Despite the long warranty periods offered by their manufacturers of plastic windows, fasteners, locking mechanisms, rubber seals and accessories require periodic maintenance. It consists in timely lubrication, cleaning and adjustment.
The implementation of these works does not require special skills and may well be done by the owner of the apartment or house on their own. How to lubricate PVC windows or a balcony door, to carry out maintenance of window elements and assemblies will be described below.
Why do I need lubrication of plastic windows
Everyone knows that rubbing and moving parts and components of mechanisms work much better with grease. It improves the sliding of individual parts, protects metal elements from corrosion and reduces their wear.
Each opening of the window sashes leads to the settling of street dust on the details and surfaces of the window. Gradually, the level of pollution rises, as a result of which the locking mechanisms and accessories begin to work worse, complicating the process of opening and closing. If you do not take measures for a long time, an abrasive effect may occur in the work units, leading to the complete failure of expensive elements.
Most window manufacturers do not sell individual parts and spare parts for free sale. Therefore, the wear of the locking elements and accessories may lead to the need for a complete replacement of the entire window unit. This will require far greater financial costs than timely maintenance and lubrication.
Among the main signs of a lack of lubrication and long-term maintenance of windows are:
- the appearance of extraneous sounds when opening and turning the window sash;
- the presence of fine metal dust in the friction units of the elements together;
- decrease in elasticity and sticking of rubber seals;
- difficulty turning the handles when opening and closing the window.
Avoid all this will help timely cleaning, lubrication and adjustment of all components and parts.
Lubrication intervals
Periodic maintenance of plastic windows with lubrication must be performed at least once a year. This is best done in spring washing the windows after winter conditions. In addition, when determining the frequency of lubrication, it is necessary to consider:
- the presence near the house of roads, construction sites, industrial enterprises and other dust-forming objects;
- general dustiness of air depending on natural and climatic conditions;
- the frequency and duration of opening windows in the warm season.
If the influence of these factors is large, then the lubrication of plastic windows must be carried out more often. For example, spring and autumn. It is recommended that rubber seals be processed each time windows are washed, as the soap solution used will wash off the previous coating.
Recommended lubricants for window elements
The correct choice of lubricant depends on the materials from which the window parts are made, and their operating conditions. Therefore, various lubricants are used to process various structural elements.
Locking mechanisms
To lubricate metal parts, it is recommended to use:
- special greases for plastic windows, made on a silicone basis and packaged in aerosol cans or tubes;
- universal silicone compounds that can be bought at auto parts stores;
- machine oil for sewing machines;
- all types of semi-synthetic and synthetic oils, neutral to rubber and plastics.
It is possible, but not recommended, to use oils for diesel engines and spindles as excessively fluid materials. The well-known WD-40 grease thickens at low temperatures and therefore is also not used.
It is strictly forbidden to use:
- vegetable and animal fats;
- petrolatum;
- shoe care products;
- margarine and butter.
All these substances contribute to increased dust settling, are able to thicken in fresh air and lose their lubricating properties at low temperatures.
Rubber seals
Very different materials are used to lubricate sealing gums. Answering the question of how to lubricate sealing gum on plastic windows, experts talk about the possible use of the following professional and household tools:
- technical silicone is the best and most inexpensive means without color and odor, preserving its properties in the range from -40 ° C to + 150 ° C;
- special grease for window seals produced by the German company Fenosol;
- lubricants for rubber materials recommended and manufactured by window manufacturers;
- petroleum jelly, provided that it is used at an outdoor temperature not lower than -25 ° C and not higher than + 27 ° C.
Ordinary glycerin softens rubber well, but its ability to dissolve in water limits the scope for external elements. Well, or admits, but by increasing the number of periodic maintenance.
The use of WD-40 is not recommended, since the manufacturer has classified its chemical composition and the effect on rubber products is not known. However, there is information that artificial rubber seals harden upon repeated exposure to WD-40, become brittle and deteriorate over time.
Hardware grease
The answer to the question of how to lubricate the fittings of plastic windows is simple. For this, the same materials are used as for locking mechanisms (with the exception of oil for sewing machines). But lubrication with spindle oil is allowed.
Proper lubrication
Some window manufacturers indicate lubrication points directly on their products or in sales documentation. For cases where this information is missing, the following is a lubrication chart for the most common window structures.
Maintenance of a plastic window begins with the cleaning of its elements from dust, dirt and residues of old lubricant. To do this, open the sash, wipe it with a cloth and wash it with warm water. After that, thoroughly wipe all nodes and surfaces with a dry cloth or cloth. Dry the moisture completely by ventilating and only after that proceed with the application of grease.
Dry plastic surfaces are recommended to be treated with an antistatic compound. This will significantly reduce the amount of settling dust and ensure long-term preservation of the lubricant in working condition.
Lubrication of locking mechanisms and fittings
When preparing a window for lubrication of metal elements, it is not recommended to use active detergents and solvents. It is best to carry out the work in calm warm weather, as the wind can bring dust, soot and other pollutants.
It is most convenient to apply lubricant with a syringe. From a tube or bottle to lubricate one point, it is enough to take 2-3 drops of material. The use of aerosol cans leads to a clear overexpenditure of the lubricant and its contact with neighboring areas. All nodes are processed at one time.
After applying the lubricant, the sash must be opened and closed several times, moving them in each working plane. As a result, the lubricant is evenly distributed over the entire surface of metal parts and assemblies.
Rubber seals
To clean the surface of the sealing gum, you can use a warm soapy solution, a sponge or a soft rag. After washing, rubber should be wiped dry and air dried. In double-leaf rubber profiles, the inner surface is initially lubricated and only then the outer one.
A cotton or gauze swab is used for applying lubricant on tap, aerosol products are simply sprayed, and thick substances can be spread with a finger or a brush.
Requirements for proper care of rubber seals include processing at least twice a year.
Finally
The correct maintenance of plastic windows using appropriate materials will increase their service life by several years. Therefore, prophylaxis should be carried out regularly, at least once a year for metal elements and every six months for rubber products.
In addition, it is recommended to carry out regulation for operating conditions in summer and winter. All work should be done in warm, calm weather.