Almost every modern home and office space has plastic window systems. They are preferred for versatility, practicality and durability. However, there are often situations when the window unit ceases to fulfill its functions or requires urgent repair. In addition, not every owner of PVC structures knows that they need to be periodically adjusted. Because of this, a lot of difficulties arise.
Today there are many companies that provide window repair and adjustment services. However, regular contacting them for help will require material costs.
Knowing how to adjust the plastic windows, you can do all the work yourself. At the same time, you will save money and extend the life of the entire unit. What you need to know about adjusting the window and how to fix the problems that you have, read our article.
In what situations is block adjustment required?
After installing the plastic window in the room, a warm and comfortable microclimate is established. However, after some time from the opening, it may begin to blow in the cold, a draft appears. This may be due to shrinkage of the building or to a weakening of the pressure of the shutters. In this case, system repair is required.
Having information on how to adjust the plastic windows, you can solve a number of other problems. Namely:
- eliminate sagging of the moving part;
- eliminate drafts;
- to improve heat and noise insulation of the window;
- adjust the operation of the fittings of the PVC system;
- prepare the unit for changing the season.
During operation of the window, the sash begins to rub against the frame, the handles can become loose and stop scrolling altogether. In such a situation, further functioning of the system will be difficult. However, do not panic. Fixing these issues is easy enough. How to do this, read below.
Prepare the necessary tool before starting work.
If you are wondering how to adjust the plastic windows yourself, you should have the appropriate hand tools.
The list of necessary devices includes:
- Allen keys (4 mm view is especially important);
- flat and star screwdriver;
- pliers;
- lubricating compounds (e.g. engine oil or WD-40 spray).
In the process of performing most of the work on setting up a PVC window, you will need a furniture key (it is also a hexagon). Work with accessories is performed using a screwdriver with various nozzles.
This work does not require a lot of time. Normal window setup takes 20-25 minutes. Elimination of defects and replacement of accessories will last no more than an hour.
What you need to know before starting work
On the Internet, there is a lot of information on how to adjust plastic windows to winter mode, eliminate possible problems and adjust the operation of the entire system. However, incomprehensible terms in them introduce into the stupor of the ordinary reader. How to do the work yourself if you do not understand what the instructions are about?
Such a reaction is caused by the names of the main device that provides the locking of the leaf - trunnion, cam. To understand what is at stake, open the sash of your window. From its end you will see metal elements resembling a cylinder (or in the form of an oval). Most often, they have special holes for adjusting with a furniture key. It is about these elements that we are talking about. They are located in the center of the frame, below and above it.
To adjust the plastic window for the winter (as, indeed, for the summer), it is necessary to carry out work not only in the field of eccentrics, but also in the locations of the loops. To do this, the protective caps are previously removed.
How to prepare a PVC system for changing the season
During the installation of the plastic window unit, the average sash clamp to the frame is installed. With the onset of the cold season, the snugness of the tearing part should be maximum. This avoids the penetration of cold air into the room.
In the summer, the clamp should be loosened. This approach helps to ensure a favorable microclimate in the room. In addition, the weakening of the load on the sealing material contributes to its longer operation.
To adjust the plastic windows to winter mode as correctly as possible, perform the work in strict accordance with the instructions. It involves the following actions:
- Open the leaf and locate all the eccentrics. On a standard frame there are 4-5 of them. If we are talking about euro-doors, then the number of pins can reach 9 pieces.
- If there is no hole for the hexagon on the clamping elements, then they need to be adjusted with pliers. In all other cases, use a furniture key.
- Pay attention to the location of the cam. If they are standing upright, the window is in summer mode, and if it is horizontal - in winter mode.
- Rotate the pins clockwise to the desired position. In some systems, to adjust the clamping element, you need to pull it towards yourself, and only then rotate it.
- Adjust all pressure pins. If you skip a few of them, closing the window will damage the integrity and evenness of the block.
Check if the frame is pressed firmly enough. To do this, insert a sheet of paper between the frame and the window, close the movable part of the unit. If the sheet is difficult to get, the system is well adjusted. If easy, replace the rubber band.
If you understand how to adjust the plastic window for the winter, preparing the block for the summer will not cause you any questions. The work is carried out in a similar way, only the eccentrics are installed in an upright position.
What if the window blows?
If the temperature drops during the onset of cold weather, there is a chance that cold air passes through the window. Use regular matches to spot a draft. Light one of them and bring it to the window. If the fire is directed in one direction, the penetration of cold air takes place.
How to adjust the plastic window so as not to blow? First, increase the frame clamp. Turn all eccentrics clockwise. Adjustment of degree of clip varies within 2 mm. If the draft remains after the work done, replace the seal.
Measure the frame perimeter and determine how much gasket you need. Get expensive and quality options. They have a longer service life.
In addition to the rubber seal, you will need special glue. It must be applied in a groove around the perimeter of the frame. After that, install the rubber tape and close the window for the period of drying of the adhesive. If the frame starts to close very tight, you will need to adjust the plastic windows. How to do this, read above.
How to be in case of detection of large gaps
If there are large gaps between the frame and the movable part of the window, adjustment must be done using loops. To understand how to adjust the plastic windows on the hinge side, you need to remove the decorative caps from them.
First you need to pay attention to the top suspension of the window. With it, you can adjust the horizontal displacement of the upper part of the frame. To do this, take the L-shaped furniture key and place its short part in the adjustment hole. It is located at the end of the leaf itself.
Work with the window open. Slightly turn the screw and check the ease of closing the window. Thus, the upper part of the frame can be shifted from -2 to +2 mm.
