Window Won't Open or Close: What to Check

A window that will not open on the first warm day, or will not shut before a storm, is frustrating, and the natural reaction is to pull harder. With uPVC casements that usually makes things worse. Most stuck windows have one of a handful of causes, and a few minutes of careful observation will often tell you which. This guide walks through those causes in order, explains what you can safely check yourself and when it is time to call for a repair.

When the window won't open

First, does the handle turn? If it will not move at all, the window may be locked with a key, or the mechanism inside the sash may have seized. Check for a key lock on the handle and try it gently. If the handle turns all the way but the window still will not open, the handle may have snapped internally or the locking strip may have broken so the cams stay engaged. In that case the window is effectively locked shut and needs the mechanism releasing from the edge, which is a job for a fitter.

If the handle turns and the window starts to open but then sticks, look at the hinges along the top or side. A worn friction hinge can bind, and a restrictor may be catching as designed. A window painted or sealed shut on the outside is rarer but does happen after redecorating.

When the window won't close

A window that will not close usually has a sash that has dropped. Look at the gap around the opening sash when it is nearly shut. If it rubs on the frame at the bottom on the side opposite the hinge, or the gap is uneven, the hinges have probably worn. Another common cause is the locking cams hitting their keeps instead of sliding behind them, which you will feel as resistance when you turn the handle with the window closed. A swollen or doubled-up seal can also stop the sash pulling in.

Safe checks you can do yourself

Clean the hinge tracks with a soft brush and a little light oil if they look gritty. Check that nothing, such as a curtain or a dislodged seal, is caught in the opening. See whether a keep on the frame has worked loose and is sitting at an angle. Note exactly what happens when you turn the handle with the window open and with it shut. Stop if anything feels like it might break, and never lean out of an upstairs window to try to free a stuck sash.

What usually fixes it

Worn hinges are replaced, as described on our window hinge replacement page. Snapped or loose handles are swapped, covered under window handle replacement. Seized or broken locking strips and misaligned keeps are dealt with as explained on window locks and restrictors. Where the frame itself has distorted, frame repair work or replacement may be needed. A short visit is usually enough to identify which applies.

Seasonal swelling and cold weather

uPVC does not swell like timber, but frames do expand slightly in hot sun and contract in cold weather. A window that only sticks on hot afternoons may be very slightly out of adjustment and catching as the frame moves. That is still worth fixing, because the rubbing will wear the seal and the locking parts over time.

Need it sorted?

If your window is stuck shut, stuck open or will not lock, book a window repair and tell us what you found from the checks above. A photo of the gap around the sash is especially useful. Use the quote form and we will come back to you.