The upper left corner of the plastic window comes off, you see that the upper corner has come off and the door is hanging on one lower hinge - do not try to open the window any further. Move the handle to the up position - open the window in ventilation mode, then return the handle down, pressing the window door against the frame with a little force.
If this procedure does not help, and the loop still comes off, then the scissors will need to be replaced. Scissors are the parts with which the window is tilted and the angle of the sash is fixed. In addition to them, the cause of the malfunction may be a broken rod of the corner switch.
How to check the tightness
The fact that a PVC window has become difficult to close and allow air to pass through can be understood by a number of signs. The main ones:
- creaks and crunches when closing a double-glazed window;
- there is a cold draft from the window;
- whistling when closed;
- the sash is difficult to open and close;
- the appearance of a draft in the room.
Signs of a window unit not being tightly closed in winter, in windy autumn weather, are especially noticeable.
To check the tight fit of the sash to the frame, you need to do a simple test. You should bring a thin sheet of paper to the closed glass unit. If it sways, it means that the structural elements in this area are not connected well. You can also run the back of your hand around the perimeter of the frame. In areas of loose fit, air movement will be felt. If you wet your palm first, the sensitivity will increase.
Deformation of the window profile due to shrinkage
It is almost impossible to eliminate sagging on your own. Contact the service department with a request to reinstall the structure. As a rule, the manufacturing company provides a guarantee for window products and the work performed to install them.
However, if the window is irrevocably deformed, you will have to buy a new one. The problem is typical for new buildings, where the walls have been recently erected and the house has not yet completely gone through the shrinkage stage. Only after the wall movements have been completed can you begin to re-install PVC windows.
How to close a plastic window more tightly
Many owners of houses and apartments are interested in how to close a plastic window more tightly. In order to close the sash as tightly as possible, you need to clean the frame to improve the contact of the structural elements. Dirt and dust accumulate in it. If a mosquito net is not installed, leaves and bird feathers may get in. In winter, during ventilation, condensation is created on the frame due to temperature differences. It turns into ice, leading to loose closure and deformation of the sash. Therefore, the frame must be cleaned periodically. To do this, use a soft cloth or sponge. Additionally, it is recommended to use a brush to remove dirt from hard-to-reach places.
It is also important to lower the handle all the way when closing the plastic window. This will ensure the tightest possible contact of the glass unit with the frame. If the system is not completely closed, it will go into micro-ventilation mode.
Preventative work
It is easier to carry out regular maintenance of PVC windows on your own than to resort to the help of specialists to eliminate serious problems.
To ensure that your windows last a long time and do not cause unexpected problems, use the following operating tips:
- Window installation must be carried out by professional craftsmen under an official contract with a warranty period for service in case of any questions.
- Choose plastic profiles from trusted manufacturers. They use reliable materials and high-quality fittings. Don't skimp when choosing.
- Do not hang foreign objects on window structures.
- When closing windows, press the handle smoothly and carefully, do not apply much force. What should I do if the window does not close when pressed smoothly? Find and fix the problem.
- Regularly clean the mechanisms inside the frames from dust and dirt.
- Open the transoms for ventilation or swing mode as needed, do not leave them in these modes for a long time. If long-term ventilation is required, close the window periodically.
- Open the doors from time to time if the room has not been ventilated for a long time to avoid stagnation of the mechanisms. The opening also promotes better ventilation of the structure and prevents the formation of ice in winter or condensation in other periods.
- Avoid mechanical impact on the plastic profile.
- Lubricate the locking mechanism and hinges. To do this, you can use machine oil or special spray lubricants. All moving and rubbing parts must be lubricated at least once a year. Before lubricating parts, remove any old substance that usually collects dust and dirt.
- If you are not confident in your ability to fix problems, leave it to the experts.
The plastic window does not close tightly on the hinge side
Often the plastic window does not fit tightly in the hinge area. It can blow from above or below. Some people think this is how it should be. But the sash must fit tightly to the frame on all sides.
Reasons for blowing from the hinge side:
- Displacement, wear of fittings. In this case, it blows in the center of the loops. To solve the situation, you should pry the glazing bead with a knife and lightly hit the handle of the cutting tool with a hammer. This way the straightening plates move to the right place. If the fittings are worn out, you need to remove them and install serviceable products.
- Incorrectly adjusted sash. If the upper loop is blowing, this indicates poor adjustment of the block in the horizontal plane. To correct the situation, you need to remove the decorative cover and use a hex key to turn the hinge fastener a couple of millimeters clockwise. The sash will rise and its fit to the frame will become tighter. If the lower loop is blown, it should be adjusted in the same way.
