Maintenance

  • Hardware Maintenance

    To ensure its functionality, the following maintenance operations must be carried out at least once a year.

    The IDEA window is supplied with Siegenia.

    The following are the operations needed to ensure the correct functioning of the window:

    • Lubricate or oil all moving parts and locking points.
    • Use only grease or oils free of acids and resins.
    • Check the fastening and usury of important parts for safety. If necessary, lock up the screws and/or replace the worn parts.
    • In the event that these fasteners in your window are not fitted with covers, check in particular whether the upper pin has been inserted from the bottom up to the stop spring.
    • For the cleaning of the window use only non-aggressive detergents, with a neutral pH, in a diluted form. You shouldn’t use aggressive or abrasive acid-containing detergents, as they may affect the anticorrosive protection of hardware.

    In addition, for the preservation of the finish we recommend the following preventive actions:

    • After cleaning, treat the hardware surface with an oil free of silicones and acids, for example sewing machine oil.

    Attention! The following operations must be done only by manufacturers:

    • Replacement of hardware parts (assembly and disassembly of doors).
    • All hardware registration operations.

    In case you want to paint or treat the window, do not paint the hardware.

  • Varnishes maintenance

    There are four maintenance operations to be carried out to a painted wooden artifact.

    Cleaning

    This is a very important operation. It has to be done by cleaning the outer surfaces of the wooden elements every 6 months or at least once a year, using EM 10071 NEUTRAL DETERGENT FROM EGIDIO MILESI PAINTS. Avoid the use of products containing alcohol and ammonia that would damage the surface. The duration of the painted film increased when performing the periodic refreshment.

    Periodic refreshment

    It’s an intervention that leads to a considerable increase in the paint life and postpones the restoration. It’s an operation that needs to be performed every 12 months and that allows you to keep the fixtures as if they were new.
    After having carefully cleaned the window (see cleaning) the product EM 2400 AQUATOP has to be applied with a rag, a cutting-edge product in the sector, which restores splendour to the frame bringing the film back to its original state. It is recommended to use both transparent and lacquered finishes. AQUATOP should be applied with a soft cloth. It dries quickly without leaving stains and unpleasant smells. Used on lacquered surfaces, it prevents the release of color by the painted film.
    Only by doing these interventions it will not be necessary to resort to more radical interventions such as restoration. It is therefore recommended to perform periodic cleaning and refreshments.

    Restoration

    It has to be carried out when the varnish has become rough to the touch and has lost its consistency and brilliance.

    Procedure:

    • Clean the surfaces with EM 10071 or with neutral soap and water.
    • Sand the surfaces with 280 grit abrasive paper without insisting too much on the edges not to remove the color. The surface will be opaque and uniform.
    • Clean up the dust.
    • Apply IWT 2811 AQUATOP brush in larch or walnut shades IWT 2812 depending on the initial degree of coloring of the window. After three hours the paint will be dry to the touch and after 24 hours it will be completely dry.

    Avoid painting in the sun and below 10 ºC. Do not apply paint on rubber seals. Subsequently operate annually with periodic refreshments.

    Renovation

    It needs to be done when the paint has become very opaque and has cracks.

    Procedure:

    • Sand soiled surfaces with abrasive paper. Remove all the peeled surfaces and paint parts that do not have a perfect anchor.
    • Apply water or solvent impregnation on the parts where you have arrived to wood, always choose a shade slightly lighter than the existing one, as the wood, ruined by UV rays and bad weather, has a greater absorption leading to the risk of excessive darkening of the window. Do not apply the impregnation on the parts of paint still present on the artifact, it would affect the adhesion of the successive layers of water paint.
    • After drying, apply a coat of TWE 295 AQUALOID, in order to create a small bottom layer. Wait at least 4 hours then sand the whole window and remove the dust.
    • Apply the second coat of TWE 295, wait another 4 hours.
    • Apply the third coat of TWE 295. After 24 hours you can reassemble the frames.

    Avoid painting in full sun and below 10ºC. Do not apply paint on rubber seals. Subsequently, operate annually with periodic refreshments.