My upstairs bedroom window won't stay open anymore - it just slides down on its own. I think the rope thing inside is snapped. Is this something I can fix myself, or do I need to call someone? It's an old double-hung window, probably from the 80s.
I've dealt with this exact problem at home, and it's totally doable yourself if you're willing to spend a couple hours on it. The sash cord is what holds the weight of the window, so when it snaps, yeah, the whole thing just crashes down. The good news is you can replace it without any special tools - just basic stuff you probably have around.
Here's what you're looking at: you'll need to remove the inside trim (the molding around the window) carefully so you don't crack it. Once that's off, the sash should come right out. Inside the frame, you'll see weights hanging in a pocket on each side - those are connected to the broken cord. You'll need to cut the old cord off, then thread new sash cord (get it at any hardware store, it's cheap) over the pulley at the top and down to where the weight hangs. Tie it to the weight, then do the same on the other side. Make sure both sides are balanced, otherwise the window will still want to slide one direction. Put everything back together, reattach your trim, and you're done.
The trickiest part is just being patient when you're taking the trim off and putting it back - you don't want to split any of that old wood. If you're nervous about messing with it or the trim is really delicate, yeah, call someone in. But honestly, most people can handle this. It's basically just following the existing setup and using some common sense with the cord and weights.
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