Spring Winds and Casement Windows

Yay! Here comes spring! Boo! Here comes the wind. Albuquerque’s weather can be very hard to predict except for one thing. You can bet the farm that the winds will blow this spring. The wind can cause un-repairable damage to many types of windows, especially casement windows. It’s so nice to open the windows after the long winter, but beware!! A medium size gust of spring wind can rip an opened casement sash right off its hinges. Most times when this occurs, whether it’s vinyl or wood, you’re looking at a new window, stucco repair and everything that goes along with window replacement. New windows are a great home improvement when you plan for them. When it’s because of a gust of wind…..not so much. The wind also brings a lot of dust that causes havoc with all types and qualities of operating windows. All operating windows have drainage (weep) holes. Dirt and dust builds up to the point of clogging these openings. This causes water, which normally drains out, to spill on to the window sill or inside the wall. This is a maintenance issue that should be on your spring cleaning list to inspect. Using a paint brush and a shop vacuum to tackle this problem also gets dust that has found its way into rollers, locks and other operable parts. It is a relatively easy job to prevent un-necessary damage.   Have a happy spring!]]>