

Colbyt spake thus:

I'd go with the candle wax. Good solid lube for just about anything. I always keep a little chunk in my toolbelt. (Great for making wood screws so much easier to drive; better than soap, even.)

[Colbyt]

The silicone can't hurt. It is also easier to use.

Colbyt

[Stormin Mormon]

You hear what happened to the girl who couldn't tell the difference between vaseline and putty?

[Muff]

Yea, all her window glass fell out!! Muff

[USguy]

[dontrain]

Argon fill is not a long-term solution. The argon actually sinks between the glass panes and creates a negative area in the center madking plates slightly closer together in the center than around the periphery. In cold climates with high indoor himidity a circular condensation appears in the middle of the glass pane. For me this is hard to believe, but I was told the same story by several folks in the biz.

Experience: I just replaced 18 Anderson sashes, vintage 1990. Anderson made changes to correct this problem, one of which, I am told, is to eliminate the argon fill. Super-dry air-fill insulates just as well and doesn't migrate. I also learned that the gas fill (air or argon) has little to do with the insualation value; it is the distance between the inner surfaces of the glass that does the job. Anderson installers have a gage that measures this distance to check for possible sash insulation failures.

DH - Illinois

[nicksanspam]

Does wearing your tinfoil hat make it easier? :-)

Nick