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Repairing 1970s sliding aluminium window
m_13
Posts: 990 Forumite
We live in a flat with sliding aluminium windows. The block is from the 1970s and is in a conservation area. We're not allowed to change the appearance of the windows.
All of the rooms have secondary glazing apart from bed 2, the kitchen and the bathroom. In the kitchen we have a problem which needs fixing before it can be secondary glazed.
Each sliding panel is made up of an aluminium frame in four pieces, like a picture frame. The corners are mitred. On the exposed edge there is a thumb turn lock which pushes it closed as it turns and then locks it. To open the window you turn the lock to release the window and then push from the right. To close the window you push along the track and then close the lock.
The side piece of the frame has come off in the kitchen and the screws are missing which fasten it together. Too many people have tried to open the wedged window by pulling on the left hand side instead of pushing on the right. We've tried putting in new screws but there doesn't seem to be anything inside to fasten them into. There are two strips of metal inside with a gap inbetween and our caretaker has suggested we use a self tapping screw to cut into these and make the screw catch. We're loathe to take apart another window to see whether there are pieces missing!
My current idea is to somehow fix a nut inside on the other side of these pieces of metal so the screw will have something to catch to.
I'm in Warwickshire and there don't seem to be any companies who specialise in metal window repair. The secondary glazing companies seemed to think we could just leave it open and use the secondary window but I'd rather not have the inside of the secondary glazing exposed to the rain.
Unfortunately the windows don't have any markings on them so I don't know who made them.
New windows are going to be so expensive and we've just had the kitchen rewired and plastered (hasn't even got the kitchen in yet). Can anybody offer any help?
All of the rooms have secondary glazing apart from bed 2, the kitchen and the bathroom. In the kitchen we have a problem which needs fixing before it can be secondary glazed.
Each sliding panel is made up of an aluminium frame in four pieces, like a picture frame. The corners are mitred. On the exposed edge there is a thumb turn lock which pushes it closed as it turns and then locks it. To open the window you turn the lock to release the window and then push from the right. To close the window you push along the track and then close the lock.
The side piece of the frame has come off in the kitchen and the screws are missing which fasten it together. Too many people have tried to open the wedged window by pulling on the left hand side instead of pushing on the right. We've tried putting in new screws but there doesn't seem to be anything inside to fasten them into. There are two strips of metal inside with a gap inbetween and our caretaker has suggested we use a self tapping screw to cut into these and make the screw catch. We're loathe to take apart another window to see whether there are pieces missing!
My current idea is to somehow fix a nut inside on the other side of these pieces of metal so the screw will have something to catch to.
I'm in Warwickshire and there don't seem to be any companies who specialise in metal window repair. The secondary glazing companies seemed to think we could just leave it open and use the secondary window but I'd rather not have the inside of the secondary glazing exposed to the rain.
Unfortunately the windows don't have any markings on them so I don't know who made them.
New windows are going to be so expensive and we've just had the kitchen rewired and plastered (hasn't even got the kitchen in yet). Can anybody offer any help?
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