DIY guideWindows

Swap the screens and storm windows for the season

Twice a year, take the screens or storm panels out from inside, wash them, store them safely, clear the weep holes and fit the other set.

7 steps

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Most screens and storm panels come out from inside the house. Upstairs, take out only what comes out from inside.
Never lean out of an upstairs window or climb a ladder to reach one.
Pull the panel's tabs or springs in, then tilt it and lift it out of its frame.
Lay it flat on a drop cloth outside. Brush it gently with soapy water and rinse it with a hose.
Stand it on its edge to dry. Mark which window it fits with a piece of tape, and store it flat or upright where nothing leans on it.
Before the other set goes in, find the small slots at the bottom of the frame and clear each with a pipe cleaner.
Set the bottom of the panel in first, tilt it into the frame and let the tabs click home. It should sit flat with no gaps.
A panel that won't come out, a bent frame, cracked glass in a storm panel, or one you can only reach from outside upstairs: ask Handyman for a window pro.

Handyman says: Panel stuck? I'll find a window pro.

Free for every home. Handyman asks a few questions, then books a pro it trusts.