Windows and flyscreens are easy to overlook until they stop working. A torn flyscreen lets in mosquitoes and flies on warm evenings. A window painted shut cannot be opened for fresh air. A broken winder leaves an awning window stuck open in a storm. A missing window lock makes a home less secure and can be an issue at a rental inspection. These are small repairs, but they make a real difference to comfort, security and ventilation.

We repair windows, flyscreens and screen doors in homes and rentals across Warragul, Drouin, Trafalgar, Yarragon and the surrounding district.

Flyscreen repairs

• Re-meshing. Replacing torn, holed or sagging flyscreen mesh in existing frames with new fibreglass, aluminium or pet-resistant mesh.
• New flyscreens. Making new aluminium flyscreen frames to fit windows that have none or where the old frames are bent or broken.
• Frame repairs. Straightening and re-joining frames where corners have come apart.
• Clips and fixings. Replacing missing or broken flyscreen clips, turn buttons, spring clips and pull tabs.
• Pet mesh. Heavier mesh that stands up to cats and dogs clawing at screens.
• Fine mesh. Mesh options suited to midges and small insects.

Screen door repairs

• Re-meshing screen doors with standard or pet-resistant mesh.
• Replacing worn rollers on sliding screen doors so they run smoothly.
• Adjusting and replacing hinges and closers on hinged screen doors.
• Replacing handles and latches.
• Fitting new screen doors to existing frames (supply through you or a screen door supplier).

Security screen doors and windows made of steel or aluminium with security mesh are specialised products. We can adjust and maintain them, but new security screens are best supplied by specialist companies.

Window repairs

• Stuck and painted-shut windows. Freeing sashes and casements that have been painted shut or have swollen.
• Sash windows. Freeing sashes, replacing broken sash cords where accessible, and easing binding sashes in older timber windows.
• Awning window winders. Replacing broken or stripped chain winders and stays on awning windows.
• Sliding windows. Cleaning tracks, replacing rollers and adjusting windows so they slide freely.
• Window catches and stays. Replacing broken catches, casement stays and friction stays.
• Window locks. Fitting keyed window locks to timber and aluminium windows.
• Weather seals. Replacing perished seals and fitting draught-proofing strips.
• Timber repairs. Minor rot repairs to timber window sills and frames. See carpentry.
• Window restrictors. Fitting restrictors that limit how far a window opens, an important child safety measure on upper-floor windows and in bedrooms.

Glass replacement is glazier work. If a pane is cracked or broken, we can make the window safe temporarily and refer you to a glazier.

Window safety for children

Every year in Australia, young children are injured falling from windows. Flyscreens are not designed to hold a child’s weight. Victorian building regulations require window opening restrictions on bedroom windows in new homes and renovations where the fall is more than a certain height, and fitting restrictors to existing homes is a simple and inexpensive safety step. We fit window restrictors and locks that limit openings while still allowing ventilation, and we strongly recommend them on any window a child could climb to, particularly upstairs. Moving furniture away from windows also helps.

Ventilation and condensation

West Gippsland’s damp winters mean condensation and mould are common, particularly in bedrooms and bathrooms. Being able to open windows, even briefly, to let damp air out makes a big difference. Windows that have been painted shut or have broken winders often get left closed for years. Getting them working again improves ventilation, and fitting flyscreens means you can leave them open in summer without letting insects in.

Draught-proofing

Older timber windows often have gaps that let cold air in. We fit weather seals, replace perished seals on aluminium windows and caulk gaps between frames and walls. These simple measures can make a noticeable difference to comfort and heating costs during winter. See silicone and caulking.

Rentals and minimum standards

In Victoria, rental properties must meet minimum standards that include requirements around window coverings in bedrooms and living areas, locks on external windows that can be secured, and properly working windows in some rooms. Requirements change, so landlords should check the latest Consumer Affairs Victoria guidance. We fit window locks, repair windows and flyscreens and help bring rental properties up to standard. See property managers.

A typical window and flyscreen visit

Here is a common example. A family in Yarragon has an older weatherboard home with timber sash windows. Two flyscreens are torn by the cat, a bedroom sash has been painted shut for years, a kitchen awning window winder has broken, and the family wants window locks on all ground-floor windows.

Flyscreens

The two torn flyscreens are re-meshed with pet-resistant mesh to stand up to the cat, and missing clips are replaced.

