Maintenance is a very important
part of keeping your ROW windows operating properly and looking
good. Below, you will find a number of links to frequently
asked maintenance questions.
Please use these helpful instructions and guidelines - and keep your ROW windows
in the best shape they can be.
Condensation
Questions about condensation forming on windows are inevitable.
Blaming the windows for the problem is always the first reaction
when condensation occurs. The three factors involved in the
formation of condensation are:
1. Excessive water vapor in the air;
2. Temperature of the air;
3. Air circulation or movement.
Because today's homes are built to provide better insulating
properties, making them more air-tight, the air that circulates
is the air that is already within your home. This air becomes
saturated with the normal by-products of day-to-day living.
One of the biggest by-products is water vapor, which generally
shows up as condensation on your windows.
What is condensation?
The air in our atmosphere can contain up to 4% water vapor.
When so much water vapor is added to the air that it becomes
saturated, or when the air temperature drops low enough, the
air can no longer hold the excess water vapor, which turns
into liquid and forms on surfaces as condensation.
When the warm air inside your home comes into contact with
a cold surface, the air around that cold surface begins to
cool, losing its ability to hold water vapor. It eventually
reaches a point where it can no longer hold the water vapor,
so tiny droplets of water begin to form on the cooler surface.
You most likely will see condensation forming on the glass
in your windows because they are generally the coolest visible
surface.
Drapes, blinds and other window coverings trap air next to
your windows, greatly reducing air circulation, and speeding
the rate at which condensation forms.
What can I do about it?
To control condensation you must first find the cause, and
then implement a solution.
New or newly remodeled homes will have high levels of water
vapor for at least the first year, due to the moisture content
of the new materials used in construction. Windows that are
located in an area that doesn't receive much direct sunlight
are more likely to develop condensation than those that are
exposed to direct sunlight. Bays and bows that extend from
the main wall of the house may be isolated from proper air
circulation inside the home, as well as being exposed to the
cold elements outside the home. Excess humidity in your home
can result in excess water vapor. And, as previously mentioned,
window treatments that cut off air movement near the surface
of the glass can also be a factor in excess condensation on
the glass.
The key to controlling the condensation on your windows can
be as simple as controlling the water vapor in your home. Keeping
the air circulating properly can go a long way when it comes
to controlling the water vapor present.
Properly vent your home with a fresh air exchanger that works
in conjunction with your heating/cooling system. Fresh air
exchangers can also work independently. Either of these systems
will continually provide a fresh air supply to your home while
exhausting the moisture saturated air.
Use exhaust fans in all bathrooms, and your kitchen, to remove
any excess moisture that results from day-to-day living activities.
Registers should be located directly under windows, and return
air vents should be located to provide good cross-flow.
Use ceiling fans or other portable fans to promote increased
air circulation.
Make sure that window treatments don't completely isolate
windows from proper air circulation.
All appliances should be vented to the outside of your home.
Properly seal your basement or crawl space to keep it protected
from ground moisture. And properly ventilate your crawl space
and attic to promote evaporation of moisture.
Use a dehumidifier as a temporary solution to remove high
levels of water vapor, but remember that dehumidifiers only
affect the moisture itself, and not the source of the moisture.
Control the temperature of the air inside your home, especially
during the heating season. The temperature of the air has a
direct effect on the relative humidity in your air and the
amount of water vapor it holds.
Reduce the humidity levels inside your home as the temperature
outside decreases.
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How To Reglaze A Wood Sash - Royal Casement 1979-2006
Lay casement sash on a table (glazing bead side up). Take
putty knife in between glazing bead and glass and run it along
to break the silicone seal. Do top first since the top glazing
bead is the last to be put on. Pull the glazing bead off.
Once all 4 sides are done, turn sash over and break the seal
of silicone between the glass and the wood. After that, the
glass should come right out. Clean old caulk out and put a
new bead of DAP 230 Clear in bed. Put new glass in evenly spaced
in wood sash. Put a thin bead of silicone on glass. Put squared
glazing bead in bottom first. The next two sides to be put
in have angles at the bottom. Top piece goes in last (which
has angles). All should look overlaid so water runs downward.
Glazing bead must be completely snapped in, which can be done
by using a rubber mallet or a hammer and a piece of wood. Hit
glazing bead only. Do not hit the wood sash. You will hear
a snap when the glazing bead is in correctly.
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Maintaining Glass
When cleaning the glass surface of your ROW windows, always
begin at the top and work downward. To loosen dirt and debris,
start by soaking the glass with a clean water and soap solution.
Follow the soaking with a mild, non-abrasive commercial window
cleaning solution. Rinse all cleaning solutions from window
gaskets, sealants and frames, and dry the windows as necessary.
