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