Converting plastic windows to winter and summer modes. Step by step (20 photos + video)

In the 21st century, people began to install plastic windows instead of wooden ones and replaced them in almost every home. But not all users are aware that by setting up different modes, they can expand the scope of use and improve the quality of life. For example, summer allows you to ventilate the room. If you open the window completely, dust and dirt from the street enter the room. In winter, due to the ability to adjust modes, we save on heating and keep the room warm. How to switch from one mode to another? How do we know if our plastic windows support this feature? Today we will study all types, learn how to effectively use this opportunity and learn about the rules when adjusting modes.

What are the types of plastic windows?

Winter . When it’s -40 degrees outside, we try to maintain a warm temperature in the house for a long time. Using the regulation, we press the sash tightly against the frame, which creates conditions under which heat remains in the house.
Summer. In hot weather, we try to get as much coolness as possible. For example, due to the lack of air, we open the windows completely; at this moment, midges, dust, and dirt enter the room along with freshness. Therefore, in order to ventilate the room, small gaps are left.
Standard.

Why do windows switch to winter and summer mode?

By adjusting the window mode, we can achieve the required level of window frame pressure. It is recommended to convert windows from plastic for the following three reasons:

When opening or closing, the window sash freezes. For example, if the window jams while airing the room, then the culprit may be a mode that was set incorrectly. Such problems happen often and sometimes users may not even know what the reason is.
In December the apartment is cool, you can feel the wind blowing. Sometimes, despite the fact that the heating is on, the inside of the room does not become warmer. Perhaps the summer mode is now set to avoid ventilation of the room, it is worth replacing with a winter one.
Hanging window sash. Replacing the mode or accessories will help improve the situation.

How do you know if plastic windows have the ability to adjust modes?

Interesting fact: not all window users are aware of the existence of such a function as switching and adjusting modes, because often during installation a person does not receive the necessary information. But it’s easy to determine whether such an opportunity exists for your windows. To do this, you need to look at the window, find the trunnion or eccentric. This is a hardware part that allows you to adjust the level of pressure.

The hardware piece, which resembles a bolt, has a so-called “head”. It exists in two types: round and oval. If the shape is oval, then it immediately indicates the possibility of adjustments. If the shape is round, then the hexagon sign also indicates the possibility of transfers.

A lot depends on what kind of fittings you have. By comparing the types of parts, we determine whether plastic windows have this function or not. Mainly divided into three categories :

Budget accessories . These parts are sold at the lowest prices; they are responsible only for making the window open and close.
Standard fittings . The kit includes special anti-burglary parts that help prepare plastic windows for a specific season.
Professional fittings. This is the best choice that contains all possible parts to switch between modes.

Troubleshooting door opening problems

Incorrect adjustment of the frame pressure can lead to problems associated with opening and closing the door leaf of the balcony unit.
Frame distortion and bracket displacement can also contribute to the occurrence of this problem. Therefore, many are interested in how to adjust plastic balcony doors in this case on their own without calling a specialist. Dealing with this problem is very simple. The bracket needs to be tightened and adjusted. When opening and closing, a metal-plastic door may creak. The reason for this may be not only friction of the door frame against the frame, but also contamination of the hinges and fittings. In the first case, it is necessary to adjust the position of the frame relative to the box, in the second, lubricate the rubbing elements of the hinges.

Is it possible to determine which mode is currently set?

For the first method, you need to take a standard A4 piece of paper, place it between the sash and the frame, and close the window. Next, try to get the sheet out of the closed window. Let's consider the cases: either it breaks and cannot be pulled out at all, or it can be pulled out without much effort. In the first case, we conclude that it is in winter mode, in the second, the opposite is true.
To determine using the second method, a trunnion will help us. On it is a hat with an icon that can be in the form of stars, dots and strokes. Then you need to target the icon itself. If it is directed towards the room, then this means winter mode, in the opposite direction - summer mode.

Main types of clamping systems

There are four types of designs that allow you to change the pressing force of a plastic door to the seal:

rotating eccentrics of locking pins;
hidden hinges (pressing mechanism on the hinge side);
offset of the strike plate;
hinges with adjustable pressure.

Most modern manufacturers combine the first two schemes. The use of hidden hinges eliminates the need for clamping pins on the rear end of the door. This significantly simplifies the kinematics of the locking mechanism, making it more reliable and durable. Displacement of strikers and main hinges works on the same principle, but is technologically more complex, and therefore occurs much less frequently.

Winterization Tips

Step-by-step instructions: how to properly prepare for winter

In order to carry out a quality transfer from summer to summer, you need to carefully prepare. The first step is to do some general cleaning. We will need the following tools:

To effectively clean a window, sill, frame, you need to use a mop.
Products for cleaning accessories and washing glass.
Paper towels and napkins.
Silicone Grease.
Hard brush.

Important! If you regularly wash your windows and keep them clean, then in the fall and spring before changing the regime you will not have to spend a lot of time on general cleaning.

After general cleaning, we proceed to the main process:

To switch windows to winter mode, a hexagon will come to the rescue.
Once you open the window, you will find a pin. Often the image on it is directed upward, which means that the average mode is now set. In summer, the notch faces the street, and in winter it is directed into the room.
If you have a key, it will be much easier to use. Insert it into the hole and turn it clockwise. If there is no key, then grab the head of the trunnion with pliers and move it to the rigid clamp position. Then you need to insert the hexagon into the central hole and turn it 90 degrees towards the seal.