Never use a scraper when cleaning glass. Scrapers will cause
damage to the surface of the glass, voiding the ROW window
warranty.
Never clean glass when it is exposed to direct sunlight. Direct
sunlight on the glass while you are cleaning will cause the
cleaning solution to bake onto the glass surface, causing streaking.
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Maintaining Aluminum Clad
Normal rainfall usually takes care of light surface dirt that
gathers on ROW's low-maintenance, aluminum clad windows. You
can use a soft brush and water, or a mild cleaning solution
to remove bugs, grime, and surface dirt or dust that have accumulated
on the aluminum cladding.
Always test any cleaning solution on a small inconspicuous
area before cleaning the aluminum cladding to prevent damage
to the surface. Abrasive type cleaners or solvents can cause
damage to the coated surface of the aluminum cladding, as can
over cleaning or scrubbing.
Thoroughly rinse all surfaces with clear water after cleaning.
To add extra shine, a coat of car wax can be applied to the
aluminum clad surface after it is thoroughly rinsed and dried.
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Maintaining Interior Wood
You can use a soft brush and water to remove superficial surface
dust. A mild solution of household detergent and water will
remove heavier accumulation of dirt, as will solutions containing
a mixture of water and alcohol.
Oil or grease that has accumulated on the interior wood surfaces
may require the use of stronger cleaning compounds. Abrasive
type cleaners or solvents can cause damage and are to be avoided.
To prevent damage to the exterior surfaces of your windows,
never allow harsh cleaning solutions, strong detergents, ammonia
or other chemicals to come into contact with them.
To minimize the effect of streaking, begin cleaning at the
top and work your way downward. Always rinse surfaces thoroughly
with clean water, making sure to remove all cleaning solutions.
Damage to the finish can occur with prolonged contact to detergent
cleaning solutions.
A matching hi-quality latex primer and paint can be used to
touch-up small nicks and scratches in the finish. Your local
home improvement store can supply product recommendations and
instructions.
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Screen Care
Remove screens first, then wash on a flat surface using mild soapy water.
Rinse, pat dry and reinstall.
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Casement Sill & Tracks
Vacuum or blow out dirt and debris from your window sill and track.
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Maintaining Vinyl Window Weep Holes
R.O.W. Vinyl Windows with weep systems allow rain water to weep to
the exterior of your home. Proper maintenance of your weep system is
required to assure proper drainage.
Periodically inspect weep holes to make certain they are clear of dirt
and debris. These can accumulate in the weep holes and reduce, or in
some cases, eliminate the windows ability to drain water. Sometimes
during construction weep holes can be filled with construction debris.
Cleaning weep holes can be performed with using a soft bottle brush
to clear openings. Then back flush weep system with water to be sure it drains.
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Eliminating Mildew, Caulk and Tar
Areas subject to high humidity may exhibit mildew, which appears
on the surface of the coating as black spots.
A basic solution of 1/3 cup of laundry detergent, 2/3 cup
trisodium phosphate (Soilex), 1 quart of household bleach and
3 quarts of water mixed together can be used to remove mildew.
Use a soft bristle brush with medium pressure, and always thoroughly
rinse the finish with clear water after cleaning.
Mineral spirits can be used to remove caulking, tars and other
similar substances. Always use a soft bristle brush with medium
pressure, and rinse thoroughly with clear, clean water.
The use of protective eyewear and clothing is recommended
when working with any cleaning solution.
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Finishing a Wood Interior
Brand new, bare wood windows or doors must be finished immediately
to prevent possible damage to the wood. Primers function to
maximize adhesion between the wood and the paint, and do not
have any protective qualities, so primed windows have no guarantees.
Make sure all bare wood window and door surfaces are clean
and dry. Lightly sand the wood surface to remove any handling
marks, debris or effects of exposure to moisture. Use fine
sandpaper and wipe the surface clean before applying any finish.
Always run a strip of masking tape along the edge of the glass
prior to finishing. When using paint, leave a 1/16" space between
the tape and the wood bead, allowing you to lap the paint onto
the glass for a proper seal. Carefully follow paint or stain
instructions, and make sure you wear adequate hand and eye
protection.
Occasionally, an excess of the silicone-based sealant, used
between glass panes and wood sash frames to ensure a weathertight
seal, appears around the edge of the glass. You can safely
remove this material with a plastic putty knife without causing
damage to the seal.
Never paint locks, hardware, weatherstripping, jamb liners
or any surface that is going to come in contact with another
window or door surface. Paints, stains and varnishes should
be used with care as they contain solvents which, when coming
in contact with plastic and vinyl weatherstripping, cause these
materials to lose their flexible qualities.
