Window Balance Replacement

Hello! I agree, our S395-30 looks like our best option. As for the issue in your second post, it sounds like your top sash guide broke. I would start by watching the video below to see what I mean. You can also see our entire selection here. 

They definitely shouldn't break so quickly, that's for sure. They are designed to last years.

One reason they may be breaking is because the balance spring isn't the right strength in relation to the weight of the sash. However if this is the same balance you've been using all this time then I also can't see why that would cause an issue. This is a bit of a mystery.

Is the undamaged top sash guide in these pictures the original, or one of the 18-171 replacements? If it's one of our replacements, could you show me the original?

Perhaps I can be of assistance. I came across your discussion late, so please bear with me. Before you purchase anymore parts, see if you have another window of the same size that works correctly in your home. If so, do the top sash guides match? Do the channel balances have the same length, and do the nylon fittings and the spring stamp weights match? Please send photos of these parts, preferably removed from the window. We will review what you need from there.

Thanks for the added photos. Well, your top sash guides certainly look like the 18-171, so I don't believe they are the issue. I went back and looked over your old discussion about this window giving you trouble. Since the balances you show from the other window of the same size are stamped 23-3, rather than 2420, I believe this indicates that the balances originally in the window giving you trouble were probably cut down by whoever installed them so that they fit properly, and thus their stamp codes were not accurate. Unfortunately, the replacement balances based on those stamp codes were thus too long, hence why the nylon shoes were sticking out of the bottom of the sash--this is also probably why your top sash guides kept breaking: the balances were both too long and too strong. My apologies about this!

Fortunately, I think we can make sure this problem window now has the right balances. To be safe, measure the metal channel of these balances from the window of the same size to confirm that they are 24". Do not include the nylon attachments in this measurement. Then look over the nylon attachments at either end of the balances to see if they match the nylon attachments of the Series 395 balances currently in the problem window. If so, then see the S395-24, with a stamp option of 2330, which is for a window sash in the weight range of 15 through 18 lbs. Let us know what you think.

Yes, this is a S395-24. You are right, the slight variation in the top attachment shouldn't matter. The stamp option of 2330 is for a window sash in the weight range of 15 through 18 lbs. If you want to be extra safe, you could weigh your window sash just to make sure it falls within this weight range.

As far as the incorrect balances, I suppose it is possible that your originals we're simply stamped incorrectly too. But you'd be surprised what happens in construction projects, even in housing developments--from what the more seasoned guys in this business tell me, sometimes builders will make do with whatever they have on site to get a job done sometimes, even if that means cutting down a balance that was too long to fit a window. This certainly would be one reason why the stamp options led us astray with your original balances, because they indicated that the balance was longer than it really was. A balance code starting with the number '24' usually indicates a 25" balance, while a code starting with '23' indicates a 24" balance. But this is not foolproof, as we just discovered with your window . . . because sometimes the balances were messed with in some way. This is why it's always good to get the measurement of the metal channel just to be safe. Sorry it took so long to finally get to the bottom of this for you, but I am confident that the right-sized balances, with the proper stamp option, should make the difference.

Me too! Let us know if you have any further problems, and when you're ready to do further replacement work we'll be happy to help again. 

Hello again! I'm glad to hear the mystery window has finally been solved. As to this other window, I think you more or less have figured it out. While the length of the springs inside the balances doesn't necessarily matter, there is no doubt that a stronger spring, such as the 2940 compared to the 2930, would cause you to be unable to close a window, or to keep it closed. Fortunately, you can return the S395-30 2940 balances and then order balances with the 2930 stamp instead. See our return policy here.

Thanks for writing in again! Don't worry, this all seems pretty straightforward. You're right, you have an S395-27. Remember that in most standard balances, the first two digits of the stamp code are usually 1 number less than the metal channel length, hence why you have a stamp code of 26-4. This means you'll need a stamp option of 2640. Let us know if you have any other questions.