Summer Maintenance: What You Need To Know To Keep Up Your Home Windows

By: Architectural Visions

While your windows should not require a great deal of maintenance, here are some tips to care for home windows to ensure they stay beautiful, remain intact, and continue opening and closing smoothly.

Check to make sure weather stripping is in place and helping form solid contact to keep out air and water. If you see damage, replacement is recommended.

Examine the finish inside and out. Touch up paint or stain where needed. This is vital to keeping wood surfaces conditioned and preventing rot. Take care not to allow paints or stains to contact other parts of the window, as the solvents can damage weatherstripping.

Inspect the caulking around the outside edges of window frames. Remove any loose or hanging caulk and reseal the gaps with a quality sealant designed for windows.

Check and tighten any hardware screws and test each mechanism for smooth operation.

Remove any dust, sand, or dirt that has accumulated around window sills, door tracks and hinges.

Remove excess dirt and dust from screens gently, and make sure they are securely reinstalled in place.

Make sure doors open and close easily and smoothly. It can take up to a year for a newly installed wood door to stabilize due to humidity and varying temperature levels. Adjust hinges if needed.

Photo Credit: Sunset Through Windows by .reid.