I feel like the window mechanism is a bit tight and is starting to rust slowly, is there any lubricant/maintenance that is needed to take care of this?
Thanks!
Best Answer
You have to be careful with window lubricants. If they are greasy/sticky, they will attract dust and dirt (and also get on your clothes).
They make graphite lubricants (generally for locks) that will not leave a greasy residue. They also make "graphite paint" which is basically paint resin loaded with graphite instead of pigment and filler.
However in a window, the resistance is less likely to be from pivoting points and more likely to be from sliding points. Graphite paint is a good choice for those. The paint will powderize as the surfaces spall, and that dust can still stain clothes, but at least it isn't sticky.
Genie makes a lubricant specifically designed for their screw drive openers. I used it at my old house and it seemed to work fairly well. You can buy it any major home centers. I believe they came in packs of 3 tubes and each tube was designed for one lubrication. I lubricated mine about every 6 months.
These are called spring balances, and have enough tension in the spring to hold the window open (sorry about your hand). It's kind of hard to tell from the pictures you posted what type they are (other than older ones), but you should be able to find some instructions for a model similar to yours now that you know what to search for.
In general, you'll want to attach them at the bottoms first and then lift up the sash to allow re-attaching the tops. This is a lot easier with 3 hands, so you might want to have someone hold the sash up or prop it if you can find something the right height.
Best Answer
You have to be careful with window lubricants. If they are greasy/sticky, they will attract dust and dirt (and also get on your clothes).
They make graphite lubricants (generally for locks) that will not leave a greasy residue. They also make "graphite paint" which is basically paint resin loaded with graphite instead of pigment and filler.
However in a window, the resistance is less likely to be from pivoting points and more likely to be from sliding points. Graphite paint is a good choice for those. The paint will powderize as the surfaces spall, and that dust can still stain clothes, but at least it isn't sticky.