Use and Care Manual

M
a I n t a I n I n g Yo u r WI n d o W s a n d Pa t I o do o r s
(c o n t I n u e d )
5
HaRdwaRe
Climate, location, and exposure to corrosive environments and elements
such as industrial areas, pesticides, herbicides, or salts are challenges
to your ability to maintain the hardware’s beauty and characteristics.
Simple routine maintenance will help extend the life of your window
and door hardware.
DO NOT use or apply harsh chemicals, abrasives and/or cleaners.
Product damage could occur.
Wash hardware using a mild detergent and water solution with a soft
cloth. Avoid abrasive cleaners, cloths, or brushes.
coRRosion-Resistant HaRdwaRe
Andersen offers hardware for 100 Series casement and awning
windows that is specially designed to resist corrosion
*
in environments
such as seacoasts and heavy-industrial areas. If you are interested in
this option, contact your Andersen dealer for information.
undeRstandinG condensation
The moisture that suddenly appears on the interior or exterior of
window and patio door glass in cold weather can block the view, drip
on the floor, or freeze on the glass. It can be an annoying problem.
While it may seem natural to blame the windows or doors, interior
condensation is really an indication of excess humidity in the home.
Exterior condensation, on the other hand, is a form of dew – the glass
simply provides a surface on which the moisture can condense.
What are some ways to control window condensation? Reduce
the indoor relative humidity in living areas, attics, and crawl spaces.
The following are a few general suggestions:
• Reducetheamountofmoistureyouputintotheair.Thiscanbe
accomplishedbyrecognizingthemanysourcesofmoistureinthe
air – from cooking to heating to plants and other items.
• Ventclothesdryers,allgasappliances,andexhaustfanstothe
outside. In most climates you should also ventilate your attic and
crawl space to the outside. If you have a crawl space, it is very
important to completely cover the earth with an effective vapor
barrier. If you run a humidifier, you may need to turn it down or off.
• Drapesandotherwindowcoveringscancontributetoacondensation
problem by restricting the flow of warm room air over the glass
surface. Therefore, indoor condensation is more apt to occur when
the drapes are closed or the shades are pulled down.
* See the limited warranty for details.