Spring Cleaning? Here’s How to Make Your Windows & Doors Shine

After our long, cold, snow-bound winter, we are rejoicing in the warmer temperature and longer days. Now, with more sunshine, we can see the effects the past season has had on our windows.
Time for spring cleaning!

Your EuroLine windows and doors are virtually maintenance free, but taking the time to do a little maintenance and cleaning will ensure that they last a lifetime.

Spring Cleaning - Dining Room photo

Safety First!

  • Don’t have tilt & turn windows? Too short to reach those outside windows? Make sure you take care when using that ladder during spring cleaning.
  • Wear protective eyewear and clothing when working with cleaning products. Always follow the safety precautions as recommended by the manufacturer.

What’s On the Outside?

  • Spring cleaning is a good time to inspect the caulking on the exterior perimeter of your windows and patio doors. This should be done regularly, but at least once per year. Look carefully for cracks and breaks as these will compromise the watertight seal between the window and door frames and your house siding.
  • Completely remove and replace the caulking that is cracked, broken or missing. New caulking will help to create a tight seal and prevent further damage.
  • A soft cloth and mixture of warm water a and a few drops of mild dish soap is all you need to clean your vinyl windows. Gently rinse, then dry with a soft, damp cloth. Consult your instruction manual for advice on cleaning heavily soiled areas.
  • Always use gentle, non-abrasive cleaning products.
  • Check the weep holes — both inside and outside the windows and doors. Make sure they are clear of dirt or obstructions to ensure proper drainage.

Small scratches on your frames?
TIP: We have matching paint pens that may help repair small abrasions on foiled finishes. Call us at 604.940.8485 and speak to our service department for details.

NOTE: Never use a power washer when cleaning windows or doors as it may damage them, voiding your warranty.

Take a Look at the Hardware

  • Check all hardware for smooth operation — make sure locks, opening mechanisms, etc. are working properly.  To keep the moving parts of your windows and doors at peak performance, we recommend you lubricate the hardware at least once a year. Every six months, check all hinges for tightness of fasteners and look for damage to hinges.
  • You can find complete details on cleaning and lubricating window and door hardware in your maintenance manual. Or visit the Resources page on our website for detailed information.

TIP: If you live in a coastal area, more frequent cleaning and lubricating of your window and door hardware is required.

Sparkle and Shine

  • Abrasive or caustic cleaners are never recommended because they might cause permanent damage to the finish or the glass. Instead, clean glass with a mixture of water and mild dish soap or an approved glass cleaner. Rinse completely with clear water, then wipe dry with a soft, damp cloth to avoid water spots. (A damp cloth is recommended, as a dry one may create static which will attract dirt/dust to the frame.)
  • For best results, do not clean glass when it is exposed to direct sunlight.

STOP! Never use a high-pressure spray nozzle to rinse your windows — this could cause the glass to crack or possibly loosen the seals.

To avoid damaging the glass surface, the insulating glass seal, or component parts, never use any petroleum-based cleaners, or caustic chemicals on the glass, and never use a razor blade, putty knife or abrasive pad to clean the glass.

The Inside Job

  • Over the winter, fine dust and dirt has probably built up inside these areas and if allowed to remain, it can result in poor operation or even damage to hardware.
  • Use your vacuum to clean the sill and track areas. A soft, small brush may be helpful to loosen any dirt or dust from around frames.
  • Clean the interior frames with a small amount of mild soap in warm water and a soft cloth. Dish detergent such as Dawn is ideal.
  • Open windows and clean the inside of the frames. Also, wipe the edges of the sashes to make sure there is nothing obstructing their operation.

Don’t Forget the Screens

  • Bring out your window screens from their winter storage and lay them on a flat surface.
  • If necessary, wash them with mild soap and water using a soft brush, then rinse and wipe dry.
  • Check for any damage before you install them. If you need help putting your screens on, check out our helpful video for step by step instructions.

