The maintenance question comes up at every survey, usually from someone remembering a childhood of scraping and repainting. Modern timber has moved on. Here is what winter care looks like now.
What your windows already have
Every frame we make leaves the workshop treated with waterproof sealants, strengthened with LVL laminates and finished with protective coatings. That system is the reason finishes need attention only every 5 to 10 years rather than every spring. Alu-clad frames go further: the aluminium shell outside takes the weather, so external upkeep drops to virtually none.
The checks worth doing each autumn
Wipe the frames down and look at the finish while you do it. You are looking for chips or cracks where water could reach bare wood; a small touch-up now prevents a bigger job later. Check that opening lights close firmly against their seals. Clear leaves from sills and drainage channels so water runs off the way the frame was designed to shed it.
Condensation, and what it tells you
Water on the inside of single glazing means the glass is cold and your heat is leaving through it. Modern double, triple, Slimlite or vacuum glazing keeps the inner pane warm, which is why upgrading the windows usually retires the morning towel routine. Timber helps here too, since the frame itself resists heat loss.
When a window is past caring for
Frames that have gone soft, sashes that no longer meet their seals, glazing you can feel the cold pouring off: at some point maintenance becomes preservation of a problem. A survey costs nothing and tells you honestly which side of that line your windows sit on.
One phone call before the frost
Call 0800 061 4118 or use the form below. We come to you, anywhere we cover, and the quotation is free.