Stuck upvc window, broken gearbox, floating mullion?

ChilliBob

Right, well that's a cobbled together subject line eh?

In our master bedroom we have a pair of windows which open from the side, and when both open there's nothing between them. Essentially I believe the lingo is that one has a floating mullion attached, like you get in your 'second' patio door.

Anyhow, the primary window is stuck, use the handle and it doesn't open. You can see the bottom shoot bolt is freed but not the top one. 

It's a high security three point thingy, so, the videos showing using an Allen key to move a cam or something don't apply.

Have see one where a bloke drills into the upvc but I'd prefer to avoid that!

I did wonder if I could remove the mullion bit somehow and at least have one window open, and perhaps use this to access the other one somehow.

I have contacted a couple of window guys locslly but they seem crap on calling back to arrange coming round - been waiting since Wednesday!

Any tips much appreciated. I'm thinking if I do end up having a go myself I could remove the gearbox from a window we don't use (like a random fanlight), and put it in this one, and that the gearbox and shoot bolts would be separate bits?

So yeah, thats sbout the size of it! 

ChilliBob

Probably doesn't help but this is what I'm talking about. The one on the right is stuck, this is also the one which must be open first to allow the one on the left to open. 

plumb1_2

Sounds like the locking mechanism has failed, remove the glass unit as it will give you a bit of flex on the window.
Get a thin bladed filling knife and push it in between the open frame, and try to move the locking pin up or down depending which why the mechanism works.
If you have another similar window in the house you can check and measure to location of the pins, then put pencil marks on the faulty window to help you.
Once open replace mechanism.  

ChilliBob

Cheers, I had considered that, so effectively filling knife in the top pushing down the shoot bolt?

Not sure how I'd remove the glass, that sounds a bit scary for a first time thing on this sort of stuff!

Thanks 

Mr.Generous

ChilliBob said:

Cheers, I had considered that, so effectively filling knife in the top pushing down the shoot bolt?

Not sure how I'd remove the glass, that sounds a bit scary for a first time thing on this sort of stuff!

Thanks 

Removing the glass on an internally beaded window is easy, external often fitted with security tape. Have a look at a couple of you tube videos, will be much easier with no glass. You can get replacement lock mechanisms easily.

ChilliBob

Just had a little look, you learn something new every day eh?

My wife has pointed out if I !!!!!! it up though it is the closest window to our two week old daughters crib... So yeah, high stakes on this and one.

If the mullion approach is a non starter I'll have to hassle or find more people tomorrow to call I reckon.

Bloody 30 degrees for the next couple of days too! 

Grenage

ChilliBob said:

Bloody 30 degrees for the next couple of days too! 

Best time of year to accidentally break a window.

greenface2

you don't need to take the glass out but it helps make it more flexible . open handle thumb push the bottom out as far as you can and wide chisle or bolster the top down to release the top shoot bolt . one open take off the mech , it may have failed or jumped out of its cog . replace with a standard espag bolt without the shoots . oil the slave shoot bolts to maintain that function . appears to be upstairs . take it off inc hinges and bring it in to fix . which makes unglazing point a bit better 

ChilliBob

Cheers. I can get the bottom out by quite a bit but the top just doesn't budge.

Looking at a downstairs window it's tricky to see how a bolster would help. The shoot bolt sticks up into a holder, by the looks of it the holder would prevent anything from budging it. 

ChilliBob

Above is the shoot bolt, obviously, below is the 'holder' so to speak. It looks like I'd hit the bolt, but nowhere near the top. I just get the impression I'd be sort of scraping at a bolt with a scraper or something. Getting no purchase to slide it down. 

Anyhow, I think I'll need to call somebody else tomorrow, bloke I had found, who seemed to know Saracen windows, and knew there were three sorts, didn't contact back

marlot

>> In our master bedroom we have a pair of windows which open from the side, and when both open there's nothing between them

I believe they're the designated fire escape.