AAMA Offers Window Cleaning Tips

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Window, Door, Skylight Care Brochure covers proper maintenance: Published by AAMA, "Caring for Your Windows, Doors and Skylights" provides tips for proper cleaning as well as information to help ensure fenestration products perform as intended. Publication covers glass care, frame cleaning, and hardware/component care in addition to drainage system design, condensation/moisture considerations, and finish color retention. Manufacturers can personalize this 6-panel, fold-out brochure with their logo and contact information for distribution.

Regular care and maintenance extends the lifespan and performance of windows, doors and skylights. The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) offers a newly-published, educational brochure with tips for proper cleaning and information to help ensure that products perform as intended.

"Caring for Your Windows, Doors and Skylights" presents a comprehensive overview of:

• Glass care
• Frame cleaning
• Hardware and component care
• Drainage system design
• Condensation and moisture considerations
• Finish color retention
• Plastic glazing for skylights

"Customers may have questions about how to care for the windows, doors or skylights," notes Kathy Krafka Harkema, corporate public relations manager at Pella Corporation. "AAMA is dedicated to providing helpful answers. That's why the members of AAMA have created a new consumer-friendly brochure filled with helpful tips for how to maintain fenestration products. From cleaning glass to caring for frames and more, consumers will learn more about what to do to care for their fenestration products."

Kim Flanary, director of manufacturing engineering for Milgard Manufacturing, Inc., agrees, "The advantage of this third-party approach is the homeowner or builder can be assured that there is not a single manufacturer's bias; AAMA consensus approach to standards development ensures that all opinions - from the manufacturers, suppliers, builders, etc. - are considered in the final document. This information lets the homeowner or builder knows we, as manufacturers, will stand behind this information."

Manufacturers can personalize the brochure with their logo and contact information to remind customers of these helpful hints, and of the helpful source that wants their products to perform well and have a long lifespan. Custom-imprinted brochures can be shared with end-users, sales staff, distributors and retail outlets. Some manufacturers include a copy with each shipment.

The professionally-designed, six-panel, fold-out brochure is intended to help homeowners, building owners, property managers and all who are responsible for maintaining and cleaning windows, doors and skylights. "Regardless of framing material, operator type or size, all of these projects must be cared for properly to increase their service life, performance and operation," Rich Walker, AAMA's president and CEO.

Some states also require that manufacturers provide written care and maintenance instructions. "Caring for Your Windows, Doors and Skylights" may assist with this compliance, and ultimately, in promoting better-informed customers. Walker adds, "The brochures communicate industry-wide truths without being brand specific. This neutral, third-party approach removes the potential, negative connotation that could be incorrectly made about an individual manufacturer who shares similar information under their own company name."

AAMA's "Caring for Your Windows, Doors and Skylights" addresses a wide range of products, components, applications and current industry standards. To identify products that have been certified to meet rigorous performance standards, the brochure also illustrates AAMA's gold label. The AAMA Certification Program is the most established quality assurance program available to window and door manufacturers.

A digital sample of the brochure can be downloaded from AAMA's website and printed copies may be ordered from its online publication store with product code PMB-1-11. Discounts are available for AAMA members and for non-members purchasing more than 1,000 copies.