HARDWARE & SECURITY
Under no circumstances should steel bristles or abrasive cleaning agents be used as these may contaminate the stainless steel finish . Brushes with stainless steel bristles can be used on brushed stainless finishes but not on polished stainless finishes as they will obviously mark the surface .
Stainless steel finishes are best preserved by regular cleaning and it should be undertaken monthly or even more regularly for environments where the furniture is exposed to dirt , water or salt .
Window Maintenance
At least twice a year open the window fully and clean out any debris , cobwebs or insects from the sash and frame particularly around any hardware parts . PVC frames can generally be cleaned with warm mildly soapy water and a non-abrasive cloth .
LUBRICATION OF HARDWARE
The hinge mechanisms and locking mechanisms would benefit from lubrication at least once and preferably twice a year . Lubricate with a silicon spray around all parts with metal to metal contact . This means the moving locking parts of the window lock and all the riveted parts of the door hinge .
ADJUSTMENT OF HARDWARE
If the window operates easily and without undue resistance then lubrication is enough , but if the locking mechanism becomes stiff , then in most cases it is possible to adjust the locking cams on the lock .
Most locks will have an Allen Key adjustment in the centre of the locking point . They should be pre-set to a neutral position when the window is made but this may not be the case once installed . The easiest way to adjust a stiff window is to adjust each locking point so that the locking point is moved as far towards the opening side as possible . This should give the minimum amount of compression and make the window as easy to lock as possible . If it is too loose then turn the locking points back towards the closing side . If the locking system is still too stiff having fully adjusted the locking points out , then there is something else wrong with the mechanism and you should call the original installer if still under warranty or a window maintenance specialist .
REPLACEMENT OF HARDWARE
The only component on a window that is easily replaced by a DIY-er is the espagnolette handle . Buy an Easyfit Repair Espag pack or Versa Repair Handle and these should come with everything needed to replace the handles including screws and instructions .
It is not recommended that window hinges or locking systems are replaced by anyone other than a tradesman – even replacing like for like might be a mistake if the hardware is wrong for the window in the first place . It is all too easy to ruin a perfectly serviceable window if not properly skilled .
Repairing Screws
Choosing the right fixings for new windows and doors is reasonably straightforward , but using the right screw for repairs can be more complicated and much more likely to be problematic .
FRICTION STAYS For repairs always use a 4.8mm domed head screw , either self- tapping if going into reinforcing or fast thread if going into PVC only . We would always recommend stainless steel fixings for friction stays , and keep at least 2 sizes handy ( 20mm and 30mm or thereabouts ) to ensure the screw is the correct length .
HARDWARE INTO REINFORCING If making a new hole , then use a 3.9mm countersunk self-tapping screw of the correct length ( 30mm will cover many applications but not all ). If the screw is to go into an existing hole , then a 4.8mm countersunk repair screw is more appropriate ( these typically come in 25 and 38mm so have both handy ).
HARDWARE INTO PVC If making a new hole then a 4.3mm countersunk fast thread screw with a gimlet point should be used , 30mm length will cover most but not all applications . If the fixing is into an existing hole then a 4.8mm countersunk repair screw should be used again in either 25mm or 38mm length .
IF THE EXISTING HOLE IS TOO BIG
This may be because a 4.8mm screw has already been fitted or because the screw position is above a routed part of the profile . In this case the options are :
• Use on of our Fixing Tabs to get a fixing to the side ( locks / espags )
• Drill a new hole to create a new fixing point ( friction stays , etc .)
• If neither is possible then the hardware may have to be changed in order to achieve new fixing point .
MACHINE SCREWS
The most popular machine screws will be the M5 screws used to fit espag handles . Top Tip : stock the Easyfit Repair Screw which is specially trimmed to allow easy cropping to suit 10mm , 20mm , 30mm , 43mm or 55mm lengths without damaging any threads . Stocking this and a standard M5 countersunk 43mm long screw will cover the vast majority of applications .
WHERE THERE IS FRESH AIR If you need to get a screw fixing on your door lock or espagnolette bar but can ’ t because there is fresh air behind the screw hole , then the Winlock Fixing Tab is your solution .
The Winlock Fixing Tab was originally designed to help where replacement door locks are being fitted and the routing detail is bigger than the replacement gearbox or hook box . This can mean the fixing screws either side of the gearbox / hookbox have fresh air behind them rather than material to pick up the screw thread . The Fixing Tab will however work for any situation where a eurogroove fitted lock or espag has a void behind a fixing hole .
The Fixing tab can be clipped onto the lock or espag by using the so called “ fir tree ”, which is a plastic clip that can be trimmed easily if needed so that it will still allow a drive bar to run behind the faceplate . The fixing tab is then set at 90 ° to the faceplate of the locking system so the material to the side of the eurogroove picks up the screw .
www . winlock . co . uk
CLEARVIEW-UK . COM » MAR 2017 » 89