It is not enough to install a PVC window block in the opening. It still needs to be adjusted correctly so that the doors close tightly and without problems. Also, periodic adjustments of the window must then be made independently or with the help of craftsmen in the spring and autumn in order to switch it to summer or winter mode work. Moreover, this setting should be treated with utmost care. This is necessary not only to get rid of drafts, but also to increase the service life of the translucent structure.
Winter and summer mode adjustments
IN winter period the plastic window should be buried as tightly as possible in order to reduce air exchange between the street and the room to a minimum. Nobody needs street cold in the house in winter. In summer, on the contrary, even when closed, it should provide some air circulation (micro-ventilation) so that the room does not become too stuffy due to the heat.
Seasonal adjustment of a home window by switching it to “summer” or “winter” mode is carried out using locking pins on the side of the opening sash. They can be fixed rectangular or roller (round with a notch on one side or oval).
Types of trunnions on plastic windows
Depending on the type, adjustment of this fitting is done by turning it manually, using pliers, a screwdriver or a hex wrench. Moreover, in some cases, before turning, the mechanism must be pulled towards you, and only then turned.
How to adjust window pressure
The window trunnion can be set in one of three positions:
- “WINTER” – with maximum pressure.
- “SUMMER” – with weak pressure.
- Neutral (standard).
In the first case, on the round pin the risk is turned towards the street, and the oval one is set horizontally. In the second, the risk is installed inward, and the oval stands vertically. The third option - the dash looks up, the oval is fixed at an angle.
Instead of a movable pin on the sash, some manufacturers of window blocks install a non-adjustable locking element in the shape of a rectangle. In this case, adjusting the plastic window is only possible by adjusting the screw on the strike plate.
Window adjustment for winter and summer periods
The main point of seasonal adjustment window sashes– the need to constantly transfer them from “summer” to “winter” and back. With strong “winter” pressure rubber seal shrinks, which is why it gradually begins to deteriorate. Often, owners of PVC windows are faced with the fact that after a few years this rubber band has to be changed. This happens precisely because the sash, according to the instructions of the window product manufacturer, is not converted to summer mode with a weakened pressure, and left as is after winter.
How to adjust the hinges of a plastic window?
In addition to seasonal adjustments to the degree of pressure, plastic windows are also adjusted by tightening/loosening the screws in the hinges that secure the sashes to the frame. There are two of them - one below, the second above. They differ in design, so they are pressed differently.
Options for plastic window mechanisms
Hinges on plastic windows have to be adjusted due to:
- initially poor, illiterate settings of the window unit during installation;
- natural wear of the seal;
- sloppy and rough closing of the doors;
- window structure shrinkage;
- wear of parts of the tilt and turn mechanism.
As a result of all this, the sash sags and does not close tightly or does not close at all. However, to return it to its place, you just need to tighten the hinges. Moreover, you can perform such a pull-up on our own. There is no need to call the experts from the company that installed the window. All you need to do is have a screwdriver and a hex key on hand. This is not repairing gasoline generators for the home or a submersible pump for dirty water; with window structures everything is much simpler.
Plastic window adjustment points
Upper
The top hinge is adjusted from the side using a hexagon when the sash is fully open. After turning the screw there clockwise, the window leaf moves away from the frame, and when tightened counter-clockwise, it is pressed so that there is less of a barrel on top.
For more fine tuning There is also another bolt on the top tilt and turn mechanism. But to get to it, you will have to press the blocker (set it strictly vertically) and turn the handle to the top ventilation (also in a vertical position). As a result, the sash on top should pull away from the frame, hanging on the lower hinge and opening full access to the top.
Adjustment top loop
It is important here not to over-tighten the adjustment bolts. There should be a small empty space between the sash and the frame, where, when closing the window, a tilt and turn device made of steel will be placed.
Lower
U bottom loop also two screws for adjustment. One of them is located on the side at the very bottom. He is responsible for horizontal adjustment - he presses the sash against the frame or pulls it away from it.
