Hi,
I'm plannning to have wooden sash windows installed in my house (an old council house in need of refurbishment) but I can't make up my mind on whether I should go for the pulley system or for the spring system.
Given its particular shape, one front window will need to have 4 panels on top and 4 panels at the bottom. Basically, this window will be made out of 2 sash windows: one sash window having 2 panels on top and 2 panels at the bottom and the other sash having the other 2 panels on top and 2 panels at the bottom.
If I go for the pulley system the problem is that I'm going to have a 20 cm piece of wood right in the middle of the window (i.e. where the pulleys are going to be stored), whereas if I go for the spring system those 20 cm will be reduced down to 8 cm or so.
Now, I've heard that spring sash windows are easier to maintain but a bit harder to slide.
Does anybody know if there's any other downside to having wooden sash windows with a spring system other than the above?
I was also told that I could still go for the pulley system - if I wanted - by having a dummy sash on the 2 top left panels and a dummy sash on the 2 bottom right panels. This way the space needed for the pulleys will be reduced, however I would be able to open the window only partially.
Hope this explanation of mine isn't too messy. All I want to know is whether pulley sash windows should be preferable to spring sash windows and why.
Many thanks in advance,
Organic