Written Instructions on How to Repair a Window Jam

A jammed window not only prevents you from enjoying a nice spring breeze, but can be a fire hazard. When a window is jammed, it is often the sash, which is the interior framing components that hold the glass in place, and the guides on the exterior framework that are causing the problem. The guides, also known as the jambs, facing the interior of the window allow the sash to travel up and down, or side-to-side. These components often become jammed from dried paint or swelling caused by humidity.

Utility knife
Hair dryer
Candle
Small square block of wood
Mallet

Instructions

- 1
  Run the blade of a utility knife between the sash and the side casing on the inside of the exterior window frame to break a paint seal that is causing the window to jam.
- 2
  Blow hot air around the edge of the window sash to reduce the humidity that has caused the window to swell and jam. Try to move the window. If it unjams, lubricate the groove in which the sash travels by placing the flat end of a candle along the groove. Then use medium pressure to rub wax onto the groove.
- 3
  Place a small block of wood flat against the inside of the grooves where the sash travels. Lightly tap on that block of wood with a mallet to force the grooves outward and unjam the window.

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