The second one is located directly in the rotary mechanism. To get to it, you need to remove the plastic cap from the loop. This screw allows you to adjust the opening window leaf vertically (height). Turning it clockwise makes it go up, counter-clockwise means it goes down.
Bottom Hinge Adjustment
Manipulations when independently tightening the hinges on a plastic window should be done extremely carefully and without applying excessive force. Do not immediately tighten or unscrew the adjusting screw all the way. It is better to turn it a quarter turn first and close the sash to check to see how smoothly it has become in the frame. And only then, if necessary, can you tighten the bolt further.
How to adjust the handle
The handle on the PVC window block is actually not adjustable in any way and does not affect the degree of pressing of the sash. It is not involved in adjusting the window, but is only a mechanism for attracting the opening leaf to the frame, as well as transferring the latter to the position for micro-ventilation and opening from above.
However, often the handle becomes loose or begins to jam. To tighten or replace it, you just need to get to a couple of bolts. They are located under a plastic trim located on the profile at the base of this window fitting. This plug needs to be slightly pulled back and turned, the fasteners are immediately accessible.
Arm adjustment
If the handle is difficult to turn or is stuck, then the problem usually lies not in it, but in the hinges and the upper folding mechanism. These window elements are directly related to each other. A wave may occur when the metal elements are rusty. Then the lever inside the profile will not allow the handle to turn. To get rid of this problem, you need to lubricate the hinges.
How to fix window problems
Problems with window blocks are very diverse. In some cases, it will be enough to do the simplest adjustment of a plastic window with your own hands by tightening the adjustment screws, but in others you will have to change broken fittings. Here, in many ways, as with heating - most often achieved comfortable temperatures in the room you can simply adjust the room thermostats for gas boilers. But in a number of situations it will be necessary to rebuild the existing heating system with the replacement of some of its elements.
With the onset of cold weather, the issue of home insulation becomes more relevant than ever. Windows are the first thing that needs to be insulated, and for this, as it turns out, there is no need to reinvent the wheel.
Did you know that there is such a thing as summer and winter mode of plastic windows? If not, then the editor “So Simple!” will tell you this small but very important secret!
How to switch plastic windows to winter mode
This little secret It also helps you save a lot of money in the winter. This is especially true in houses where there is no central heating, or at a time when it’s already cold outside, but they haven’t yet given heat to the houses. Yes and saving money there won't be any extra. And this secret is that the seasonal regime in plastic windows can be changed.
© DepositPhotos
Seasonal window mode is an extremely useful thing, because in summer time year, this option allows you to relieve pressure between outer part frames and rubber gasket, which allows air to circulate more freely. But in winter mode it works exactly the opposite - the pressure increases, the heat is retained inside.
© DepositPhotos
This is all good, but first you need to find out if your windows have the ability to change the seasonal mode. To do this, you need to look at the so-called eccentrics, in other words, the bolts on the side of the sash. If they have a hole for a hex key or they are oval-shaped, then these windows can be seasonally adjusted.
Overall the trick is extremely simple. You just need to turn the bolt to the right or left 90 degrees, depending on what mode you want to switch the windows to. Do all this carefully and carefully. First, find all the bolts on the sash; their number may vary depending on the size of the window or who the manufacturer is. You need to translate every eccentric, because otherwise you won’t get the result.
For change windowed mode you'll need suitable tool- screwdriver or hex key. Pliers can also work, but we do not recommend using them, as this can damage the fragile adjustment mechanism. It’s important to understand one thing here: you don’t need to turn the bolt all the way, it simply doesn’t have it. The bolt will scroll constantly, and you need to turn it exactly 90 degrees, guided by the mark.
© DepositPhotos
If you did everything right, window handle should move more tightly, because the fittings now press the sash harder. If this does not happen, something went wrong, check that you have found and turned all the bolts.
