Window Care & Maintenance Instructions

THRUVUE™ Infinity Gas Strut & SL / EL Motorized Windows

Optvue gas strut windows open at an outdoor pavilion

A few minutes of care a few times a year keeps your Optvue windows opening smoothly, sealing tight and looking new. This guide covers routine cleaning, the aluminum finish, glass, seals, gas struts, motorized operation, screens and wood interiors. Regular care is also an owner responsibility under the Optvue Limited Warranty, so keep this guide with your home records.

Care Schedule

How often to do each task

Wash glass and frames: coastal homes every 3 months (required); inland or dry homes 1–2 times a year.
Fresh-water rinse of frame, hardware and screens: coastal homes monthly; inland or dry homes not needed.
Clear sills, drainage channel and countertop edge: coastal homes monthly; inland or dry homes each cleaning.
Check weatherstrip all the way around the sash: coastal homes each cleaning; inland or dry homes each cleaning.
Open and close fully; listen and feel for rubbing: coastal homes monthly; inland or dry homes each cleaning.
Check hinge, handle and lock screws: coastal homes twice a year; inland or dry homes once a year.
Inspect caulk joints and the exterior finish: coastal homes once a year; inland or dry homes once a year.
Inspect the interior wood finish: coastal homes once a year; inland or dry homes once a year.

Coastal means within 1 mile of an ocean or other salt water, as defined in the Optvue Limited Warranty. See Coastal and Salt-Air Care for the full coastal requirements. Homes near pools, irrigation spray or dusty roads should follow the coastal schedule.

Before You Start

Tools and cleaners

Use

Clean, soft cotton or microfiber cloths and a soft-bristle brush
A rubber-bladed squeegee
Mild dish soap in warm water (about a teaspoon per gallon)
Approved glass cleaner: Sprayway® Glass Cleaner (foaming), or another non-abrasive, ammonia-free glass cleaner
A garden hose with low-pressure spray

Never Use

Pressure washers aimed at the window, sash, seals or struts
Razor blades, scrapers, steel wool or scouring pads
Brick wash, muriatic acid, bleach or other harsh chemicals
Solvents such as acetone, lacquer thinner or mineral spirits
Petroleum-based lubricants on seals or strut rods

Glass

Clear glass without scratches

Clean in the shade or on a cool day. Cleaner that dries in direct sun leaves streaks, especially on low-E glass.
Rinse the glass with clear water to float off sand and grit before you touch it. Wiping dry grit is the most common cause of scratches.
Spray Sprayway® Glass Cleaner, the Optvue-approved cleaner, and work from the top of the glass down.
Remove the cleaner right away with a squeegee or a clean, lint-free cloth. Keep any metal part of a tool off the glass.
Wipe cleaner off the frame, glass stops and weatherstrip when you finish.
For paint, stickers or construction residue, soften with warm soapy water and lift with a plastic putty knife. Do not scrape with metal.
Your glass may carry a low-E coating on an inside surface of the insulated unit. It is sealed in and needs no special care.

Aluminum Frame and Finish

Keep the coating protecting the metal

Wash painted and anodized aluminum with mild soapy water and a soft cloth or brush, then rinse with clean water and dry.
Clean the frame whenever you clean the glass. Dirt left on the finish holds moisture and pollutants against it. Coastal homes: follow Coastal and Salt-Air Care.
For stubborn spots, use a mild non-abrasive cleaner and rinse well. Test any new cleaner on a hidden spot first. Never sand, polish or buff the finish.
Keep paint, stain, caulk solvents and masonry cleaners off the frame during other work on the house. Cover the window if needed.
Optvue does not supply touch-up paint. For chips or scratches, have a paint supplier match your frame color and hire a professional painter for the repair.

Optvue gas strut windows at a lakeside pavilion

Coastal and Salt-Air Care

Required maintenance near salt water

Who This Applies To

Every Optvue window installed within 1 mile of an ocean or other salt water, the same coastal definition used in the Optvue Limited Warranty. Homes 1 to 6 miles from salt water should follow the same steps at least every 6 months.
Salt air settles on every exposed surface. Left in place, salt holds moisture against the metal and breaks down finishes, seals and hardware far faster than in an inland home.

Required Schedule

Full maintenance cleaning every 3 months. This is required, not optional.
A fresh-water rinse of the frame, hardware and screens every month.
An extra rinse after any storm or high wind that carries spray inland.
Weekly cleaning if the windows are regularly exposed to pool chemicals, cleaning chemicals or their fumes.

How to Rinse and Wash

Rinse first with a gentle spray of fresh water from a garden hose. Never use high pressure.
Direct the rinse into corners, joints and cut edges where salt collects.
Wash with mild soapy water and a soft-bristle brush, such as a car wash brush, then rinse again with fresh water and dry with a soft cloth.
Give extra attention to sheltered areas under eaves, overhangs and covered patios. Rain does not rinse these spots, so salt builds up there first.
Keep sills, drainage channels and weep openings clear so salt water can drain away.

Hardware and Gas Struts

Rinse and dry the hinge, handles, locks and strut end fittings at every cleaning.
Wipe stainless steel parts with isopropyl alcohol on a soft cloth, moving with the grain of the metal.
Wipe the strut body with a damp cloth only. Never put cleaner, oil or any product on the polished piston rod.
Keep different metals from sitting wet against each other. Do not add fasteners, brackets or accessories of another metal without asking Optvue.

Screens

Salt collects in screen mesh and runs down onto the frame. Rinse the mesh, side tracks and housing with fresh water at every cleaning, then let the screen dry fully before rolling it up.

