Spring Maintenance Tips for Windows and Doors

Now that spring is here, it’s time to consider a few maintenance techniques to ensure your doors and windows are at their best. This season is the perfect time to really pay attention to your home. The weather isn’t too extreme, and it’s the perfect time to determine if any damage happened during the winter.

Maintenance also ensures your home’s curb appeal is high; these steps go a long way toward beautifying your home. Sunset View Windows and Doors has been a member of the Melbourne community for 20 years, and we understand window and door maintenance best practices. In this guide, we’re going to cover several maintenance tips for the upkeep of your windows and doors this spring.

Check for Damage

Inspection is one of the more essential steps in spring window and door maintenance because it helps establish if your home needs professional attention. This allows you to catalog any defects, which we can then address before the summer comes when you need a sealed environment for optimized cooling. It also helps you prevent further damage from happening, and if you identify leaks or cracks, then this will also help you restore and improve your home’s energy efficiency.

Here are a few ways you can check your windows and doors for any damage.

Check for Cracks

Since both windows and doors use glass for a variety of purposes, checking the panes in both is a great place to start when checking for damage. When giving your door and window panes a visual inspection, look closely for smaller cracks, chips, or damage. It’s best to start at the edges and visually ascertain if there are cracks across the entire body of the glass. If you find any damage, it’s a good idea to measure the size of the crack and let someone at Sunset View Windows and Doors determine the next steps.

Make Sure Windows and Doors Are Fully Functional

At Sunset View Windows and Doors, we call this a functionality test. This just requires you to check that doors and windows are fully functional. You can start by placing your hands along the seals to see if you feel a draft. You can also use a flashlight at night to see if there are cracks in the non-glass materials. Also, open and close the doors and windows to see if there is any stiffness, creaking, or rattling when they are in operation.

Inspect for Warping

When seasonal weather is exceptionally extreme, the frames on your windows and doors can expand or contract, which will make the material warp. This is especially the case in the high-humidity environments we experience here in Florida. Fortunately, minor warping in both doors and windows is repairable, but you should identify it first.

To detect warping, first look for any visible indentations or protrusions in the frame. It’s a good idea to see if there are gaps between the frame and the door or window sash. You might also notice warping when the door rubs against the frame more than it did in the past. You can also check to see if the door seems to lean more towards a corner of the frame when closed.

Check the Caulking

When caulking or weatherstripping is missing or has damage, this is a recipe for disaster when you’re trying to have an efficiently cooled or heated household. This is because indoor air can easily escape through these minuscule gaps. This also makes your windows and doors much less weathertight, and in this area, where we receive more than 50 inches of rain per year, it’s important to maintain integrity.

To avoid this, take a look at your doors and windows and try to detect worn, damaged, or loose caulking. If you see something, contact one of our team members so that we can apply fresh caulk to the problem area.

Look for Condensation

Condensation often occurs on windows and doors in high-humidity areas of the state, like Melbourne. However, if you’re experiencing excessive condensation, like full-sized water droplets forming on glass panes, it could be a deeper problem. This could be a ventilation issue, or it could mean a broken seal between panes that needs immediate attention from a window specialist.

Clean Your Windows and Doors

Now that you’ve checked your windows and doors for any damage, it’s time to give your windows and doors a good cleaning for the season. Use water and a soft cloth or sponge to remove anything that might have settled on the surfaces. This includes dirt, dust, dander, spilled liquids, etc. Always remember that, when cleaning doors, use a mild soap as you don’t want to damage the finish or stain.

We also recommend using glass cleaner for the glass panes on your window or door. Still, if the product you select has intense scouring agents, we suggest finding a milder formulation to protect the surface of your glass. We also suggest trying a 50/50 mixture of water and distilled white vinegar on a microfiber cloth for beautiful results. If you’re unsure how to clean these surfaces or want a professional touch, we can help you at Sunset View Windows and Doors.

Examine the Interior and Exterior Finishes

Windy days and stormy weather can damage the finish on your doors and windows. Make sure to inspect the paint to see if it needs another coat. Also, check to ensure that there is no rot in the wood or damage to the metal that will need repairs before you repaint the surface.

This is also the time to redo the interior of the door as well. It is possible that damage happened to the finish during the cold winter months. Since the temperatures are warming up, you can easily repaint them and let the door open so that it dries quickly.

Make Sure to Lubricate Moving Components

Components like the hinges and locks on a door can easily corrode and become rusty, especially in the humid Florida air. To ensure that all of the moving parts are functioning properly, lubricating them is necessary. By regularly cleaning and lubricating these parts, you can easily extend the lifespan of all of the doors and windows in your home.

Have Screens Reinstalled

Many times, we remove screens from the windows and doors in the winter for an added layer of protection from the elements. Now that you are preparing for warmer weather, it is the ideal time to put those screens back in place. This allows you to freely open the windows without worrying that bugs will enter your home. If you notice that there are any rips or tears in the screens, you can simply have the screen repaired.

Have Windows and Doors Professionally Inspected at Sunset View Windows and Doors

We established Sunset View Windows and Doors as a family-owned business in 2006, so we have experience satisfying the residents of Melbourne. We take pride in managing the doors and windows of our community. If you need help getting new windows or doors or you simply need to schedule an inspection, contact us today!