Care and maintenance

There are a few general guidelines for the care and use of all Rationel products that you should follow in order to maintain your warranty. The amount of care and maintenance for the outside of your window/door is dependent on whether you have chosen an all-timber or an alu-clad timber product.

Keep an eye on all-timber windows and doors

All timber windows and doors are easy to maintain if checked regularly. Look for cracks in exterior surface treatments, especially on south and west-facing facades, or facades without overhangs, where the sun is at its strongest.

How often should I paint timber windows?

As soon as a crack appears in the paintwork moisture can enter the frame and rot can set in. That’s why its so important to inspect your window frames every year and to repair any damage found.

When is the best time to paint a window frame?

The ideal time to paint a frame is when the humidity of the wood is around 12% (give or take 2%) and air temperature is between 10-20^oC. Use a moisture meter (available from hardware stores) to check the humidity of your wood, do not start painting until any morning dew has dried, and aim to finish in time for the paint to be ‘touch dry’ before the evening dew falls.

How do I care for my timber / aluminium products?

If your windows and doors are made of timber and aluminium then maintenance is very easy. Simply clean down the external aluminum cladding a few times a year, ideally when you are also cleaning the glass.

Cleaning external window frames

Wash frames at least twice a year to remove dirt and other contaminants that could eventually degrade the frame surface. Make it a habit to wash the frame when you clean the glass, using water and a mild pH-neutral soap.

Exterior care of flush doors and timber fillings

The outside of the door should be painted with a water based microporous paint at least every three years, or if the surface is damaged.

Care of internal window frames

The internal part of the window does not really require much care to guarantee its service life. However, in most rooms it will be necessary to remove dust and dirt from the frame and sash. How often you need to do this depends on how much dust and dirt there is in your room, but a recommendation of every 6 months is advisable. In rooms such as kitchens where a build-up of grease and smoke is likely, cleaning is recommended more often. Your window/door should be cleaned using a cloth and mild, pHneutral, soapy water.

Rubber gaskets

Rubber gaskets require little maintenance, but should be cleaned using a cloth and soapy water, and a little silicone care product to keep the strips soft. If you want to re-paint your windows at any time, be careful not to get paint or wood preservative on the rubber strips. If you do, they will lose the flexibility needed to seal the window or door tightly.

Washing your windows

How often you clean your windows is all down to personal preference, but as a minimum the glass should be cleaned approx. 4 times per annum. Use a soft brush and a squeegee – and use mild, soapy water, possibly with a rinse aid added to prevent the formation of limescale.

Window labels or other stickers on windows can be removed by softening them in water. Residues from stickers or other labels

can be removed using ceramic hob cleaner, but be gentle.

Lubricating hardware

While fittings do not require much maintenance, it’s a good idea to lubricate any moving parts once a year with an acid-free oil. Use acid-free oil such as sewing machine oil. You should use Interflon Finelube (Teflon spray) for side swing/side guided windows.

For windows in more exposed locations, particularly coastal locations (within 5 miles), expect to lubricate fittings more frequently and if conditions are particulalry extreme, fittings may need to be replaced after a few years. In addition, make sure any glide rails stay dirt free to ensure smooth operation.