To check how hard the window is pressed, you will need a piece of paper. Press it with the flap and try to remove it. If the leaf comes out difficult, the window is switched to winter mode. Well done!
This video contains visual instructions How to switch windows to winter mode.
Plastic windows are a very convenient and practical thing, but they also require maintenance and adjustment. Now you know how to change the seasonal window mode, but that's not all. At least once a year you need to lubricate all moving parts window frame a small amount of oil. And also check how tightly the bolts are tightened. This check will take you a couple of hours, but the windows will always be like new.
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Winter and summer mode in plastic windows: switching methods, malfunctions and their elimination
The topic of this article is winter-summer mode in plastic windows. Together with the reader, we will understand why this function of window fittings is needed, what problems may arise when using it, and how to eliminate these problems. So, let's go.
What is it
Summer and winter modes on plastic windows differ in the pressing force of the sash and, accordingly, the maximum gap between the opening sash and the frame:
- In winter mode, the sash is pressed more tightly to the frame;
- In summer the gap is a couple of millimeters larger.
The pressing force is changed in the simplest and most obvious way - by turning the eccentric rollers, which are responsible for fixing the sash in the closed position.
Why is this necessary?
Remember physics? There is such a term - thermal expansion. It describes the behavior of almost any material when heated: the linear dimensions of an object made from it change upward.
Window profiles are no exception.
When cooled, the size of the object decreases accordingly. For those materials used in manufacturing modern windows, the coefficient of thermal expansion takes the following values:
A little, right? However, when heated to, say, 60 degrees, a modest five to six hundredths of a millimeter per meter will turn into 3 - 3.6 mm.
Thermal expansion - simple and clear.
In terms of standard thickness metal-plastic profile(60 mm) expansion when heated from winter -30 to summer +30 degrees will be about two tenths of a millimeter.
This seemingly small difference may well mean the presence or absence of a cold draft around the perimeter of the sash - a draft that will lead not only to understandable discomfort, but also to unjustifiably big losses heat. Which, for a moment, is what you pay for.
Excuse me, the surprised reader will say, but what about elastic rubber? Doesn't it compensate for the slight change in sash size?
Of course, it compensates. However, rubber tends to lose its elasticity over time. Over the course of several years, a constantly compressed rubber profile will acquire the shape and size of the gap between the frame and the sash.
Since the size of the gap changes following seasonal fluctuations in street temperature, after just a couple of years in winter it will begin to seep through the window. Simply because the seal, pressed by the profile that expanded in the summer heat, will no longer completely close the gap in winter. However, it is worth increasing the clearance between the profiles by warm time years - and the problem will be completely removed.
How to regulate
When installing hardware, its pressure rollers are usually in the neutral position.
How to translate plastic windows in winter mode with the onset of cold weather? You just need to rotate all the rollers 90 degrees - so that the larger radius of the oval roller is directed towards the sash.
The mark on the video in winter mode is directed towards the house, in summer mode - towards the street.
How to do this? The instructions depend on the type of fittings. There are two options:
- You can rotate the roller with your own hands, without tools. To do this, it is enough to pull it along the axis in the direction from the sash and rotate it to the desired position;
- The roller turns with some effort using a hex key.
A set of hexagons suitable for adjusting windows can be found in any bicycle or car shop.
How to switch windows to winter mode if you don’t have a hexagon on hand?
- Using a flat-head screwdriver, insert it into the groove of the roller;
Not all hardware kits have a slot for a screwdriver.
- With pliers. Under their lips you need to place a folded one several times thick fabric or thin rubber (for example, a piece of an old bicycle inner tube) so as not to wrinkle the surface of the roller.
How to switch plastic windows to summer mode when it gets warmer? In the same way, only for the summer, the roller is rotated with a long radius in the direction from the sash.
Special case
How to switch windows to summer mode if their sashes are equipped only with central locking, without pressure rollers?
