How to care for doors

uPVC and aluminium doors

When exposed to wind, pollution, rain and other elements, doors will become dirty. Dirt shouldn’t damage Everest doors but you may wish to clean them based on the following guidelines to keep them looking their best.

In towns and cities, or near the coast you should clean doors every three months. In rural areas, twice a year should be fine.

General Cleaning:

• For general cleaning, use a soft cloth and water with soap or washing-up liquid
• To remove grease marks use washing-up liquid with little or no water, then rinse with clean water
• Do not use glass cleaner on frames
• Do not use kitchen/bathroom cleaners

Tough Stains:

• For long-neglected uPVC use a uPVC cream cleaner
• For long-neglected aluminium use washing-up liquid with little or no water, scrub with a stiff fibre brush and then rinse with clean water

Timber doors

All our timber frames are made from specially selected, seasoned wood. The wood has natural properties that will help it withstand the elements, but to make it last even longer we apply a ‘colour harmonising’ finish in the factory that contains a preservative. We then apply a micro-porous protective stain or paint finish.

General Cleaning:

Carry out regularly at least twice a year:

• For general cleaning, use a soft cloth and water with soap or washing-up liquid
• To remove grease marks use washing-up liquid with little or no water, then rinse with clean water
• Do not use glass cleaner on frames
• Do not use kitchen/bathroom cleaners

Wood is not indestructible. Maintenance of the coated finish is important, not only to keep the window or door looking good, but with the correct maintenance, your products should last even longer than their guarantees.

To Recoat:

It is recommended that the surface coating is inspected annually and if required you should re-coat the wood with micro-porous stain or paint. Here's how:

• Clean the doors as above and let them dry completely
• Use a fine grade of wet and dry silicon carbide abrasive paper to lightly rub down the existing paint or stain finish (do not try to rub through the existing coat. This exercise is intended only to remove any grease and dirt and provide a smooth surface)
• Remove all dust and debris with a wet cloth, taking care to avoid inhaling the dust
• Allow to dry thoroughly
• Apply the micro-porous finish with a brush, taking care not to overload the brush or get the finish on the seals or gaskets
• Only use micro-porous paint or stain. Avoid non-micro-porous finishes such as yacht varnish as they need stripping and renewing more often. Follow the instructions on the container.

Scratches and Chips:

• Damaged timber should be re-painted or re-stained immediately
• First, prepare the damaged area by removing all surface damage with a light abrasive following the line of the grain
• Remove all dust and debris with a wet cloth, taking care to avoid inhaling the dust
• Where necessary, a timber filler may be used to repair the damage and provide a smooth surface for reapplying the finish
• Re-apply the finish to the damaged area, as described above

Failure to treat scratches and chips will invalidate the product guarantee.

Knots, Grain and Movement:

Wood is a natural product and features such as knots and differences in grain appearance do occur. They are not a fault but part of the natural beauty of our timber product. As a natural product, some degree of movement in terms of expansion or contraction can be expected.

Hardwood Entrance Doors:

Hardwood Entrance doors with a stained finish need to be correctly looked after to maintain the guarantee. Every 12 months the stain finish on the door should be inspected and if the finish appears worn or damaged then a further coat of stain should be applied. Depending on location and environmental conditions (South facing doors or doors in coastal areas) the door may need more frequent inspections. Please contact Everest Customer Service on 0844 892 0177.

Standard glass

General Cleaning:

For general cleaning, use a soft cloth and water with soap or washing-up liquid.

Tough Stains:

• Use a commercial window cleaning solution or cream
• Follow cleaning product instructions
• Keep solution or cream away from the frame
• Wash away the residue with clean water

Avoid:

• Do not use creams containing abrasive pastes
• Do not use steel wool or razor blades on stubborn marks

Leaded Glass

After a period of time, the lead naturally becomes weathered and the oxidisation will be of a uniform colour. The time will vary from installation to installation and even from door to door, depending on the degree of exposure to the elements and whether the installation is in a rural or urban environment. We do recommend that you be patient and allow the natural process to take its course.

Furniture

General cleaning:

• For general cleaning use a soft cloth and water with soap or washing-up liquid.
• For stainless brass, letterboxes remove surface dirt by dusting with a soft cloth.
• Stubborn stains can be removed with the use of white spirit or a quality non-abrasive car wax polish.

Locks

Lubrication:

• To lubricate, use light machine oil
• Do not use other oil, grease or WD40

Keys:

• Keep a spare key available, perhaps with a neighbour.
• Have extra keys cut using Everest Key Cutting Service - call 0844 892 0177.
• Please note that a lock cannot be removed from a door without a key.
• For all access and security emergencies, call the out of hours service on 0844 892 0177.

Hinges

Lubrication:

• Use light machine oil to lubricate catches, restrictors and window hinges as necessary.
• Do not use other oil or grease.
• Do not use any other lubricant.
• Do not lubricate plastic moving parts as they’re self-lubricating.