Sash window

The painted-shut sash is freed by cutting through the paint seal along the stops, easing the sash and lightly sanding binding edges. The window now opens and closes freely, and a stay is fitted to hold it open.

Awning winder

The broken winder is replaced with a matching unit, and the window closes and seals properly.

Locks

Keyed window locks are fitted to all ground-floor windows, and the keys are labelled and handed over.

Choosing flyscreen mesh

• Fibreglass mesh is the most common: flexible, affordable and does not dent, but it can tear.
• Aluminium mesh is stronger and longer-lasting, but dents if pushed.
• Pet-resistant mesh is much stronger and resists claws and paws.
• Stainless steel mesh is used in security screens and bushfire-prone areas.

Bushfire-prone areas

In designated bushfire-prone areas, building standards may call for ember-resistant screens on windows of new homes, typically in metal mesh. Many properties around Neerim South, Buln Buln and the northern parts of Baw Baw Shire sit in bushfire-prone areas. If you are upgrading screens, metal mesh offers better ember protection than fibreglass. Check your property’s bushfire attack level and the relevant requirements.

Getting a quote

Send photos of the windows, flyscreens or screen doors, and tell us roughly how many need attention. For new flyscreens, approximate window sizes help. We will reply with a written scope and free quote. We do not publish prices online.

Areas

Window and flyscreen repairs in Warragul, Drouin, Trafalgar, Yarragon, Nilma, Darnum, Rokeby, Buln Buln, Neerim South and Longwarry. See our service areas and all services.

Aluminium windows in newer homes

Most homes built from the 1980s onwards, including the newer estates around Warragul and Drouin, have aluminium windows. These do not rot, but they have their own problems: sliding window rollers wear and the window drags, tracks fill with dirt and dead insects, seals perish and shrink, catches break, and winders strip their gears. Most of these can be repaired with replacement parts. We clean tracks, replace rollers and seals, and fit new catches and winders, getting windows working smoothly again.

Timber windows in older homes

Older homes often have beautiful timber windows that are worth keeping. Common problems include paint build-up making sashes stick, broken sash cords leaving sashes that will not stay open, rotten sills and bottom rails, loose putty around the glass and worn catches. Many of these can be repaired without replacing the window. Regular painting and keeping water away from sills goes a long way toward keeping timber windows in good condition.

Window coverings

We also install curtain rods, tracks and blind brackets for window coverings that you have purchased. See picture and shelf hanging.

Flyscreens for doors and large openings

Large sliding doors to decks and patios are where most insects get in on summer evenings, especially in homes near paddocks, dams and creeks around Nilma, Darnum and Rokeby. Sliding screen doors wear quickly with constant use: rollers flatten, the bottom track fills with grit, the mesh tears near the handle where people push it, and the frame bends when the door is forced. We replace rollers, clean and straighten tracks, re-mesh with heavier mesh near high-wear areas and fit new handles. For wide openings where a sliding screen is impractical, retractable flyscreens are an option supplied by specialist companies.

Seasonal checks

Before summer, it is worth checking every flyscreen in the house: look for small tears, gaps where the frame has bent away from the window, missing clips and mesh that has pulled out of its spline. Small holes are easier to fix than large tears, and a screen that fits snugly keeps far more insects out. Before winter, check that windows close fully and latch, seals are intact and winders work, so you are not left with a window stuck open during a storm.

Repair or replace?

Most flyscreens can be re-meshed many times, and most window hardware can be replaced with matching or compatible parts. Replacement makes more sense when frames are badly bent or corroded, or when the window itself is rotten throughout. We will tell you honestly which option is better value for each window.

Hard-to-reach windows

Many single-storey homes have high windows above kitchen benches, in stairwells or in raked ceilings that are hard to reach for cleaning and repairs. We bring suitable ladders and platforms to work on these safely. Upper-storey windows that can only be reached from outside need specialist access equipment.

Bathroom and laundry windows

Bathroom and laundry windows are the most important for ventilation and often the most neglected. Frosted glass windows with broken winders or catches get left closed, trapping moisture. Getting these windows working, with a flyscreen fitted, is a simple way to help control mould.

Locks and keys

When we fit window locks, we try to key them alike so one key opens every window lock in the house. Keep a spare key somewhere easy to find near the windows in case you need to open them quickly in an emergency.

Labelled and returned

When we take flyscreens away for re-meshing, each one is labelled with its window so it goes back in the right place.

Frequently asked questions