Have you ever wondered what a person is usually guided by when choosing PVC windows? The first thing that comes to mind is an aesthetic perception, so that it is beautiful, convenient and cheap. If by some miracle you managed to find the desired product, then the last aspect should significantly alert you. Truly high-quality fittings, a priori, are never cheap.
What is fittings – a set of mechanisms located around the perimeter of the window sash, which performs a number of functions, starting from closing the window.
On the domestic market, the leaders in production in this industry are Germany and Austria. You can also find Turkish, Chinese products that are significantly lower in price, but it is better to give preference to the first movers.
The hardware has its own cycle of wear resistance, which is calculated by the number of openings and closings. So, for comparison, cheap fittings have about 15,000 cycles, which is equivalent to about six years of operation, and for high-quality fittings the number of cycles can start from 50,000..
Be sure to choose steel fittings with an anti-corrosion coating, only such a product is able to withstand a window sash weighing more than 75 kg. Plastic parts can soon cause a malfunction of the mechanism, which will entail sad consequences, up to the replacement of the window.
In addition to such actions as “opening” and “closing”, window fittings perform a lot of additional functions that make our life more comfortable:
- Microlift prevents sashes from sagging.
- Micro-ventilation – the ability to ventilate the room during a cold period.
- Anti-burglary mechanisms – this is especially important for residents of lower floors and private houses.
- Children’s furniture – the ability to block the window handle in order to prevent the child from falling out of the window. Even if you have already installed the window, it is possible to additionally install a handle with a lock so that the child cannot open the window on his own.
After installing PVC windows, it is necessary to remember that at least once a year, or even more often, the fittings need to be maintained. There is nothing complicated in this, it is enough to lubricate the parts with a special agent or ordinary machine oil, the main thing is that it does not contain alkaline impurities.
Well, we managed to present the basic information, and choosing fittings with the help of competent specialists is no longer a problem.
What are some key factors to consider when selecting window fittings to ensure they are reliable and long-lasting?