Aluminum sliding windows and screens that stick
Most hard-to-slide aluminum windows need a clean track and fresh weep holes, not new windows. If the sash still drags after cleaning, the rollers are usually worn. Bent screens can be rescreened or rebuilt. Fogged or broken glass goes to a glass shop and new windows to a window company, and we can handle the tracks, rollers and screens.
Aluminum sliding windows are common in Rosemead's postwar houses, whether they came with the house or went in during a later window change. They are simple and they last, but after enough years the sash starts to drag, the latch stops lining up, and the screens bow or pop out of their channels.
Most of those problems come down to dirt, worn rollers and a few small parts. Here is what to check before you start pricing new windows.
Why sliders get hard to move
A horizontal slider rides on small rollers set into the bottom of the moving sash. Those rollers sit in a metal track that collects dust, leaves, dead bugs and grit from the street.
Rosemead's dry months and windy days add plenty of it. Over time the grit wears flat spots into the rollers, or the roller axles seize and the sash starts to scrape along the track instead of rolling.
Older aluminum frames also shift slightly as a house settles. When that happens the latch and the keeper on the frame stop meeting, and the window has to be pushed hard to lock.
Clean the track and the weep holes
Start here, because it fixes more sliders than anything else.
- Open the window all the way and vacuum the track with a narrow nozzle.
- Scrub the track with an old toothbrush and a little soapy water, then wipe it dry.
- Find the weep holes along the outside bottom edge of the frame. They are small slots that let rainwater drain out of the track. Clear them with a pipe cleaner or a thin wire.
- Run a little silicone spray or dry lubricant along the track. Skip oil and grease, which hold on to dust.
If water ever pools in the track or runs onto the sill inside during a storm, blocked weep holes are the first thing to check.
Rollers, latches and pulls
Worn rollers can usually be replaced. The tricky part is finding the right size, because there are many styles and some older windows are no longer made. We remove a roller, match it, and bring the replacement to the visit, or source the closest fit when the original is gone.
Latches are similar. A cracked or loose cam latch can be swapped, and a keeper on the frame can often be shifted so the latch catches again. Missing pull handles and loose screws round out most of the hardware calls we see.
Window screens
Screens on sliders take a beating. Common problems:
- Torn mesh from pets, kids or a hard rain of debris
- A bent frame that no longer stays in the channel
- Missing pull tabs or spring clips, so the screen falls out
- Broken plastic corner pieces on older frames
Torn mesh is a rescreening job: the old spline is pulled out, new mesh is stretched across the frame, and new spline is rolled in. A bent or broken frame can be rebuilt with new frame stock and corners cut to the size of the opening. Measure the opening carefully before ordering anything, since a screen that is a little too small will fall out.
When it is more than a repair
Some problems belong with a window company:
- Fogging between the panes of dual-glazed glass, which means the seal has failed
- Cracked or broken glass
- Frames that are bent, badly corroded or pulling away from the wall
- Wanting new, more efficient windows
At that point a window company is the right trade, and it is better to know early. We can keep the tracks, rollers and screens working in the meantime.
What to send us
Text a photo of the whole window from inside, a close-up of the latch, and a short video of the sash sliding. For screens, measure the opening and include a photo of any broken corners. You will get a price back covering the track cleaning, parts and screens.
When you want it done for you, our door and cabinet repair page lists the jobs we take and what to send for a quote. More on the houses themselves: repair notes for postwar Rosemead homes.
With the screens back in, the windows can stay open on a nice evening, and Rosemead has plenty of takeout worth bringing home.
Need a hand with this?
Call or text (310) 628-9399, Mon–Sat 8:30 AM–7 PM. A photo is usually enough for a free estimate.
Call or text for a free estimate