Taking Care of Your Home Windows | Oahu, HI

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Do you know how you should be taking care of your home windows? Have you ever really thought about window maintenance before? Well, if you haven’t then you’re probably thinking about it now, right? Well, there are a few very simple steps that you can take to make sure your home windows are operating properly and definitely seeing their best days. After all, you want to make sure that everyone who goes by your house sees nothing but the best, right?

Wash the Glass

The first thing you should be doing is cleaning the glass. This is going to keep it from getting scratched as well as making sure that you can easily see outside. After all, that’s one of the most important things about your Oahu, HI home windows, right? You want to be able to see what’s going on outdoors and create a great look for your home. So, when you wash the glass make sure you use only a little bit of whatever solution you choose and a lint-free cloth, which will allow you to clean the glass without leaving a lot streaks behind. This gives you the look you want with just a small amount of effort.

Wash the Frame

The frame of your windows is going to depend on your preference. For some, aluminum is the best way and this is simple to clean with a little bit of soap and water and a soft cloth. Make sure you’re not using anything too abrasive as this can damage the aluminum. If you have wood home windows, on the other hand, you should make sure to brush off the wood frequently to remove dust particles. You can use a small amount of soap or water but you want to be careful not to saturate the wood.

Repaint the Frames

If you have painted frames you can repaint or touch up areas that are marked. This is generally true with wood window frames, which can be scratched or chipped through the course of normal life. Taking care of these frames makes sure that they look great and also makes sure that they’re going to continue working for you the way you would expect them to. That’s definitely going to be important for your interior and exterior looks, so make sure you’re checking both for marks that you can quickly cover up with a little extra paint.

Clean and Lubricate Locks

If there’s a lock on your window you want to make sure that you’re cleaning and lubricating these. After all, if the lock breaks you’re going to have a window that is actually always open, so that’s definitely not something you want to have happen. Wipe down the locks to make sure no dirt or particles are getting stuck in there and then make sure you put a little bit of lubrication in too, so that they move freely. You don’t want to force your locks closed or you could actually break or snap them in the process.

Clean and Lubricate Hinges

If your windows have actual hinges you’re going to want to keep these well lubricated as well. As with the locks, your window isn’t going to work properly if you don’t keep the hinges working. If these are made with metal you’ll need to be even more careful about preventing rust. Make sure that the hinges are clean and dry as much as possible, since they can become exposed to the elements and it’s entirely possible for them to get rain trapped inside, which can rust the mechanism.

Don’t Force Them Open

If your window appears to be stuck when you’re trying to open it don’t force it. Try closing it again and see if there’s something keeping the window from opening. Check the locks and hinges and the frame of the window to see if something is wrong and try it again. Forcing the window is something that could easily cause more damage. You want to be sure that you can open your Oahu, HI home windows with a very smooth push or a smooth crank of the handle if you have casement windows. Anything other than that should be looked at closer.

Check the Seals

Make sure you’re checking the seals around your windows. You want to make sure that your window is still firmly in place and that there’s no air leaking around the window. If there is it means that you’re wasting a whole lot of energy trying to keep the place comfortable. After all, if your home windows are letting air in and out then when you turn your AC on you’re actually cooling down a portion of the outdoors too, which means you’re paying for even more energy during that period of time. If you find broken or worn seals you want to replace them with rubber or fill with insulation or caulk.

Check for Damage

If you notice any sort of damage to your windows get it fixed right away before it becomes a bigger issue. You don’t want to have to replace an entire window if you don’t have to. If you have cracks or holes or splinters with your windows, however, and you don’t take care of them, you may need to replace them sooner than you’d like. Your home windows are going to be apparent when it comes to a problem, so make sure that you’re doing routine inspections around your Oahu, HI home.

If you’re looking to keep your home windows looking great then you should be taking a look at each of these general maintenance tips. These are going to help you keep your windows working the way that they should. After all, you should be able to get a long life out of your Oahu, HI home windows. So, how are you going to do it? Well, you’re going to have to pay attention to what your windows need and just when they need it.