Cleaners to Avoid

Ammonia-based cleaners on glass or anodized finishes.
Abrasive pads, scouring powders or anything that can dull or strip the paint color or gloss.

Watch the Finish

Look for white residue, pitting or staining on anodized surfaces, and for blistering or bubbling on painted surfaces, especially at chips and cut edges.
Clean and dry any damaged spot right away. Optvue does not supply touch-up paint: have a paint supplier match your frame color and hire a professional painter.
Report finish breakdown to Optvue within 30 days of noticing it.

Every 5 Years

Have a full inspection done: check for water leaks, clear all weep openings, and inspect caulk, seals, glazing gaskets and glass.
Replace worn weatherstrip and glazing gaskets. Contact Optvue for factory parts.

Maintenance Log and Receipts (Required)

Keep a written log of every cleaning, rinse, inspection and repair, with the date and who did the work.
Keep all receipts for maintenance products, professional cleaning, painting and service.
Send your log entries, receipts and service dates to care@optvue.com after each quarterly maintenance, with your name, address and Optvue order number.
Optvue may ask for this record when reviewing a coastal finish or hardware claim. Missing maintenance records can affect coverage under the Optvue Limited Warranty.

Sills, Drainage and Countertops

Let water leave

Keep the sill, drainage channel and any weep openings clear of sand, leaves and debris so water can drain.
Vacuum or brush the channel, then flush it gently with a hose on low.
On no-sill and flush countertop installs, the countertop must slope away from the window. Never let water pool against the sash.
Check the caulk joint between the frame and the wall or countertop once a year. Re-caulk any joint that is cracked, loose or pulling away.

Weatherstrip and Seals

Tight seals keep wind and water out

Wipe the weatherstrip with mild soapy water and a soft cloth, then rinse.
Look for tears, gaps, flattened sections or pieces that have pulled out of their groove.
Do not paint, oil or glue the weatherstrip. Coatings make it stiff and stop it from sealing.
If a seal is damaged or no longer closes tight, contact Optvue for a factory replacement.

Hinges, Handles and Locks

Smooth, secure operation

Wipe hinges, handles and locks clean when you wash the frame.
Check that hinge, handle and lock screws are snug. Do not over-tighten them.
If a lock or handle feels stiff, clean it first. A light spray of dry silicone lubricant on moving lock parts is all that is needed. Keep it off the glass and seals.
If the sash rubs the frame, sits unevenly or will not lock, stop and contact Optvue. Do not adjust the hinge yourself.

Gas Struts

Sealed, pressurized lift springs

Gas struts are sealed and need no lubrication. Keep them clean and dry.
Never paint, oil, grease or wipe solvent on a strut. Anything on the piston rod damages its seal.
Never grip, clamp or scratch the polished piston rod.
Never heat, puncture or take apart a strut. It holds gas under high pressure.
Never remove, adjust or replace a strut yourself. Strut service is done by Optvue with the sash supported.
Call Optvue if the sash will not stay fully open, drops faster than it used to, or a strut shows oil on the rod. Keep the window closed until it is checked.

Optvue pass-through windows at an indoor bar

Motorized Windows

SL and EL series

Before running the window, make sure the opening is clear of people, pets and objects.
Wipe motor covers and exposed parts with a damp cloth. Never spray water into the motor covers or wiring.
Never force the sash open or closed by hand. It strains the actuator.
If the window stops, reverses, runs slowly or sounds different, stop using it and contact Optvue.
Keep the first-operation notice and sash adjustment sheet that shipped with the window, and follow them.
Close the window before storms and whenever the home is empty.

Screens

Roll-down, motorized and pleated screens

Vacuum the mesh with a soft brush attachment, or rinse it gently with a hose on low.
Wash with mild soapy water and a soft brush, rinse and let it dry fully before rolling it up.
Keep the side tracks clean so the screen glides. Brush out sand and leaves.
Guide a manual roll-down screen all the way up or down. Do not let it snap back.
Screens keep insects out. They will not stop a child or pet from falling through an open window.

Wood Interiors

Finishing is the owner's responsibility

Optvue supplies interior wood unfinished. Finish it promptly after installation, before it is exposed to humidity.
Lightly sand with fine paper, 220 to 320 grit, and remove the dust.
Stain and seal, or prime and paint, every reachable wood surface. Use at least two coats of clear finish over stain, or two coats of quality paint over primer.
Finish with the sash open and leave it open until the finish is fully dry, so the sash does not stick to the frame.
Keep finish off the weatherstrip, glass and hardware.
Clean finished wood with a soft brush or a damp cloth. Avoid ammonia, solvents and abrasives. Refinish worn areas before bare wood shows.

Condensation

What fogging on the glass means

Fog or droplets on the room side of the glass come from humidity in the home meeting a cooler surface. It is not a window defect.
Lower indoor humidity with kitchen and bath fans, open blinds and shades, and keep air moving across the glass.
Wipe up condensation so it does not sit on the wood or the sill.
Fogging between the panes of an insulated glass unit means the seal has failed. Contact Optvue. Insulated glass is covered under the Optvue Limited Warranty.

Your Warranty

Following this guide is part of owning an Optvue window. Damage caused by skipped care, harsh cleaners, pressure washing or unfinished interior wood is not covered by the Optvue Limited Warranty.

Questions

Questions about caring for your windows or replacement parts? Have your order number and photos ready, and contact Optvue. Report any problem within 30 days of noticing it, as described in the Optvue Limited Warranty at www.optvue.com/warranty.