Fixing broken windows is not exactly the most interesting household chore, but when the need comes, you have no choice but to do it. If you stall, any existing damage or wear will only continue to get worse and soon become irreversible. Attending to it right away will not just prevent the need for costlier repair but it will also help you maximize the lifespan of your windows.
Signs that Your Windows Need Fixing
You probably see subtle changes in your windows but you choose not to do anything about them because you don’t know what they are or what’s causing them. Often you neglect those changes until it becomes clear that they will cause you great trouble in the future. Here are some of the most common signs that your windows need fixing.
- Draft
- . One of the reasons you installed windows is to keep drafts out. If the windows are drafty, it only means they are not serving their purpose well. Perhaps they were poorly installed or sealed, or maybe a recent earthquake has shaken them from their original position, creating large enough gaps to let cold air in. While draft may seem a trivial issue, it can actually take a huge toll on your home’s heating system in the long haul.
- Leak
- . If you see water dripping from the sides of your windows during a heavy downpour, it’s a clear sign that the windows are severely worn out or damaged. There must be a crack on the glass pane or frame that’s out of sight or a portion that wasn’t sealed properly.
- Difficulty in Opening or Closing
- . Most windows are designed with a simple opening and closing mechanism, so working them should not be a problem. In case you have trouble doing so, it means there something wrong. If you continue opening or closing your windows with force every time, it will soon break and the needed repair can be costlier, so it’s best to fix it as soon as possible.
- Condensation between the Glass Panes
- . Today’s windows provide homes with better insulation thanks to their double glass pane construction. Their glass panes are tightly sealed along the frame to prevent air and moisture from seeping between them. You’ll know there’s seepage if condensation is forming inside the glass panes. Sometimes, this condensation appears in the form of fog, which is either evenly scattered across the interior surface of the glass panes or concentrated on a particular area, depending on where the leak is coming from.
- Bowing Glass Panes
- . Some windows with a double or triple glass pane structure are injected with argon gas between the panes. The gas itself creates enough pressure to keep the panes separated. If the argon leaks out, the pressure is also released, forcing the glass panes to connect. However, since both of glass panes are held in place by the frame, they usually meet at the center where there’s no obstruction, causing the edges to bow or cave out.
How to Repair House Windows
Unless you’re absolutely sure what’s wrong with your windows, avoid making major alterations that could only cause more harm than good. Assess the condition of your windows and decide whether to fix it by yourself or to call one of the leading window companies in Chicago, such as Muller Exteriors, to do the job. Essentially, the repair your windows need depends on the type of damage you are up against and where it’s located. Here are some guide questions you can follow.
- Which part of the window is broken?
- As you may well know by now, home windows are available in a range of types, each of which consists of different parts. A typical double-hung window, for instance, has about ten major components, including a frame, a head, a pair of jambs, a sill, a balance, two sashes, and a set of glass panes. The kind of repair work necessary depends on which of these parts is or are broken.
- How severe is the damage?
- Is the frame broken? Has it fallen out of alignment? Have you found cracks on the glass panes? Any of these issues might occur and your response should depend not just on what type of damage you are to deal with but also on how severe the damage is, and it’s at this moment when you have to decide whether or not you should call an expert or go with DIY window crack repair.
- What should you do if the windows aren’t closing or opening freely?
- Most windows open either by pivoting through a series of hinges or by sliding along a rail. If you know what type of windows you have, you should also know how they operate as well as why they won’t freely close or open. Some of the common reasons are rust buildup on the hinges, excess paint along the frame’s path, loose screw or bolt, and foreign object caught in the jamb or casing.
- What should you do if the frame is cracked?
- Cracks are usually considered as a major damage that often requires replacement of the entire window. If the crack is just small and doesn’t have significant effect on the window’s mechanism and insulating qualities, you may be able to salvage it. You may be able to fix it by simply sealing the crack. Then again, the best advice would be to consider replacement.
- What about cracked, caved in, foggy glass panes? What should you do with them?
- First of all, before you get tips on how to repair broken window glass, keep in mind that the glass panes in your windows don’t break or go foggy on their own. Something must have inflicted such damage on them so you have to figure that out first before you come up with a remedy. If it was caused by a defective frame, you might be dealing with a much more serious problem so you may consider replacing the affected window altogether.
Why Call a Professional
Window repair is more complicated than it seems. You may be able to pull it off on your own if you have prior experience installing a window but if you fail to do it right, your window will ultimately cost you more. Therefore, hiring a professional window installer is actually your most sensible option.
Just think about how much you can save simply by choosing the most energy-efficient windows available on the market. We bet you wouldn’t know about it if you weren’t tipped off by a professional window installer. Plus, their knowledge and skills are far more superior to yours even if you consider yourself a handyman. They can do the job with literally no error at all, a kind of workmanship that you need if you want windows that last a lifetime and won’t require frequent repair or tricky upkeep.
