How to Maintain Windows

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By eHow Contributing Writer

Article Rating: (9 Ratings)

Maintaining the windows in your home is relatively painless and can save you money on heating, cooling and repair work later on.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Step 1

Start with a visual inspection of the window and frames. Rubber seals hold the glass in place. If the seals deteriorate over time, you'll have an air or water leak. The window sash will have to be removed from the unit and taken to a glass-repair shop to have the rubber replaced. You may need to call a professional to remove the window.
Step 2

Check for cracked or broken glass, which should also be replaced by professionals at a glass shop.
Step 3

Look for moisture between panes of glass if you have double- or triple-pane windows. Moisture indicates that the seal between the panes has failed. The space between the panes is usually filled with gas to help provide insulation; if the seal is broken, the insulation value of the window goes down.
Step 4

Check around the window casing where it meets the wall; fill any gaps with a paintable latex caulk.
Step 5

Make sure that any weather stripping is in good condition. (You can usually find it seated in a groove in the window frame; it's easy to replace.) Remove a short section of it from the window to take with you to the repair shop to find the right replacement. Remember to take measurements so that you get enough to do all the repairs needed.

Step 1

Check aluminum-frame, add-on storm windows for cracked or broken glass. Rubber seals hold these windows in place and most often will require specialized equipment to reinstall properly. Remove the pane of glass (with its individual frame) from the window unit and take it to a repair shop.
Step 2

Look for broken frame corners on the individual panes. Take any windows with this problem to a repair shop.
Step 3

Make sure that any weather stripping is in good condition. (You can usually find it seated in a groove in the window frame, and it can be easily replaced.) Remove a short section of it from the window to take with you to the repair shop to find the right replacement. Remember to take measurements so that you can get enough to do all the repairs needed.
Step 4

Make certain that the unit's frame is well-seated and sealed with a bead of caulk against the window casing. (Don't seal the factory-provided weep holes near the bottom of the window frame - these allow drainage of any moisture that accumulates inside the framework.)

Step 1

Start with a visual inspection of the windowpanes and the glazing (the putty that holds the glass in place). Cracked panes and missing glaze allow drafts, which raise heating and cooling bills. Replace broken panes or repair the glazing (see "eHow to Replace a Broken Windowpane').
Step 2

Look over the paint. If it is badly chipped, spiderwebbed with cracks or chalky to the touch, you will need to paint the exterior woodwork. A poor paint job allows moisture to penetrate the wood, causing rot and swelling - which causes more paint damage.
Step 3

Inspect where the window casing meets the wall. Use a high-quality paintable latex caulk to fill any gaps or cracks between the window frame and the siding or brick.
Step 4

Make sure that the windows seal tightly when closed. If they are loose, you may need to add weather stripping around the window channels.

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