Are You Troubled With Old Aluminium Windows?
- By John Schofield
- Published 12/29/2011
- Home Management
- Unrated
If you are about to install new vinyl replacement windows, then you must be wondering how you could remove the aluminium window panels. This article will aim to get rid of the confusion, as well as the aluminium panels, so that you can enjoy the beauty of your brand new vinyl ones.
Horizontal sliding windows
This is a very common one, and many houses have this kind of window compared to any other type. A window like this will have a stationary panel and another panel that is allowed to slide side to side; you will have to remove this sliding panel first. You can do this by opening the panel and then by simple grabbing both sides of the panel, you need to lift it up away from the track and then swing it out of the frame. This should be relatively easy, is not so, then that is just bad luck. Most sliding windows have built-in rollers on both the top and the bottom to allow movement on either side. The set of rollers on the bottom that matter, here, because the rollers on the top are simply spares that become useful only when the bottom ones are ruined. In normal circumstance, you should be able to lift the panel easily but if you cannot, then you should look for some screw on the top of each rail to loosen them. Once you have done this, you should be allowed to take panels out quite easily.
Another problem encountered with this type of window come with the rubber piece that is situated at the top track. This has the same effect as the top rollers, to prevent you fr
om lifting the panel from the track. If you try to lift the panel and it would not budge and you are sure that it is not a problem with the rollers, you will have to locate that annoying rubber piece, usually found at the centre where both the sliding and fixed panels meet.
Once you have the sliding panel out, you can simply pull out the screen, and then proceed on to remove the fixed one. Most fixed panels come with a centre vertical bar that holds the locking mechanism of the window. You will need to look for the screws that keep this panel in place, perhaps on the outside top or bottom, or the side channel where the screen used to be. After locating the screws, you need to take the centre bar off and then with a screw driver and hammer, you need to tap this centre bar at the bottom to free the fixed panel. After which, you can just simply lift it up and twist it out, just like what you did with the sliding one. If it seems stuck and would not slide open, you can pry in a screw driver into the side channel to fix it.
Do you still remember the centre bar? If you were unable to remove it, then that means that the fixed glass does not have a frame and instead is glazed with either caulk, silicone or double foam tape. You can just simply take the glass out, cut the centre bar and then screw out the “stops” that are supposed to keep the glass in place. Finally, from the inside you can cut the adhesive and with gloves you will have to carefully put your hand through the glass and frame and let it fall on the opposite side. Once the glass has been put out, you can cut the bottom part of the centre bar.
Horizontal sliding windows
This is a very common one, and many houses have this kind of window compared to any other type. A window like this will have a stationary panel and another panel that is allowed to slide side to side; you will have to remove this sliding panel first. You can do this by opening the panel and then by simple grabbing both sides of the panel, you need to lift it up away from the track and then swing it out of the frame. This should be relatively easy, is not so, then that is just bad luck. Most sliding windows have built-in rollers on both the top and the bottom to allow movement on either side. The set of rollers on the bottom that matter, here, because the rollers on the top are simply spares that become useful only when the bottom ones are ruined. In normal circumstance, you should be able to lift the panel easily but if you cannot, then you should look for some screw on the top of each rail to loosen them. Once you have done this, you should be allowed to take panels out quite easily.
Another problem encountered with this type of window come with the rubber piece that is situated at the top track. This has the same effect as the top rollers, to prevent you fr
Once you have the sliding panel out, you can simply pull out the screen, and then proceed on to remove the fixed one. Most fixed panels come with a centre vertical bar that holds the locking mechanism of the window. You will need to look for the screws that keep this panel in place, perhaps on the outside top or bottom, or the side channel where the screen used to be. After locating the screws, you need to take the centre bar off and then with a screw driver and hammer, you need to tap this centre bar at the bottom to free the fixed panel. After which, you can just simply lift it up and twist it out, just like what you did with the sliding one. If it seems stuck and would not slide open, you can pry in a screw driver into the side channel to fix it.
Do you still remember the centre bar? If you were unable to remove it, then that means that the fixed glass does not have a frame and instead is glazed with either caulk, silicone or double foam tape. You can just simply take the glass out, cut the centre bar and then screw out the “stops” that are supposed to keep the glass in place. Finally, from the inside you can cut the adhesive and with gloves you will have to carefully put your hand through the glass and frame and let it fall on the opposite side. Once the glass has been put out, you can cut the bottom part of the centre bar.
