How to Maintain and Care for Your New Windows

Your window manufacturer most definitely recommends that your windows be maintained and cleaned regularly to ensure it remains in pristine condition. By doing this, you not only maintain the window’s condition but you also increase its lifespan and keep the warranty intact.

Doing regular basic cleaning and maintenance of your window will stall your window from getting to that point where you would need a glazing company to help out. And now that the window is newly installed is the best time to start maintaining it.

Replacing a window in a family home may cost quite a sum of money; therefore, you want to take proper care of it by following the right maintenance and cleaning instructions. This article is a guide on how to care for your newly installed windows or even one that you have had for a while.

How to Care for a Window Glazing

Regularly cleaning a window glazing helps it to look its best while increasing its performance. In normal conditions, you should give your window a very thorough clean once a year. But, if you are in a coastal region or any other condition where saltwater would likely cover the window regularly then you may have to clean at least monthly.

With that being said, do the following to ensure your window stays in pristine condition…

General Cleaning

This is very straightforward especially if the window is made of self-cleaning glasses. Self-cleaning glasses are capable of keeping themselves dirt-free under normal conditions. You can read this article to learn more about self-cleaning glasses. For standard glasses windows, you would have to occasionally clean them with dishwashing liquid and water.

Once you have cleaned the surface with water and dishwashing liquid, thoroughly rinse it. Do not use a forceful hosepipe to do this as it may damage the sealants and seals between the frames and glazing.

Finally, dry the water off using a dry and clean piece of cloth.

Paint Removal

The protective cover on the glazing should not be removed after installation until the area surrounding the window has been painted. Extra care should be taken when the frames are being painted. However, mistakes do happen no matter how careful we get.

Therefore, if for some reason, paint gets on your glazing then you can remove it using some methods. But ensure you remove the paint off the glazing before it gets dry as it will be a lot more difficult taking dry paint off.

If water-based emulsion paint is what spills on the window then you can easily wipe it off with soapy water, just make sure that the water is a little bit warm. For spirit-based emulsions, you would need white spirit to take it off the glazing.

Stain Removal

If you have tough stains on the window then you would need more than a general cleanup. In this case, you would need a special cleaning product for glass. The strength of the cleaning solution should be based on just how tough the stain is.

But, abrasive cleaners should be avoided if your window is a self-cleaning one. Do not use any hard item or object to pry off the stain off the glazing. This can destroy the surface of your self-cleaning glazing.

Label Removal

Your new window will come with the manufacturer’s label. These are most easily removed, however, some exceptions exist. If yours is unfortunately one of these exceptions, then you can try using soap and hot water to get the label off.

If this does not work then you may try using rubbing alcohol or baking soda. Another option will be to heat the surface with a hairdryer, this would help melt whatever glue was used.

But no matter what you do, avoid the use of abrasive chemicals and cleaning products that were not specified for this purpose. Do not use metal scrapers or any tool similar to this as well.

How to Care for the Window Frame

Caring and maintenance of the window frames tend to be overlooked although it is equally as important as caring for the glazing. If you live in a coastal or urban region then you may need to clean your frames at least four times a year. Visit https://www.business2community.com/travel-leisure/8-facts-why-is-living-by-the-sea-great-for-you-0477895 to discover some of the benefits of living on the coast. For houses in inland regions, the frames can be cleaned a few times in the year.

There are two major types of window frames; uPVC frames and timber frames. Let us now discuss how to care for these frame types.

1. uPVC Frames

These frames do not require as much maintenance and cleaning like wooden frames do. Most of the time, the same methods and products which you used in cleaning the glazing can be used to clean uPVC frames.

That is to say, using soapy water is enough to keep the frame clean. However, do not use glass cleaners, bathroom, or kitchen cleaners for the frame. This is because they may damage the frame’s surface and would also not be as effective in cleaning the frames as they should be.

If you have a tough stain on the frame, then you may need a uPVC cleaner, a cream-based one should do the trick.

2. Timber Frames

If the timber frame is properly finished, then you can use the same cleaning methods specified for uPVC frames. If there is a tough stain on it then you may have to reapply paint on the frame.

Moisture is a major enemy of timber frames, so you need to be on the lookout and ensure the frames aren’t subject to standing water. The frames should also be inspected at least yearly to find out whether new paint is required.

Any chip or scratch on the frame has to be handled as quickly as possible; this is to keep water from entering inside the frame and causing it to rot.

Conclusion

Taking care of your newly installed window is the major way to ensure it maintains its overall performance for a long time. The article acts as a guide for how you can maintain and care for both your window’s glazing and frames.