DIY plastic window repair

Recommendation points

• Replacement of handles and hinges, sash removal
• Replacing the porch seal
• Repair and replacement of faulty fittings
• What to do if a double-glazed window is broken
• Replacing a broken window sill
• Eliminate window blowing

Sooner or later, everyone may face a malfunction of PVC windows, ranging from a sticky handle to a broken glass unit. We have prepared a small educational program, which describes the most common breakdowns of plastic windows and methods for their elimination..

Replacement of handles and hinges, sash removal

The handles of the locking mechanism are a very vulnerable place of any sash or door. If the two screws holding the grip in the base are not tightened firmly enough, over time this will loosen the mount, which usually causes the body to burst. Replacing the handle is extremely simple: we move the decorative strip by turning it 90?, Unscrew the screws and remove the broken element. The only problem that can arise when installing a new handle is that the square roll is too long. It is solved either with a hacksaw for metal, or by installing an old square in a new handle.

Although hinges cannot be called the most vulnerable point of plastic windows, the process of replacing them should be described first. The reason is simple: to replace, you need to dismantle the sash, which will be useful for other types of repairs. So, with the window tightly closed, remove the protective cover from the upper hinge. The loop itself consists of two halves, which are fastened with a vertical pin protruding with one of its edges with a semicircular knob at the end.

The pin must be pushed through, and then grabbed from the opposite end with pliers and pulled out completely. The sash is removed by turning the handle to the horizontal position. First, the upper part tilts towards itself, then rises up. Then it’s a matter of technology: we unscrew a couple of self-tapping screws and remove the old parts of the hinges, instead of them, new replacement parts and tighten the screws (preferably also new ones) back.

On a removed sash, it is much more convenient to repair or replace parts of the unlocking mechanism, or change the sealing rubber bands. When reassembling, first slide the bottom hinge over the counterpart, which is firmly attached to the frame. Then return the sash to the opening, align the upper hinge parts and push the pin back.

Replacing the porch seal

Unlike hinges, sealing gum can be safely included in the list of the main diseases of plastic windows. Their service life is not very high, especially if the window does not switch to summer mode or aggressive chemicals were used for cleaning.

The most difficult thing when replacing a sealing gum is to find this same gum. There are several varieties of them, differing in the shape of the landing profile and in thickness. Therefore, you first need to examine the sash perimeter and find the joint where the two edges of the seal join. Tuck one of them and cut off a small part, always a whole one. Based on the sample, look for a replacement from your local window manufacturer distributor or online retailers.

The child will also cope directly with the replacement. Pull the old seal out of the groove and clean the last from dirt, dust and, possibly, stuck scraps of old tape. The new sealing rubber is installed without any glue, fixation occurs only due to the T-shaped groove. Using a screwdriver, you need to carefully drown one edge of the elastic, and then press it with your fingers consistently along the entire length.

As a rule, you do not need to trim the elastic at corner bends, but you can fold it along the bend line and slightly squeeze it with pliers. Please note that some elastic bands have a profile with a bent petal, which must be oriented towards the plastic profile so that the seal of the sash and opening is oriented towards each other.

Repair and replacement of faulty fittings

Breakage of fittings can also be safely attributed to one of the most common types of PVC window faults. Each opening sash has a set of tape fittings responsible for pressing the window along the perimeter, with a fairly delicate and sensitive mechanics. Heavy handle travel, jamming when turning, and abnormal noises are obvious signs that something is wrong with the locking mechanism. Most often, such phenomena are the result of clogging of the internals of the mechanism, which can be caused by the use of inappropriate lubricants or improper operation..

Conventionally, a set of tape fittings can be divided into switches with locking pins, and a heavy system that provides a connection between all elements of the system. If the mechanism wedges, the strands are removed one at a time, starting from the edge at the bottom of the sash. If, when removing all the heavy parts to the central lock, the problem is not resolved, the switches are sequentially turned off, starting from the rear end of the sash.

The found faulty part of the mechanism can be washed in kerosene and lubricated, but it is best to replace it. Sometimes the cause of a malfunction of the locking mechanism is a break in the coupling unit on the heavy. The closing mechanism can continue to work, but malfunctions, for example, the clamping is not carried out along the entire perimeter of the sash. In such cases, only replacement will help..

