Tilt and turn window designs are a good alternative to the conventional casement windows. Although the design originated from Germany, these window designs are rapidly gaining huge popularity across the entire Europe and US regions.
How it works
Tilt and turn windows need to be tilted to an angle of about 15 degrees inwards to open, thereby allowing ventilation from the top of the frame. Alternatively, these windows can also be opened inwards along its hinges on the side like any other traditional door, if the window needs to be opened entirely.
The handle acts as the control, where turning the handle quarter way would open the window in a tilted style and turning the it half way will open the door inwards completely. Although tilt and turn windows are available in wood, aluminum and UPVC, the latter offers the highest durability and value for money.
Restoring the shine of tilt and turn windows
The beauty of a window lies in keeping it clean and gleaming at all times. In this regard many homeowners refrain from investing in tilt and turn windows because they are considered to be difficult to maintain and repair and sometimes the maintenance might cost as much as with leadlight repairs. Contrary to the perception, tilt and turn windows are pretty easy to maintain, provided they are made UPVC.
You may be wondering why UPVC? Well, UPVC tilt and turn windows have self cleaning features where the outside coating is designed to react with the sunlight to break down the dust and grime that accumulates on it.
Cleaning the tilt and turn windows is however very easy. Consider the following steps:
- The best way to clean tilt and turn windows is by opening them on turn mode. Turn the handle of your window in the direction such that the window opens in the turn mode. Once open, dust the window panes including the hinges and frame using a soft brush. Ensure the bristles of the brush aren’t very rough and hard.
- Mix liquid detergent into a bucket full of warm water and use a soft sponge to clean your windows using soft but form strokes. Ensure here that the water use isn’t very hot and the sponge used should not be corrosive.Its also important to use a mild detergent, because harsh detergents can cause the fancy finishes like Mahogany, Rosewood, Golden Oak, etc. To loose their sheen and gloss.
- Keep the drainage slots clean and unblocked at all times so as to insure easy drainage of any water present in the window rails.
- While its generally recommended to clean UPVC tilt and turn windows once in six months but the frequency may wary depending on the kind of environment your house is situated in.
Cleaning your tilt and turn windows every once in a while will help restore its original sheen and shine and keep them looking new and will last you years without trouble.
