Dowell Windows

Quick Facts

Brand at a Glance

Product Range

Why This System

Step 1 of 2: Manufacturer Recommendations

Official Care Guidance

Glass

• ✓Pre-rinse glass with clean water before applying cleaning solution. Essential on coastal properties and older windows where salt and dust have accumulated between services.
• ✓Use pH-neutral glass cleaning solution. Avoid acid-based cleaners near aluminium frames.
• ✓Squeegee from top to bottom, overlapping strokes, wipe rubber after each pull.
• ✓Inspect glazing seals, particularly on windows over 20 years old. Cracking and separation are common on older Australian stock.

Aluminium Frames

• ✓Wipe with pH-neutral dampened soft cloth. Never use abrasive pads - on older Dowell frames especially, the powder coat is already compromised.
• ✓Rinse frames thoroughly after cleaning. Solution residue on aged powder coat dries into a film that requires abrasive removal.
• ✓On anodised profiles, use only pH-neutral cleaners. Do not use alkaline cleaners.
• ✓Photograph significant chalking, corrosion, or paint failure before cleaning - protect yourself from claims about pre-existing damage.

Tracks

• ✓Brush and vacuum track channels before introducing water. Australian dust in wet tracks forms abrasive slurry.
• ✓Clear weep holes - older Dowell frames may have weep holes partially blocked by decades of debris accumulation.
• ✓Apply silicone lubricant to track surfaces after cleaning. Do not use petroleum-based lubricants.

Step 2 of 2: The Orloffs Protocol

The Orloffs Protocol

Pro Tools

My daily tool list. This is what I carry to every job.

Follow these steps in order. Each one builds on the last. This is the same sequence I use on every Dowell Windows installation.

1. 1

   Frame age and condition assessment

   Note the approximate age of the windows. Older Dowell frames need gentler handling and full photographic documentation of pre-existing condition.

2. 2

   Pre-rinse

   Rinse glass and frames with clean water before applying any cleaning solution.

3. 3

   Track and weep hole prep

   Brush and clear track channels. Clear weep holes - older frames may have significant blockage.

4. 4

   Glass cleaning

   pH-neutral solution, squeegee top to bottom, overlapping strokes.

5. 5

   Frame wipe-down and close-out

   Gentle pH-neutral wipe on frames. Rinse. Apply silicone to tracks. Document any defects.

Pro Tips

• ★ On older Dowell properties, budget additional time for the first clean - decades of accumulated salt, dust, and grime require multiple passes and more solution volume than a maintained property
• ★ If a Dowell sliding window will not operate smoothly after track cleaning and lubrication, note it and move on - forcing the window risks damaging already aged hardware and puts the liability on you

What NOT To Do

Bundle Kits and Tool Recommendations

Cleaning Frequency

Coastal residential: Every 4 to 6 weeks (Salt air and aged frame condition demand frequent attention). Urban and inland residential: Every 8 to 12 weeks (Standard Australian residential interval)

Frequently Asked Questions

Field Notes

“Dowell sliding windows from the 1970s and 1980s often have original rollers that are at or past the end of their service life. Stiff sliding action or rollers that skip on the track are common - note this on your service report rather than attempting to force the window. In WA, Dowell windows near the coast show accelerated corrosion compared to eastern states - the Fremantle Doctor wind drives salt air inland further than typical coastal exposure. Add a coastal salt protocol for any WA property within 10km of the coast.”

Justin Orloff