Help with balance size and bracket

Question

I have old wood windows with some sort of metal tube balance that I can't seem to figure out how to adjust. I am on a tight budget so I was thinking of replacing them with spiral balances (I am already familiar and I have the tool for that).

I don't have one off, but I have the glass size and sash size so I wanted to know how big the balance should be. Attached is a picture of the bracket as well (I'll need to replace those).

Also, do you have a solution for the old wood windows that won't' open smoothly mostly because they need to be shimmed on one side (they move around in the opening)? Is it as simple as some type of weather stripping?

I think I'll be ordering more than 12 of each. Does the wholesale discount get applied automatically? It looks like I'll need 12 of the upgraded (black tip) for my bigger windows and 6 blue tip. If the windows are 30 lbs i assume it's better to err on the side of the more heavy duty ones, right?

Thank you so much for your help!

Casey · Accepted Answer

Hello,

We actually have a guide showing the process of installing spiral balances for non-tilt windows, which you can view here. We generally recommend the 5/8"diameter S500 spiral balance for older wood windows like yours. To determine the length, the rule of thumb is to measure the height of the visible glass in the sash and add 1" for the top and add 3" for the bottom sash. You would also need to weigh the sash and follow the chart under the balance product description to choose the corresponding tip color. It is important to make sure that you choose the tip color that covers the weight range that your sash falls into. Choosing something too strong or too weak could cause damage long term.

The 17-012 mounting bracket is often used with the S500 balances but we show a handful of compatible brackets under the related items section of the balance product page for you to consider. Take a look and see if you might be able to adapt these parts to work for your application.

Based on your description, it sounds like the window may also be out of square. Unfortunately, that is not something that weatherstripping will fix but you could check the jamb liners to see if there is an adjustment screw to correct the problem. This can happen with older windows after the house has fully settled, leaving one side of the window slightly offset. Thanks for posting.