The pressing force of the sash can be changed by adjusting the mating part of the lock. To do this, it is equipped with a pair of adjusting screws with hexagon heads located at the top and bottom of the movable bar.
Alas, the benefit of such an adjustment will be rather dubious. Deformation of the profile over time will inevitably lead to the appearance of cracks at the top and bottom of the sash. A window without pressure rollers will never close completely airtight.
Problems and solutions
What problems may arise when switching seasonal window mode?
- The roller does not turn.
You may be trying to rotate the roller without pulling it out of the lock slot. Try lifting the roller and turning it 90 degrees.
If this is not the problem, lubricate the roller with WD-40. The price of a small (100 ml) aerosol can of this lubricant is about 150 rubles. Thanks to the kerosene contained in WD-40, the lubricant can penetrate into any thread in a few minutes and allow it to move out of place.
- In the winter position the window continues to show through.
It looks like the window seal has served its purpose.
You can purchase a new seal from any company that sells plastic windows and deals with them. service. To replace it you need:
- Pull out the old seal from the grooves of the sash and frame;
- Trim it at the corners with a utility knife. In the corners the seal is welded to the profile;
- Insert a new seal around the perimeter and frame and press it into the groove until it stops with your hands or a dull steel spatula.
Replacing the seal has one subtlety. Absolute tightness of windows is not always useful: it often leads to the fact that the room completely ceases to be ventilated. To ensure air flow, frames are often equipped with supply valves, however, there is a simpler solution.
If you cut a couple of pieces of seal (bottom on the frame and top on the sash), you will ensure a constant limited inflow fresh air at no additional cost.
When purchasing plastic windows, always pay attention to whether the structure has a winter mode. Window installations from the Rehau company have been using such functions in production for a long time.
It is worth noting that not all windows can be switched to summer-autumn modes. This is typical for more expensive models, which have not only opening and closing functions. Rehau windows just belong to this category of these products.
What are modes for?
In winter, windows should perform the function of retaining heat in the room. This is very important, because not all models are resistant to strong temperature drops. In summer, it is important that dust and dirt from the street do not enter the room, and that there is also access to fresh air.
To find out if your window design such functions, you need to inspect it. There should be a hole on the side of the sash, it is located on the trunnion.
Windows must be switched to winter mode in the following cases:
- if air begins to flow through the window, or the window is not resistant to cold temperatures in normal mode;
- if the window density cannot keep air out;
- The room temperature has become too low.
Windows from the manufacturer Rehau are quite easy to switch to winter mode; you just need to follow the instructions. First, you need to completely clean the window of dirt, especially the fittings. Cleaning can be done using a special brush.
If the lubricant on structural parts is outdated, replace it. This will significantly speed up the process and help you adjust the mode as accurately as possible. Then, start adjusting the necessary flaps. Find all the necessary pins on it (their number depends on the size of the window).
In order for the seal to press correctly, it is necessary to move all the levers. It is worth carefully inspecting all the trunnions, as modes may be marked on them. To turn the trunnions, use a screwdriver and pliers, or a hexagon. Turn each lever as far as possible.
To check that the operations performed correctly, close the window. If the closing becomes tight, then the function is set. Try inserting a sheet of paper between the sash and frame. If the sheet was then pulled out without much effort, something was done incorrectly.
It is best to check the availability of modes immediately before purchasing windows. Then you will be advised on all issues and given a couple of tips on setting up functions.
Adjusting windows. Switching fittings to winter mode:
Modern window systems, contrary to the opinion of ordinary people, they require constant maintenance. Of course, they do not need to be sealed for the winter or painted every season as is the case with their wooden counterparts.
For full functioning, metal-plastic double-glazed windows need to be switched to a mode appropriate to the time of year. How to implement self-adjustment plastic windows for the winter? And how important is it to do this?
