Getting Ready for the Holidays

Let's talk about window and door maintenance.  It’s a dull subject, perhaps, that architects and builders alike sometimes do not emphasize; but in reality, maintenance engineering is a significant cost saving device when done well.  There is the satisfaction of beautiful results and environmental sensitivity, as well as the value retention of the product and the building in which the windows and doors are installed.

For example, windows and doors are always subject to damage over time from weather, sun light, accidental and or malicious disregard, as well as negligence, all resulting in diminished appearance, performance and value. 

With the onset of winter, we see varying extremes.  And while our first objective may be to match original landmark architecture, Woodstone engineers its products for ease of maintenance to better preserve original value, diminish risk, and protect its windows and doors from deterioration over the long haul.  With Woodstone’s high resistant wood species, modern finishes, and traditional wood joinery, deterioration under most circumstances is not only limited, it is easily maintained and repaired.  That’s why it’s wise, from time to time, to inspect your windows and doors for cuts, scratches and scrapes that may compromise the finish. 

One thing leads to another.  If a scrape penetrates the finish, eventually water penetrates into the wood, into the wood joinery and, perhaps, to the edge of the insulating glass. In the winter, freezing and thawing can cause movement in the various sash and door elements, and when the trapped moisture is heated by the sun, water vapor is forced deeper into the wood joinery mortises and rabbets. 

If an individual True Divided pane of Insulating Glass (IG) seal fails, or the glass breaks, in a Woodstone window or door, it can be easily replaced.  Not so, if it’s a Simulated Divided Lite window or door.  SDL units that fail in almost any way must be replaced as a whole, and this can be a prohibitively expensive venture when matching original architectural details.

If the paint finish is damaged on a Woodstone window or door, repainting is easily managed with minimal preparation. Finishes and sealant can be spot applied without the need for stripping the entire window or door. Clad windows, on the other hand, obscure deterioration over time. Moisture that finds its way through the cladding often rots the wood beneath, creating pervasive damage before the deterioration is discovered. And, assuming a historically accurate clad window is available in the first place, once a clad window is damaged, it is very difficult to maintain and expensive to replace. 

Remember: if a window or door is presented as being’ maintenance free’, it probably can't be maintained and it ultimately ends up in a landfill. Read the warranty. Compare the risks.  As you will see in the following article, Maintenance Makes Cents _TM.