REMEMBER: Your EuroLine windows never need painting and will not rot, split, fade, yellow or grow brittle with age. With just a little TLC and regular cleaning, your windows and doors will have years of trouble-free operation. For more details on taking care of your EuroLine windows and doors, download our info sheet: Cleaning & Maintenance of Your Vinyl Windows and Doors

IMPORTANT! EuroLine window and door products are shipped with a protective plastic film that reduces damage from handling and installation. This protective film MUST be removed upon completion of installation. Failure to remove the protective plastic film upon completion of installation may cause film to bond to the frame and permanently damage the finish.

Film bonded to your windows? Read How to Remove Baked on Protective Window Film for helpful information.

Want more information? 
Resources: Instruction and maintenance manuals, brochures, videos, FAQ, and more in our resource section.
Products: Information and photos of all our windows, doors, accessories and options.
Project Gallery: Photo slide shows of residential and commercial projects featuring our window and door products.

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Not All Tilt & Turn Windows Are Created Equal

Tilt & Turn Windows

Windows and Doors = Heat Loss

Windows and doors are some of the most important components of the building envelope. One could even say that they are the most important component, since heat lost through windows is often as much as heat loss through walls and roof combined.

When buying a new house or renovating an existing one, choosing windows and doors is a big decision, one that will have a considerable effect on the energy-efficiency and comfort of your home.

R-Value or U-Factor?

In Canada the r-value – or “resistance value” – is often still used. It measures how resistant a product is against thermal flow. Usually these values are given at centre of glass, which is always higher (higher values are better) than the value for the entire window, including the frame.

Officially, Canada now uses the u-factor (heat transfer coefficient – lower values are better). This value is not just based on the centre of glass, but on the entire window including the frame. Here, too, one cannot simply rely on the value to determine the performance of the window unit, because, like the r-value, the u-factor does not take into consideration air and water tightness. A simple sliding window with a small frame and good glass can achieve good results in the lab, whereas in real life the same window might leak air and water. A tilt & turn window that is equipped with multi-point locking hardware, on the other hand, seals tightly all around performing better when installed, yet does not achieve significantly better results with the same glass in the lab. Most tilt & turn windows have a deeper frame and can accommodate triple glazed IG units with larger air spaces, which do make a significant difference in the u-factor and real efficiency.

Tilt & Turn – A New Standard in North America

Thanks to their thermal performance, tilt & turn windows are the standard for windows in Europe and Asia, and are gaining popularity in North America. Increased demand has resulted in more and more companies fabricating tilt & turn windows themselves, or importing them for sale.

While tilt & turn window and door systems are designed to withstand extreme weather conditions by forming a barrier against wind, rain and cold, it is important to be aware that not all tilt & turn windows are created equal.

German Engineered

While many companies advertise “German Technology” and “German Engineering”, this does not mean that the windows – or their components – are actually made in Germany, just that the tilt & turn technology originated there. Many windows and/or components are made in other European or Asian countries, where labour and materials are cheaper, and environmental regulations are laxer, resulting in a cheaper final product. In addition, costs are reduced where possible, for instance by using fewer locking points. Even if the windows and/or components are in fact made in Germany, it is very possible that they are not approved for sale on the Canadian market, since German – as well as other European and Asian – profiles often still contain heavy metals such as lead or cadmium, which is not allowed in North America. Differences in construction style, structural and wind loads, egress requirements, and even something as simple as insect screen availability, also must be taken into consideration, which is all too easily forgotten when importing windows from abroad.

Buyer Beware

All windows that are sold in Canada must comply with Canadian regulations. It is not only illegal to sell imported windows that do not meet these regulations, but it is equally as illegal to purchase these windows. A person who sells a house with windows that do not comply with these regulations may be sued by the new owners.

Made in Canada Using German Technology

EuroLine products are manufactured in Delta, B.C. We use German multi-point locking hardware from Roto Frank, the inventor of the tilt & turn system, and profiles from REHAU, most of which are extruded right here in Canada. Profiles for our 4700-series ThermoPlus® are extruded in Germany, but do not contain any lead or cadmium. Our windows and doors are tested to ASTM and NAFS standards, are NFRC certified for thermal performance, and are Energy Star rated. Because your security and comfort are important to us, we sell our windows the way we test them: with the maximum possible number of locking points and roll-formed galvanized steel reinforcement all around.