How
long will a window or door last? Most of today's windows are made
from a frame material and an insulatiung glass "sandwich"
- each component subject to wear, weathering, and potential failure.
Weatherstripping in the frame and moving parts can wear out with
use. An insulating glass panel may suffer a broken seal after
years of expansdion and contraction with temperature changes -
creating a "fogged" look as moisture accumulates between
the glass poanels.
According
the the USA's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST),
some windows can last up to 50 years. Some of the factors that
go into the determination include:
|
Frame
Material |
|
Climate
and exposure |
|
Quality
construction practices and building style |
|
Routine
care and maintenance |
|
Product
quality |
|
Replacement
of parts that wear with use. |
With
an Alcor guaranteed product that's cared for, you can expect to
increase the service life.
|
 |
Clean
the frame surfaces. |
 |
use
a razor blade, putty knife or abrasive pad. |
|
Use
a glass cleaner or mild detergent. |
|
use
any petroleum-based cleaners or solvents |
|
Clean
tracks and weepholes |
|
Use
oil-based lubricants or damage weephole covers/baffles |
|
Check
weather stripping and hardware |
|
Live
with poor performing components |
|
Clean
your insulating glass with proper cleaning agents |
|
Add
attachments to window or glass without approval
from the window manufacturer |
|
Chgoose
certified windows and exterior glass doors |
|
Settle
for products that do not meet importnant air,
water, structural, forced entry and thermal performance
standards |
|
Read
and understand your manufacturer's warranty and
install per the manufacturer's instruction |
|
|
|