Important! Many plastic windows have more than one pin. In most cases, the number does not exceed three. To ensure it doesn’t get blown out in winter, you need to change the mode on all existing trunnions.

As soon as you are done with changing the mode, you need to lubricate the seal.
At the end, you need to check whether the switch to winter mode was carried out correctly.

List of necessary tools, tricky techniques

Before starting work, it is worth determining the type of trunnions and choosing the appropriate tool. The necessary list can be found in every man’s locker:

a set of screwdrivers with straight and Phillips slots;
a set of hexagons (usually a “four” wrench is required);
pliers with thin jaws.

To carry out the necessary work, the door should also be inspected. Trunnions can be located along the entire perimeter, including the lower and upper plane. When performing work, you may need a small stepladder and a hand mirror to examine the lower plane.

Another helpful tip is to use electrical tape to mark the cams. All trunnions can be marked on the outer surface of the door. After turning the cam, the electrical tape must be removed - this will make it clear where the bolt has been released and where it has not yet been released. A missing cam is an extra bridge of cold, which means an unpleasant draft and loss of heat.

You can check the switch to winter mode in the following ways:

The most common method is using a piece of paper, which was discussed above. This is the most common and popular verification option.
There are no squeaks or other extraneous sounds.
The window seal is the same thickness everywhere.
All bolts are screwed in the same way.
You can freely open and close the window without any difficulty, nothing interferes with the opening of the sashes.

If a plastic window is blowing, this is due to the following reasons:

Poor glass compression. In cold weather the material will shrink, and in winter this phenomenon will be more pronounced because the glass will fly out of the beads. If replacement is necessary, it is better to contact a specialist.
Incorrect selection of accessories. If the thickness of the seal is not uniform, there will be gaps for air to enter.
Poor quality profiles can cause cracks.
The frame was installed incorrectly, so after a while the windows began to not close properly.
Air passes through the joints of the frame. These slots must be covered with liquid plastic.

Important! Experts do not recommend applying maximum pressure if the window is new. In order not to pinch the sealing rubber, set it closer to the maximum. If you press too hard, it will need to be replaced after a while.

Features of restoration and replacement of seals (rubber bands)

Unfortunately, over time, all elements of a plastic window fail, and in particular the elastic polymer seals. The cause of this problem is pollution, dampness, and lack of regular lubrication.

If the elastic bands are no more than four to five years old, then you can try to revive them. To do this, you will need to dismantle the seals, then take a few rags and thoroughly soap them. Products are wrapped in these rags and left in this form for several hours. Sometimes such an experiment allows one to achieve stunning results, so it is allowed to be carried out for the purpose of “prevention”.

The need to replace sealing strips arises in the following cases:

loss of color;
the appearance of “bumps” on the surface;
multiple cracks.

A seal with multiple damages cannot be repaired.

In this case, all that remains is to purchase a new seal - usually its thickness is from 3 to 6.5 millimeters. Most often, manufacturers guarantee a service life of up to 10 years, but in practice the rubber dries out much earlier.

Note! A high-quality seal should not become an obstacle to the circulation of oxygen, so you need to look at its composition - it must be breathable.

Prices for seals for plastic windows

Sealant for plastic windows

Video - Replacing the seal

How to switch plastic windows to summer mode?

With the arrival of summer days, the hot period, for good living conditions, we switch plastic windows to summer mode. For example, in winter we need to get tight pressure, but in summer, on the contrary, we constantly need fresh, cool air, so we achieve less tight pressure.

The process of switching windows to summer mode is easy and simple and does not require special skills. It is necessary to find all the eccentrics that need to be switched. Most of them have only three: two at the top and bottom, the third near the handle. To turn, we use a hex wrench or pliers.

Now let’s check: if the window doesn’t fit tightly when closing, it means everything has been done efficiently and there will be air flow into the room.

What are the rules when switching windows to winter and summer mode?

It is not recommended to switch modes immediately after installing plastic windows. For some time, even without switching between summer and winter modes, they will work normally.
The transition between modes is necessary in autumn and spring. Considering that summer lasts much longer than winter.
It is not advisable to set the winter mode in the summer, because it will be pointless: firstly, it will be very stuffy and hot, and secondly, due to the compaction of the valves, the materials will have to be replaced soon.

Important! Considering that such a good opportunity is provided to users of plastic windows, it needs to be properly assessed and used. Firstly, with the help of regulation we can get rid of heat loss in winter and live in more comfortable conditions. After you change the mode in winter, the windows will no longer blow through. Secondly, due to frequent adjustments, the seal wears out and deteriorates due to frequent transfers. Therefore, depending on the user's personal preferences, the user decides whether to switch the window to winter or summer mode.

Adjusting the pressure on the hinge side

The so-called “hidden hinges” do not relieve the load on the main hinges when the door is open. Their main function is to ensure that the rear side of the door is pressed against the seal. The adjustment mechanism of the unit is located on the box. Interacting with the door response, the beveled tongue squeezes the leaf in the direction of the seal. By rotating the adjusting bolt located in the recess with a hex key, the tongue can be pulled out or retracted inward.

The greater the reach, the more intense the door pressure will be.

Changing the pressure due to the main loops is very rare. The hinge base is offset using an eccentric or an adjusting screw perpendicular to the plane of the door frame. Regardless of the scheme used, the result is assessed in a similar way to adjusting the trunnions - by placing paper and trying to ensure the same pressure as the opposite part of the door.