Windows and flyscreens take a beating. Pets push through the mesh, kids lean on it, the sun turns it brittle and the north wind rips at loose corners. Winders strip, locks seize, sliding sashes grind in dirty tracks and old timber frames rattle every time a truck passes on the Princes Highway. Our window and flyscreen repair service sorts out these everyday faults so your windows open easily, lock securely and keep insects out through summer.

We work across Dandenong and the surrounding suburbs, where you find almost every type of residential window: original timber double-hung sashes in early post-war homes, steel-framed windows in some 1950s houses, aluminium sliding and awning windows through the 1970s to 90s estates, and modern double-glazed units in newer townhouses around Keysborough and Dandenong South. Each type has its own common faults and parts.

Flyscreen repairs and rescreening

Rescreening is the most frequent window job we do. Flyscreen mesh deteriorates in Melbourne’s UV, and once one tear appears it spreads quickly. Rather than patching, we usually rescreen the whole panel so it looks consistent and lasts.

What rescreening involves

We remove the screen from the window, pull out the old spline (the rubber cord that holds the mesh in the frame channel), remove the damaged mesh and clean the channel. New mesh is laid over the frame, the spline rolled in under even tension so the mesh is drum-tight without bowing the frame, and the excess trimmed. Corner stakes and pull tabs are replaced if they are broken, and the screen goes back in so it sits snug against the window frame.

Mesh options

• Standard fibreglass mesh is the most common choice, flexible, affordable and easy to replace.
• Pet-resistant mesh is a heavier, vinyl-coated polyester that stands up to cats and dogs far better than standard mesh. It is well worth considering for back doors and low windows.
• Aluminium mesh is stiffer and more durable, and it suits windows that see a lot of contact.
• Fine insect mesh keeps out midges and very small insects, useful in areas near wetlands and creeks such as parts of Keysborough and Springvale South near the Mordialloc Creek corridor.

Bent and broken screen frames

Aluminium screen frames bend if they are dropped or pushed hard. Minor bends can be straightened. Badly bent or cracked frames are best rebuilt with new frame sections and corners, cut to the same size. We can also make new screens for windows that have never had them, measured to the opening.

Window repairs

Winders and operators

Awning and casement windows rely on a winder or chain operator. The gears strip, handles snap and arms come away from the sash. Replacement winders are available for most common window brands, and we match the operator type and handing (left or right) so the window opens the same way as before.

Locks and latches

Window locks seize, keys go missing and old latches stop holding. We replace keyed window locks, sash locks and latches, and we can add restrictors to limit how far a window opens, which is a sensible safety measure for upstairs windows and children’s rooms. Restrictors are particularly common in two-storey townhouses where bedroom windows sit well above ground.

Sliding windows that stick

Aluminium sliding windows usually stick because the track is full of grit, the rollers are worn or the sash has dropped out of adjustment. We clean the track thoroughly, replace worn rollers where the window design allows, adjust the sash and lubricate with a dry silicone spray that does not attract more dirt.

Timber sash windows

Older double-hung timber windows have sash cords and weights inside the frame. Cords perish and snap, leaving the sash held up with a stick or wedged with paper. Re-cording a sash window is a careful job that involves removing the beads and stops, but it brings the window back to smooth, balanced operation. Painted-shut sashes can usually be freed, and rattling sashes can be quietened with new stops and seals.

Draughts and gaps

A lot of heat escapes around window frames. We seal external gaps between the frame and brickwork with a suitable exterior sealant, replace perished seals on sliding windows, and fit draught strips to timber sashes. In a house with older windows, sealing gaps is one of the most cost-effective comfort upgrades you can make.

What we do not do

We do not replace glass panes. Broken or cracked glass needs a glazier, who has the equipment to cut and safely handle glass to the right Australian Standard. We are happy to board up a broken window temporarily to secure the house, and we can fix the frame, locks and screens once the glazier has replaced the glass. We also do not supply or install complete new window units, which is work for a window manufacturer or builder.

Window safety for children

Every year children are hurt falling from windows, and flyscreens are not designed to hold a child’s weight. Fitting window restrictors or locks that limit openings to 125 millimetres on upstairs windows and those above a fall is a simple safety step, and it is also expected under Victorian rental minimum standards for some situations. We can fit restrictors to most aluminium and timber windows without affecting the ability to open them fully with a key in an emergency.

Flyscreens and rental properties

Damaged flyscreens are one of the most common items flagged at the end of a lease. Property managers often need several screens rescreened before new tenants move in, and turnaround time matters. We can rescreen several windows in a single visit, and for larger jobs we take the screens away to rescreen in our workshop and return them within the agreed time frame. Our end-of-lease repairs and property managers pages cover this kind of work.

How to measure a flyscreen for a quote

If you would like an accurate quote quickly, measure the width and height of each screen frame in millimetres, note whether it is a window screen or a door screen, and take a photo of the damage and one of the whole window. Count how many screens need doing. That is usually all we need to quote without a site visit.

Sliding screen doors

Sliding flyscreen doors are their own kind of problem. They jump off their tracks, the rollers seize and the mesh tears at the height of a dog’s nose. We rescreen sliding screen doors, replace rollers and top guides, and adjust them so they glide and lock properly. Where the door is badly damaged, we can arrange a replacement door to suit the opening.

Caring for windows and screens

A little care goes a long way. Vacuum sliding window tracks every few months, wipe them with a damp cloth and keep the weep holes in the bottom of the track clear so rainwater can drain. Remove flyscreens once a year, rinse them gently with a hose and let them dry in the shade. Lubricate winders and locks with a light dry lubricant rather than oil. If you notice a winder getting stiff, do not force it, as forcing strips the gears quickly.

Window problems by house type

Post-war brick and weatherboard homes

Homes from the 1950s and early 1960s in Dandenong, Doveton and parts of Noble Park often still have original timber windows, sometimes with later aluminium additions at the back. Timber sashes in these homes commonly suffer from painted-shut sashes, broken cords, soft timber at the bottom rail where water has sat on the sill, and worn putty. Small areas of soft timber can be cut out and repaired with an epoxy filler, then primed and painted, but large sections of rot may need a joiner.

1970s to 1990s estates

Aluminium sliding and awning windows dominate homes from this era in Endeavour Hills, Dandenong North and Noble Park North. Common faults are stripped winders, missing or broken locks, perished glazing rubber and worn sliding rollers. Parts for many of the older brands are still available, and where a specific part is obsolete there is usually a universal replacement that fits.

Newer townhouses and units

Modern double-glazed windows in newer developments tend to have more complex hardware, including multi-point locks and friction stays. Friction stays, the hinges on awning windows, can wear and let the sash sag or swing in the wind. We replace stays and adjust sashes so they close firmly against the seals.

Summer insect season

In the warmer months, a single hole in a flyscreen is enough to let mosquitoes and flies through. Mosquitoes are most active around dusk near the creeks, retarding basins and wetlands scattered through the south-east, including the Dandenong Creek corridor and the wetlands around Keysborough. If you want to leave windows open on hot nights, it is worth checking every screen in spring. We often rescreen a whole house at once so all the mesh is the same age and colour.

Window security

Locks on windows are an inexpensive and effective way to make a home more secure, particularly on ground floor windows hidden from the street. We fit keyed window locks and replace broken latches.

Areas we cover

We repair windows and screens throughout our service areas, including Springvale, Keysborough, Dandenong North and Endeavour Hills.

Related services

Window work often pairs with silicone and caulking to seal frames, painting touch-ups on timber sashes, door repairs and installation and general home repairs.

Frequently asked questions