This is how we can extend the life of aluminium doors and windows

Long service life, high quality, exceptional durability and a modern look. Usually, these considerations also play a role in someone’s choice of aluminium doors and windows for their family home. Although distributors often advertise that aluminium front doors and windows are maintenance-free, there are a few things that we can do, not only to increase their service life but also preserve their appearance.

Protecting the surfaces of aluminium doors and windows is a particularly important task during installation. The elements must be installed and glazed when the buildings are structurally completed, so that the building is sealed when the internal work is carried out and so that the connections to the floor and wall coverings can be made. This is when the surface protection of aluminium doors and windows is most needed, as a lot of cement, gypsum and lime dust is released into the air during the finishing works, which damages the surface of the profiles, sealing rubbers and fittings. Heavy soiling and undesirable mechanical effects during construction can reduce the life expectancy of windows and, in extreme cases, cause them to break down before use. To avoid these, we recommend protecting the entire surface of built-in custom doors with foil.

Built-in aluminium doors and windows need to be maintained in the same way as old-style wooden or plastic windows. When cleaning them, care must always be taken to use a cleaning agent that does not contain corrosive compounds and is granule-free, as this will protect the powder-coated surfaces for a long time. The material of the wipe should be as soft as possible. Commercially available alcohol-based glass cleaners are ideal for cleaning glass surfaces.

Several times, KAV staff have found that they had to repair high-quality doors and windows installed many years ago. In most cases, however, servicing would have easily been avoided had the owner paid more attention to a few things.

The aluminium window frame and wings are also surrounded by rubber sealing profiles that provide perfect water and air tightness. They harden without maintenance and then, in extreme cases, break, turn to dust and fail to perform their function over the years. To prevent this, the rubber parts should be wiped at least every six months during window cleaning with a commercially available or pharmacy-based glycerine or silicone cloth.

The other important and usually overlooked thing is to lubricate the moving parts of the fittings, straps and locks. The most important part of custom doors and windows is the locking mechanism, the elements of which protect us against intrusion and it is thanks to these that each door and window closes perfectly at all points. The fittings should be oiled at least once a year, but in dusty, smog-affected locations every six months. A few drops of oil are poured into the fitting at the indicated points, and when the window is closed, the handle is rotated back and forth though 180 degrees a few times to spread the oil evenly. The procedure is similar for lubricating the hinges of a frameless sliding door or an aluminium entrance door: open the door a few times and move the handle for an even coating. For lubrication, the instrument oils available in DIY stores are perfect, but we can also make good use of WD-40 spray.

If we comply with these small notices then minimalistic windows and custom doors and windows will guarantee our comfort and safety for many years to come. Author Anikó