Seasonal Maintenance
The main feature of opening windows is that they do not have vents. For better ventilation of the room, the system provides rotary doors. During operation plastic double glazed windows it can be noticed that in winter time a draft appears. Don't panic - this is not a manufacturing defect, but simply the seasonal mode is set incorrectly. Switching plastic windows to winter and summer modes is a mandatory maintenance procedure.
The tilt and turn mechanism of the glass unit must be adjusted depending on the season of the year
During long-term use, drafts may also appear. This occurs due to the loosening of the hinge screws of the rotary-locking mechanisms. By independently adjusting the windows for the winter, you can easily save 3-7 thousand rubles on calling specialists.
Leak test
How to prepare plastic windows for winter? With the onset of cold weather, it is necessary to carry out a preventive inspection of the state of normal locking of the sashes in winter mode. Leak tightness can be checked in several ways:
- Tactile. By running your hand along the frame, you can determine the presence of serious drafts.
- Fire with a match or lighter. Deviation of the flame from the vertical indicates the presence of blowing.
- A sheet of paper. They leave him in the closed door and try to pull him out. If the leaf comes out easily, then the sash does not close tightly.
![](https://i2.wp.com/domzastroika.ru/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/regulirovka_plastikovyh_okon-2.jpg)
Having identified problem areas, we begin to regulate the system to optimal requirements.
Switching winter/summer modes
When installing double-glazed windows, installers set the initial neutral parameters for locking the sashes. All positions will be customized for optimal functionality. However, then it is necessary to adjust the settings - ideally twice a year.
Why is this necessary?
Seasonal adjustment is often forgotten, leaving the sash pressure in a neutral position. As with any violation of operating rules, consequences arise over time:
- drafts from under the sash even with correct installation adjustments;
- if the summer mode is set, then in winter this will not provide sufficient pressure on the locking mechanism, which will cause heat loss from the room;
- if you leave the winter position, then due to the constant strong pressure of the sash on the seal, the latter will quickly become unusable;
- in the absence of seasonal adjustment, the normal microclimate of the room is disrupted, including an increase in humidity levels (there is a risk of condensation and mold).
![](https://i2.wp.com/domzastroika.ru/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/regulirovka_plastikovyh_okon-3.jpg)
To do this, you need to correctly set the winter and summer modes of plastic windows in the sash settings.
Adjustment mechanisms
Before you begin changing the mode, you need to determine the locations where the adjustment devices are located. In most cases, the system provides for the presence of special mechanisms - trunnions, which, depending on their position, determine the degree of pressing of the sash required for the season.
They are on the ends metal-plastic window or doors. The number of such mechanisms may vary depending on the size and manufacturer of the glass unit (from two or more).
![](https://i0.wp.com/domzastroika.ru/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/raspolozhenie-zapfy.jpg)
The trunnions may differ in appearance, but they perform the same adjusting function.
![](https://i2.wp.com/domzastroika.ru/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/ekscentriki-vneshniy-vid.jpg)
At the edge of the eccentric there is a mark, which serves as an indicator of the desired mode. By default, it is set up - this is a neutral position, which needs to be changed in accordance with the season.
![](https://i1.wp.com/domzastroika.ru/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/regulirovka_plastikovyh_okon-4.jpg)
How to switch
The process itself is quite simple, you only need one tool - a simple hexagon (usually 4 mm), or less often an asterisk.
You need to set plastic windows to cold season mode before the onset of frost, when the temperature is still plus 5–10°.
Open the glass unit and inspect the ends. Usually there is one eccentric on the side, the second on top.
![](https://i2.wp.com/domzastroika.ru/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/regulirovka_plastikovyh_okon-7.jpg)
Most likely, the regimes will be in a neutral position, and the risks will point upward. Having picked up the right tool, change the position of the marker.
To set a plastic window for the winter, turn the notch on the regulator towards the outside of the room. With the onset of the warm season, the position of the marker should be moved by the mark inside the room. Accordingly, if there are several such regulators, then the modes are transferred by turning all available eccentrics to one position.
