Replacing your windows is a major investment in your home. To get the most out of this investment over time, it’s important to keep up when it comes to window maintenance: experts recommend performing maintenance on your windows at least twice a year. Proper maintenance not only ensures that you continue enjoying your beautiful view, it keeps your windows operating properly and extends their useful life.
1. Durability of window materials
Over time and with exposure to the sun, heat and numerous chemicals, PVC materials tend to discolour or turn yellow and lose their properties. Regular maintenance of your window’s exterior materials can help them regain gloss and shine. It also helps to remove any deposits that may be accumulating on the outside of your windows, such as pollen, smoke, outdoor pollutants and many other substances. It’s also essential to keep the indoor components clean in order to prevent them from yellowing over time. Even dust that settles on your windows indoors accelerates the discolouration process. Smoke from cigarettes, cooking or wood fires can also lead to the yellowing of indoor components.
2. Proper operation of hardware
When maintaining your windows, remember to pay special attention to the hardware. Wipe it with a damp cloth to remove any traces of salt or grease, which could damage its finish. Don’t forget to also lubricate the workings to keep them from getting noisy and causing premature wear of any parts: over time, rubbing can damage the operating mechanisms. Using a silicone-based lubricant twice a year helps to keep your hardware working smoothly.
3. Proper caulking for a good seal
While performing maintenance on your windows, take a few moments to clean and inspect the caulking. During installation, windows are caulked to prevent drafts and moisture infiltration. If the caulking around the outside of your windows appears loose, dried out or cracked, this can seriously compromise the seal and cause your windows to let air or even water to enter from outside. This can greatly affect the energy efficiency of your windows and drive up your heating costs dramatically. You could also find yourself with even more serious issues if water has penetrated the structure of your house. This makes it important to replace the caulking promptly if you observe any deterioration of the seal. Caulking may start lifting or cracking any time after about five years following application. By performing a visual inspection twice a year, you can detect any issues at the first sign of deterioration.
As you can see, properly maintaining your home’s windows is essential in order to maximize their life span. We encourage you to also consult our maintenance tips to extend the life of your doors and windows.
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