Broken Channel Balance Shoes? Or Something Else?

Thanks for posting. It sounds like you need to replace your top sash guides. Top sash guides are used to keep your window balances in place while allowing the window to operate. Often they can break due to age or sun exposure, which then causes the balances to 'shoot' past the window sash. This looks like what has happened to your window. There are many different top sash guides; you can see our selection here. 

If you need help identifying your top sash guide, please send us 'mugshot' pictures of the front and side of an undamaged version of your top sash guide removed from your window; this can help us identify what you need. See the video below for removal and replacement details.

Thanks for the additional photo. See if our 18-166 top sash guide looks like a good fit. Look over the measurements to see if it lines up. If not, remove the guide from the window and get back to us with the measurements you are looking for and we will continue to search for other options.