You need to constantly switch modes according to the season - this is what will ensure normal functionality, balance of ventilation and sufficient energy saving in your home.
What other adjustment methods are there?
If, when checking for tightness of the locking cold air still penetrates from above or below the sash, then most likely the problem is in incorrect alignment of the sash geometry.
The figure shows the main points where adjustments to the fittings may be required. The window design provides several adjustment options:
- horizontal and vertical shift;
- setting the position of the lower corner;
- degree of pressing against the frame.
![](https://i1.wp.com/domzastroika.ru/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/tochki-regulirovki.jpg)
How are optimal modes set?
Setting the vertical position
This is done by adjusting the bottom loop. Remove the protective cover. There are two adjustment points here - horizontal and vertical. To raise or lower the sash, adjust the screw located on top of the hinge. To raise it, turn it clockwise, and vice versa if you need to lower the height.
![](https://i1.wp.com/domzastroika.ru/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/regulirovka-po-vysote.jpg)
Horizontal adjustment
To perform this operation, both loops must be configured.
There is a second screw on the side of the lower canopy, designed to change the horizontal position. When it is turned from left to right, the sash moves towards the hinge, and vice versa when turning it back.
![](https://i2.wp.com/domzastroika.ru/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/regulirovka-plastikovih-okon-7.jpg)
Drafts can also form through the upper corner of the window that cannot be locked. To do this, set the pressure on the upper hinge, the adjustment screw of which is located on the side. We twist it and achieve the desired result - evenness and tight fit.
![](https://i1.wp.com/domzastroika.ru/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/regulirovka_plastikovyh_okon-12.jpg)
When changing the horizontal position, it is necessary to leave a gap of several millimeters between the hinge and the sash. Otherwise, if you tighten it too tightly, the ventilation mode will not work.
Changing the degree of pressing of the sash
The clamping mechanism is another device in the form of a plate located on the frame. It is designed to prevent burglary by pressing the sash from the street side.
![](https://i2.wp.com/domzastroika.ru/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/regulirovka_plastikovyh_okon-11.jpg)
When turned clockwise, a tongue extends, which will contribute to a tighter closure.
Adjusting the top corner fit
For pressing top corner There is another adjustment screw between the windows and the frame. To get to it, you need to open the window in two directions at once. To do this, press the lock on the end of the sash, as shown in the picture.
![](https://i2.wp.com/domzastroika.ru/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/regulirovka_plastikovyh_okon-13.jpg)
Pull it all the way, turn the handle to ventilate, and then pull the top edge of the sash towards you. Access to the clamping mechanism is open. One of the plates has space for a hexagon. By turning it, you can adjust the tightness of the upper corner of the sash.
These are the main problems that can appear over a long period of operation, when the operation of the system gradually weakens the initially set modes. But immediately after installation, all these settings are regulated by the installers themselves from the supplier company - they are obliged to ensure correct work systems.
Of course, if you have no experience or it is not clear how to make the adjustment yourself, it is best to contact an installer. They will send their specialist who will do everything necessary procedures, placing the shutters in the desired position.
If the adjustments don't work
A situation may arise when the sashes are adjusted correctly, plastic windows are converted to desired mode season and all the mechanisms close well, but problems still arise:
- draft;
- condensate;
- freezing.
Such nuances can arise in several cases:
- Defective windows. This happens quite rarely and only when ordering from dubious companies.
- Incorrect installation. At installation work must be respected the right technology: maintaining the gaps between the frame and the opening, high-quality fastening and mandatory sealing with construction foam.
- There is no finishing on the slopes. Polyurethane foam without protection, it quickly deteriorates under the influence of ultraviolet radiation and moisture.
- Seal wear. Possible due to prolonged or improper use of double-glazed windows.
When a malfunction is identified, it is eliminated. The windows should now function correctly and provide a sufficient seal.