Channel Balance Top/Shoe differences

Question

All of our windows are the same brand and style. Aluminum, probably put in around 1990. But some of the channel tops and shoes have what I call "wings" sticking out to the sides and some do not (see pics). How do I know which ones I should get? Are they interchangeable? Many of the windows are having problems (too tight or too loose, not sitting straight in the opening, etc)so I'm not sure what's causing the problems. I'd like to replace all of them with the correct channel balance. They are 1/2 inch wide, all 29 inches long, 3 different weights (I can figure out that part).

Thanks!

Tom · Accepted Answer

Thanks for posting! We call them wings, too. If your windows are all the same, but have mixed and matched parts, it can be a little tricky. Wings aren't always necessary for the window to function, to be honest. They help stabilize it in the track. A balance can still work without them, as evidenced by your windows. If you found that you had no trouble with either the winged balances or non-winged balances, then I would imagine that you could go either way and be fine.