Sticking upvc window

[ss]

When I open this window it is stiff from opening to wide open. When I close it, it is stiff and then the last inch wont budge and I have to open wide and slam it to close. I have checked for signs of catching and dont see anything and it doesnt appear to need packing, as far as I can see all the catches etc line up and I have oiled all the pivot points. The `docking` bit on the frame at the hinge end I was going to take out to test without but it looks like it can only be done by taking the hinge off and I am one floor up and cant ladder to that height.

Pictures.... Pic 1 is how far it will close before I have to reopen and slam it. Pic 2 is the mechanism. Pic 3 is where I think the issue is but cant actually see any problem but I am relatively new to upvc windows, previous house had wooden.

Any thoughts / ideas?

[Tim Watts]

On Wednesday 31 July 2013 20:08 ss wrote in uk.d-i-y:

No 3 pic shows what looks like a hinge bolt that engages with that bit of black plastic near the arrow.

Do you suppose that is catching slightly when it tries to engage?

[ss]

I thought that may be a possible cause but cant see a way to check it, I was hoping to take those bits off and see what happened but it looks like the hinge needs to come to do that, I could try one hinge at a time but not sure if one hinge would support the window until I got the bit off, visions of it falling to the ground.

[Mr Pounder]

You could always try cleaning the shit out of the frame?

[Ian Jackson]

In message , Tim Watts writes

I have what look like exactly the same windows (dirt and all!). Some of them stick a bit in the last inch or so (especially the quarterlights), just as they are about to close tight. The problem is the rubber seal is dry, and sticks. If you open the window again very slightly, it closes without effort on the second pull (no need to slam). A little lubrication on the rubber fixes things. As a temporary very measure, first try washing up liquid (and you might as well clean out some of the dirt while you're at it!).

[news]

I have exactly the same problem as you with one window that is only apparent in hot weather. I think you will find that stiff to opening to wide open is by design (there is no "stay" to hold it in the open position).

In my case hot weather causes something to expand and a the head of a poorly fitted screw on the underside of the opening window catches on the mechanism. You can close the window by your method of slamming or alternatively by lifting the window up ever so slightly - in your case you may have to apply downward pressure if the interference is at the top.

Witness marks to the interference can just be seen here. (At the end of the strengthening "hump"

And this is how far I can close the window before it catches.

[ss]

No matter which way I try it will not close completely without a slam, honestly I would pull the handle off. I dont think its expansion as the window is on the cold side of the house. I have had another play around today and I still cannot find a `wear patch` where something maybe rubbing/catching. I have sprayed everything with WD40 which did make things slightly easier but not the final close. I am sure its do with those inserts on the hinge side of the frame top and bottom probably due to the window being badly fitted, I`ll maybe try and file the lugs slightly smaller that fit into them that are attached to the window.

[<me9]

There is often a screw to adjust the stiffness.