- Profile wear. The window block cracks and deforms over time. In such a case, it is changed. If the crack is small and there is no money to buy a new double-glazed window, then you can seal it with sealant.
It is important to determine the cause of loose closure and eliminate it as quickly as possible. If you ignore the poor fit of the glass unit on the hinge side, this can lead to icing of this part in winter, deformation and rapid wear of the structure.
Common causes of breakdown
As practice shows, incorrect operation of a PVC window sash is most often caused by improper operation. It is also worth considering that over time the mechanism loses its original properties and problems with functionality arise. If the window does not close, the reason lies in the malfunction of the elements of the locking unit:
- malfunctions in the operation of fittings and their opening/closing mechanisms;
- the doors are hanging or skewed;
- violation of the operating components of the window that are responsible for the movement of the sash.
The performance of the functionality is also negatively affected by the deformation of the sealing tapes. In addition, the cause of the malfunction may be contamination of the mechanism, dust, debris or small objects blocking the movement of the sash. In rare cases, failures are caused by a technological error when installing double-glazed windows.
The plastic window at the top does not close tightly
If the plastic window does not fit snugly at the top, it means the sash is sagging. The problem is relevant for large and heavy window blocks. With it, there are difficulties with closing. It's easy to fix the situation. You need to adjust the bottom and top hinges. To avoid sagging of the doors, it is not recommended to keep them open for a long time or hang things on them.
Prevention and repair of metal-plastic windows
To avoid various difficulties with the operation of the window mechanism, you need to regularly carry out preventive measures. They will eliminate the need to frequently repair products and increase their service life for the benefit of humans.
Do-it-yourself repair of plastic window fittings
Not only a beginner, but also an experienced owner will not be able to prevent problems with fittings. Most structural parts wear out quickly and become contaminated with dust and other small particles. A similar problem arises when adjusting plastic windows (by yourself). If the technician makes a mistake, he will have to repair one or more parts.
Algorithm of actions:
- The hinges are freed from decorative elements.
- The axle is removed from the top of the product. To do this, pry it open with a knife and remove it with pliers.
- Remove the sash and place it on a previously prepared surface.
- After this, remove the decorative element located around the handle.
- Unscrew all the screws.
- Carefully remove the handle from the groove.
- The fittings are checked for defects.
- If there are none, then the products are washed with water.
- Then they are left for several hours so that all moisture evaporates from the surface.
- The dried parts are lubricated.
- The parts are assembled in reverse order.
- Hang the sash and check the quality of its work.
Lubrication of moving parts
If the window does not close well, then you need to lubricate all its parts that are in contact with each other. The frequency of this procedure depends on where you live. In large cities, the elements of the mechanism need to be lubricated at least 2 times a year. In small settlements (for example, a village), a similar operation should be carried out once a year.
The following liquids can be used to perform the work:
- machine oil;
- spindle oil;
- special product for lubricating window parts.
It is prohibited to lubricate seals with the listed compounds. For them, it is best to choose products containing silicone.
The plastic window does not close tightly at the bottom
If the sash does not fit tightly at the bottom, this indicates that the upper hinge is too tight. Therefore it needs to be weakened. To do this, remove the decorative strip from it and use a key to turn it counterclockwise. A loose fit at the bottom may be due to foreign objects in the bottom of the frame. Therefore, it is additionally required to thoroughly clean this area.
The reason may be wear of the rubber seal. Then it can blow not only from below, but also from the corners and sides. The average service life of the seal is 10 years. Low quality products fail earlier. Signs of seal wear include wrinkles, rubbing, and loss of elasticity. Solve the problem by replacing the rubber band. It is selected according to the type of PVC profile system. Change the seal in this order:
- Open the sash using the handle.
- Pry up the seal in the corner and pull it off.
- Switch the sash to ventilation mode.
- Remove the remaining part of the seal.
- Clean the groove.
- Install a new rubber band, starting from the top center. It is important to avoid tension in the corners.
- Trim off excess sealant.
- Apply Moment glue to the ends of the elastic and install them in the groove.
- Check whether the PVC structure closes tightly.
Problems with the handle
The most vulnerable point in the design is the handle. It may get stuck in one position. This may occur due to frequent opening or other damage.
If the handle does not close, check the following causes of the problem:
- The handle mechanism needs to be lubricated. Disassemble the pen, clean it inside, remove foreign objects, if any - film residues, dust, scraps of paper. Use machine oil or a special product for window structures as a lubricant.
