Guerin Consulting

Those windows from your grandparent's days possess some distinct benefits that newer ones do not. They are high maintenance though. If not maintained they will be nothing but problems for homeowners. Making money as a sash window repair service is possibly the opportunity you need in your community.

This style originated in the mid 17th century and was quite common in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It is composed of usually two panels of multiple glass panes. The panels are capable of sliding, usually vertically but sometimes horizontally, to open. It allows the maximum opening capacity of fifty percent. Both sides of the glass panes can be cleaned from inside the building.

Hung sash types have both panels movable. Passive air circulation in a building is allowed by merely opening the upper panel downwards and the bottom one upwards. The warmer area in the room will rise toward the ceiling and exit through the top opening pulling cool air in through the bottom opening.

This is a much healthier arrangement that what exists today with our tightly sealed homes, and sometimes windows that can not be opened at all. Toxic materials found in carpeting, paints, paneling, fixtures, furniture, and so called air fresheners, are continually recirculated through heating and air conditioning systems. Fresh, clean air is not allowed into these homes.

The proper functioning of the unit depends on counterbalancing weights hung over pulleys and down inside the frame, or hidden springs. Compression weatherstripping also helps to hold the panels in whatever position they are left. These mechanisms will need to be maintained and rebalanced as, over time, the soft wood they are made of can rot, warp, swell or shrink. Adding layers of paint carelessly is another problem. Eventually the panels can either fail to slide, or slide too readily, slamming downward. They can rattle in the wind, leak heat or cool air, and allow drafts to enter.

With proper maintenance these units can continue to function as intended. They can continue to provide the benefits and beauty they always did. Knowing how to repair and restore these systems can be very profitable provided you know how the systems work, how to diagnose problems, and how to remedy various problems.

Making money as a sash window repair service is a promising possibility, if your community has homes with these systems. As they become popular once again there will continue to be a need for this type of business.