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Finishing a Wood Exterior
Brand new, bare wood windows or doors must be finished immediately
to prevent possible damage to the wood. Primers function to
maximize adhesion between the wood and the paint, and do not
have any protective qualities, so primed windows or doors have
no guarantees.
Make sure all bare wood window and door surfaces are clean
and dry. Lightly sand the wood surface to remove any handling
marks, debris or effects of exposure to moisture. Use fine
sandpaper and wipe the surface clean before applying any finish.
Always run a strip of masking tape along the edge of the glass
prior to finishing. When using paint, leave a 1/16" space between
the tape and the wood bead, allowing you to lap the paint onto
the glass for a proper seal.
One coat of a high quality primer should be applied for proper
paint adhesion. Follow the primer with two coats of top quality
oil-base or latex paint according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Always paint windows with the sash or panels opened, and do
not close them until they have dried thoroughly.
Carefully follow paint instructions, and make sure you wear
adequate hand and eye protection.
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Refinishing Interior or Exterior
Periodic inspection of windows and doors with a wood exterior
is essential. To protect the wood, all signs of blistering,
peeling or cracking should be immediately repaired . Always
fill any cracks prior to repainting with a high-quality caulking
material or a paintable grade caulking compound.
To prevent paint or varnish from coming in contact with the
sash tracks, always remove the sash from the frame before any
refinishing work is begun.
Painting the sides of the sash will greatly affect the operation
of your window. Avoid painting the sides in all circumstances,
and do not replace the sash until the finish is thoroughly
dry.
Never paint locks, hardware, weatherstripping, jamb liners
or any surface that is going to come in contact with another
window or door surface. Paints, stains and varnishes should
be used with care as they contain solvents which, when coming
in contact with plastic and vinyl weatherstripping, cause these
materials to lose their flexible qualities. Incidental contact
between the plastic and the finish can cause this to occur.
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Directions For Removal Of A Picture Window
Carefully remove the wood stops from the inside with a putty
knife.
From the outside, cut away the caulking. Push the sash to the
inside.
(Note: Have an individual on the inside to catch the sash)
Scrape any remaining caulk from the opening.
Apply a fresh layer of caulk and install the sash from the
inside. Install the wood stops.
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Primed Wood Window - Painting Repairs
ROW windows cannot be shipped unprimed.
Our primer is water-based, and therefore the preferred paint
for finishing should be water-based. If you decide to use
an oil-based paint, we suggest you apply an oil-based primer
before finishing with the oil-based paint. You can use oil-based
paint over our factory applied water-based primer, but adhesion
would be better if the primer coat was the same as the finishing
paint.
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Sash Adjustment - or Royal Casement 1997-Present
- The amount of sash drag that this hinge will correct for
is dependent on the ratio of the sash width vs. sash height.
To calculate the amount of sash drag adjustment for any given
window size, take the ratio of the width to height multiplied
by 1/16".
Example: Sash size equals 24" x 36", width to height ratio
is .667. Total adjustment is .667 x 1/16" = .042" (Approx.
3/64")
- To adjust the casement sash, first fully open the window.
Next, slip the adjustment wrench onto the base of the stud,
found between the support arm and the track of the lower
hinge. Swinging the wrench away from the lock side of the
window will decrease the amount of sash drag.
The maximum sash drag adjustment is reached when the stud
flats are parallel to the rack. Note: Turning the stud flats
beyond parallel will not increase sash drag correction.
- For severe sash drag, a similar procedure can be used on
the upper hinge. Upper hinge adjustment is made by swinging
the wrench toward the lock side of the window. Maximum adjustment
is obtained when the stud flats are parallel to the track.
Note: Maximum adjustment may cause binding as the window
is closed, please use caution.
- Stud may be adjusted with 3/8" wrench if support arm is
removed before adjustment.
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Sash Sag: Re-Aligning Sash to Frame - for Royal Casement
1989-1997
Sash sag is a common problem with residential casement windows.
The center of gravity of the sash tends to tilt the sash out
of alignment.
Sash sag is usually caused by poor installation.
Sash sag could easily be corrected in the filed if the position
of the sash could be adjustable. The 3500 Series hinge which
comes on certain ROW windows allows this adjustment. If your
windows do not have the Series 3500 hinges, your current hinges
can be easily replaced with existing hole punching tools, fasteners,
etc. No design changes or modifications are necessary.
The home owner can shift the position of the sash 1/16" in
either direction from center. Both top and bottom hinges are
adjustable.
The Procedure To Adjust Is:
- Open window to 90°; angle. Pry short arm off track
rivet.
- Swing spring clip to one side.
- Remove and index octagon cam.
- Reassemble.
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