When choosing replacement parts for strip fittings, buy products from exactly the same manufacturer and series. Fittings have minimal tolerances and therefore parts from different types of kits are likely to be incompatible. When replacing the switches, you will need to unscrew / tighten several self-tapping screws, while heavy ones during installation, you just need to cut to the size of the old ones.

What to do if a double-glazed window is broken

Whether hooligans or a fallen tree caused the breakage, this is one of the saddest scenarios for the owner of PVC windows. The glass unit must be replaced even if its damage is not visible upon visual inspection. Usually, evidence of depressurization is the formation of condensation between the glass or the appearance of a yellow-brown slurry in the lower part of the glass unit.

However, repairs of this kind are difficult only from a financial point of view. First you need to somehow restore the tightness of the broken window. This can be done with ordinary tape and plastic wrap, but in the optimal version, the fragments are removed completely. Instead, you need to insert a sheet of glass of the same size, the ends of which are covered with electrical tape, and the clamp should be provided with a wooden distance rail.

To remove the glass unit, you will need a mallet and a blunt chisel. Its blade is inserted into the joint between the frame and the plastic glazing bead approximately in the center of the length. After a couple of gentle, but accurate blows, the glazing bead will move away from the frame and it will be possible to drive the chisel sting deeper into the gap formed. If the gap has increased to 3-4 mm, then the glazing bead has come out of the groove and can be removed. First, remove long glazing beads, then short ones, in parallel, marking the position of each.

According to the size of the damaged glass unit, you need to order a new one, preferably from the manufacturer of your windows. If the windows are still under warranty, the production and installation of a new glass unit will be performed free of charge or with a solid discount. If you install it yourself, make sure that the position of the spacers is preserved. The glass unit is inserted in the lower part, then it is brought into a vertical position, after which the glazing beads are returned to their place in the reverse order: first short, then long.

Replacing a broken window sill

A burst window sill can also be attributed to PVC windows malfunctions, although it is among the most rare. Most often, window sills are changed due to dirt that cannot be removed. In order to disrupt the decoration of walls and slopes to a minimum, when dismantling, you need to adhere to the following procedure:

1. We unscrew the ebb from the street side, unscrew the self-tapping screws connecting the support profile with the window sill canvas.
2. Carefully undermine the window sill in the central part so that it sticks away from the foam seam and wall seal.
3. With an ordinary hacksaw, we cut the window sill in the central part or the place of the break to the maximum possible depth.
4. On the ends of the window sill we apply several blows with a heavy hammer, achieving laminar displacement and weakening of the grip between the plastic and the seal.
5. We loosen the window sill and pull it towards ourselves

To install from a new canvas, you need to cut a new window sill according to the size of the old one. Please note that it is imperative to give allowances for the end caps and cut the ends not strictly perpendicularly, but with a blockage of 1-1.5? to the center for easier insertion into existing niche.

Before installation, remove all debris from the groove under the window, blow off the dust with water. When the window sill takes its place, restore the foam seam under it, tighten the self-tapping screws from the street side and replace the ebb..

Eliminate window blowing

In conclusion, we will briefly touch on a topic that is usually bypassed when talking about the repair of plastic windows. Owners of windows that have been in operation for more than 10-15 years face this problem. It seems that the porch of the sashes is also dense, but still drafts are felt in the window area.

And the answer is simple: polyurethane foam is afraid of three things: getting wet, ultraviolet radiation and mechanical stress. Even if the sealing of the external slopes was carried out according to all technical rules, the foam seam inevitably crumbles and loses its tightness due to moisture migration, wind loads on the window, and simply due to aging.

Re-embedding is simple: first you need to beat off part of the cement slope or dismantle any other embedment adjacent to the frame. Having opened the foam seam, it is removed to a depth of 30–40 mm. Then a new polyurethane foam is blown out, allowed to solidify for a day and cut off, after which the slope finish is restored. If the elegance of the house facade is not set as a goal, it is better not to cement it with cement. Instead, a special compound based on bituminous mastic is applied..