The second method, how to adjust the sash of a plastic window, is the alignment from the bottom of the hinge. Work is carried out if the frame is skewed and the window becomes poorly closed.
Most often this happens in new homes. In the process of adjustment, the same L-shaped hexagon is used. How to adjust the plastic window so that it closes as easily as possible?
To do this, follow these steps:
- With the window open, insert the hexagon into the adjustment hole.
- Turn the screw in the necessary direction.
- Check the position of the bottom bar of the window.
- Adjust the shift of the entire sash vertically.
- Slightly open the window.
- Insert the long part of the furniture key into the hole at the top of the hinge.
- Scroll with the key in the desired direction.
- Check that the sash is positioned correctly.
With this method, you can adjust the vertical and horizontal position of the opening part of the frame in the range from -2 to +2 mm.
What should I do if, as a result of the shrinkage of the house, the plastic window sags strongly: how to adjust it?
A significant change in the size of the window opening can cause a strong skew of the window sash. As a result of this phenomenon, it may stop closing and rub against a part of the frame.
If gaps of more than 3 mm appear in the unit, the situation cannot be changed by adjustment. You will have to order and install a new window.
If the changes are not too critical, from the side of the suspensions you can try to adjust the plastic window. The instruction (how to perform similar work) is as follows:
- Take the hexagon, open the window.
- Insert the key into the hole located in the upper canopy.
- Scroll the key in the desired direction. If you rotate it clockwise, the sash will be attracted to the hinges. When rotating counterclockwise, the window is attracted to the side of the impost (opposite from the hinges).
- If the sash touches the frame, insert the key into the hole in the lower canopy.
- If you need to raise the window, rotate the key clockwise, and if you lower it, it is against its movement.
If the work done does not help, the window must be dismantled.
What if the window stopped closing?
If you correctly adjusted the frame horizontally and vertically, but the window does not close, you should look for the problem in a pen or one of the eccentrics. To understand which device is the problem, you need to open a window. After that, hold the sash open lock with your fingers and try to turn the handle down. If she scrolls, the problem is one of the eccentrics.
It is possible to determine a failed element by alternately unscrewing the pressure bars. Faulty clamp should be replaced.
Let us consider in more detail how to correctly adjust the plastic windows, if the problem is in the handle. In such cases, the opening lever must be replaced. This is done as follows:
- The upper and lower parts of the protective plate on the handle are slightly pinched with a screwdriver.
- Two fixing bolts are unscrewed. The defective system element is removed.
- A new handle is inserted. It must be located exactly in the same position as the old one.
- The product is bolted to the sash.
- The protective plate returns to its original position.
If the handle just loosened up, you just need to turn the protective plate, tighten the screws more tightly and cover them again with a plastic molding.
If during operation the window mechanisms begin to jam or work tightly, perhaps they just need to be cleaned. After all, all the working elements are outside, which means that they are in contact with dust and other contaminants. Use rags and cotton swabs to remove dirt from all metal surfaces, wipe them with a cloth and lubricate with special compounds.
The handle of the opening sash is jammed: what to do?
Among the possible problems with plastic windows, one of the most popular is jamming handles. And if we figured out the question of how to adjust the plastic windows, then what to do in such situations is unknown.
Most of the owners of PVC systems prefer to pull the shutter lever well, thereby doing even more damage to the sash opening mechanism. Let's look at the causes of this problem.
It can jam the handle in any position: with the window open, in the ventilation mode of the room and with the sash closed. In the first two situations, there is the possibility of a skew of the frame and the operation of the lock.
If the opening part of the window hangs on one lower loop, you need to do the following:
- Gently turn the knob up.
- Press the upper hinge of the sash to the frame.
- Turn the slide lever to the right.
- Close the sash, lower the handle down.
- Carefully push the sash against the frame.
- Turn the handle up and open the window for ventilation.
The window lock can also work with a sharp turn of the handle at a large angle. In this case, the lock can be removed by pressing a special button and turning the corresponding lever. Each manufacturing company locates them in different places, so you should contact their representative and find out about the installation location of such an element.
Turning the handle hard (or jamming it) with the sash closed can occur as a result of severe shrinkage of the building. Such situations arise extremely rarely and require the participation of specialists.
To summarize
We figured out how to adjust the plastic windows ourselves. As you can see, this process is more than simple, it does not require special skills and the availability of a professional tool.
Maintenance work on PVC systems can be done by any homeowner. And in order to quickly identify the problem and find a method for solving it, you just need to have the appropriate instructions at hand.
Seasonal window adjustment should be done twice a year. Then your window will serve you as long as possible.
If large gaps appear between the sash and the unit, carry out work to eliminate them. To do this, adjust the sash vertically and horizontally using the holes in the awnings.
Such work must be performed in the following cases:
- if the sash rubs against the upper part of the frame - you need to open the window and push the front side of the hinge with the short side of the furniture key;
- if the sash is sagging and catches the bottom of the frame, you need to adjust it through the hole of the lower loop;
- if it rubs against the side of the frame, use the short side of the L-shaped key to push it on both loops in the opposite direction.
The same work is done when the plastic window does not close well. How to adjust the sash in the presence of a draft? By setting all the eccentrics.
If the work done did not prevent the penetration of cold air into the room, take care to replace the seal. However, remember that if you replaced the rubber band, you need to loosen the sash pressure on the frame. Otherwise, the window will close tightly, and the sealing material itself will quickly fail.
Perform window maintenance work carefully and leisurely. Do not forget to simultaneously change the position of all the pins. If more complex situations arise, seek help from specialists. Our article will help you solve ordinary problems.