Sometimes It Is Necessary
The dirt, noise and dust are among the most common concerns of homeowners before a reconstruction of the windows and the window sills. You should always consider well, whether they are worth to repair or whether the window frames and sills should be replaced instead.
However, when you do not have plenty of cash, you have to opt for a reconstruction. It will save some of the heat leaks at least. And you need not to worry about the piles of junk.
The Correct Procedure
Likewise before the classic window replacement, it is necessary to free as much space around the windows as possible, so that you (or the contract workers) could handle the window panes safely. Get all the tools and utensils ready: the sealants, the spare parts of the frames, the spatulas and the silicones.
If you want to eliminate the amount of the dust and clutter, use a large foil to cover the furniture. The repair of the windows in an apartment does not usually take more than a few days. If you hire a company, the work will be done much faster. Anyway, you should wait for a warm and dry weather, so that the rain did not get into your apartment during the reconstruction.
The Window Frames
After you take them out, the old frames of the window panes must be burned with a heat gun to remove the old paint first. The parts of the frames damaged by weather and time should be completely replaced. Put the window panes back into the repaired frames and fill all joints with a quality sealant. The whole window frames should be cleared from the old paint as they need to be repaired, too.
Experts recommend replacing the outer side of the frame with new parts, so that the window could fulfil its purpose for further years and could withstand the rain, humidity, snow, frost and wind. The paint (the finish) must be applied several times and it is important not to save on quality paint. It prevents the damage of the wood when the weather fluctuates and it gives a new and modern look to the window.
During a reconstruction of the windows in a block of flats, it is good to replace the outer window sills completely. As they are usually several decades old, the rain water certainly leaks beneath them or maybe a wasp nest has created there. This work must be done carefully, as you work over an open space. There is a danger not only of your fall, but also a fall of the tools, the window sill or a piece of the plaster down to the sidewalk, where it can cause an injury. That is why it is necessary to secure the space beneath the windows so that there were as few people moving as possible.
Place the new window sill on a well repaired and patched area. You do not need to make a new plaster, use just a little sealant to prevent the water leakage under the window sill and into the dwelling.
During the reconstruction of the windows, it is also advisable to check the functionality of the blinds and have them repaired possibly, as it does not make sense to have a repaired window with faulty blinds. You can use various foams instead of the sealants. Do not forget that even a repaired and sealed window frame needs to “breathe”. Otherwise you would risk the creation of mould in the humid parts of the apartment.