- Foreign objects have entered the mechanism. In this case, open the sash and turn the handle. If you notice that the mechanism is catching on something, thoroughly clean the area around the metal elements before closing the window.
- The locking pin does not work due to the sash being misaligned. Open the window, try to correct the position of each pin. In the standard design there are several of them, they are located around the perimeter of the frame. This is a small metal piece that moves or rotates when it opens or closes. Move each pin along the frame and try to close it.
- If the handle is stuck at the top. If the window does not close from the tilt position, the sash leans against the plane of the frame, but the handle does not turn, the problem most likely lies in the blocker. It is triggered if the position of the sash does not correspond to the position of the handle. If you turn the handle to a horizontal position after opening the window for ventilation, the blocker will work. The same problem will arise if the handle-leaf position is incorrect in any other mode. To fix the problem, find a blocker on the sash - this is a spring element or a metal tongue. Press it with your finger against the plane of the frame and turn the handle.
- The handle got loose. If this happens, you need to disassemble the handle and check the locking mechanism. Clean it of all foreign objects between parts, remove debris. If necessary, failed parts must be replaced with new ones. A professional window repair specialist will help you resolve this issue if you cannot correct the situation right away.
What to do if you can’t fix the problem yourself
Not all problems can be dealt with on your own. Very often a plastic window does not open due to a jammed handle and the problem cannot be solved with your own hands. In this case, the help of a specialist is needed. But if the windows in the apartment were installed recently, then a company that respects itself and the client should have given a guarantee. Then there is no need to look for a specialist outside.
Well, if the warranty service has already expired, you can look for specialists on the Internet. But it is worth remembering that you need to study customer reviews about a particular company as carefully as possible. After all, you don’t want to pay a lot of money for outright hack work. Indeed, in this case, it may turn out the same way as one of the Internet users.
88olya13, Russia, Voronezh: How many windows have my family and friends installed, a worse company than PromTehSnab “Window Systems” legal. address Kutsygin 17, director Lesnykh Yu. Failure to meet delivery deadlines of 25 days, instead of 14. And instead of 10.00 o'clock they delivered at 15.00. And then after numerous calls to the company and the driver. But these are minor things compared to the rest.(...) In general, the company is completely inadequate, from delivery to installation, profile, and measurements. They only need to get money from clients, and they don’t care about the rest. That's what their employee said... Read more on Otzovik: https://otzovik.com/review_599096.html
WD-40 is a pretty good lubricant, but silicone is still better
Replacement of accessories
If there is a child in the house, it is recommended to remove the simple handle and change it to a model with a built-in limiter. Children will not be able to open the window on their own or break it while playing. If the handle is cracked or unusable, dismantling looks like this:
- pull the protective pad towards you;
- place it in a horizontal position;
- Unscrew the screws located in the handle with a screwdriver;
- remove the mechanism;
- install new fittings;
- install the protective cover.
Winter and summer operation of plastic windows
Windows made of metal-plastic have 3 working positions: winter, standard, summer. The mode change is changed by pressing the sash. In summer, the pressure density is reduced, which allows air to circulate between the street and the room.
In winter, the pressure is increased, creating complete tightness. This way the heat in the house is preserved. Installing the window in standard mode is the best option.
The window structure is adjusted using eccentrics . An eccentric (trunnion) is a protruding structural element of an oval or spherical configuration. Thanks to this detail, you can adjust the pressing density of the sash.
For work, use a simple screwdriver or pliers; for some models, a hex wrench is suitable. Which tool to choose depends on the shape of the trunnion.
To eliminate a draft, it is enough to change the degree of pressure of the trunnion. You need to clamp the oval eccentric with pliers and turn it in the desired direction. If the pin is round, insert a simple screwdriver or hexagon into the slot, then change its position.
There are designs that, in addition to standard protrusions, have eccentrics in the upper and lower parts. To prevent the frame of such models from warping, during adjustment all trunnions are set to the same position.
If the windows are new, do not pinch the rubber seal, otherwise it will quickly lose its elasticity, although its warranty period is 15 years.
First, the fittings are set to standard mode. This position should eliminate the draft. If the window is old, the mode is set to winter, and it still blows, then install a new seal. Having examined such an elastic band, you can see that it is cracked.
What you need for adjustment
Masters adjust metal-plastic windows with a special universal key. But with the same success this can be done with a simple set of tools. Everything you need can be easily found at home or purchased at a hardware or auto store.
Here's what you'll need:
- hex key 4 mm;
- Torx key T15 (asterisk);
- 11 mm open-end wrench or pliers;
- flat screwdriver;
- knife;
- plastic linings;
- All-purpose grease or machine oil.
