Windows and flyscreens are easy to ignore until summer arrives, the flies and mosquitoes come in, and you find the screen has a tear in it or the window won’t open. In the Latrobe Valley, many homes have timber windows that stick in winter, aluminium windows with worn rollers and broken latches, and flyscreens that have been torn by pets, kids or the wind.

We repair windows and flyscreens in homes, units and rentals across Traralgon, Morwell, Moe, Newborough, Churchill and surrounding towns, so they open, close, lock and keep insects out as they should.

Flyscreen repairs

Re-meshing

Torn, sagging or holed mesh can be replaced while keeping the existing frame. We remove the old spline and mesh, fit new mesh tight and wrinkle-free, and re-spline it into the frame. Mesh options include:

• Standard fibreglass mesh in black or grey: the most common, good visibility
• Aluminium mesh: stronger and more durable, slightly less visibility
• Pet mesh: much tougher vinyl-coated polyester that stands up to cats and dogs
• Fine insect mesh: for midges and very small insects
• Stainless steel mesh: used in security screens and for durability

New flyscreen frames

Where frames are bent, corroded or missing, we can measure up and make new frames to suit your windows, or arrange replacement screens. Older windows often need custom sizes.

Sliding flyscreen doors

Sliding screen doors often come off their tracks, roll badly, or have torn mesh at the bottom from pets and feet. We replace rollers, adjust the door so it runs smoothly, replace mesh and fit new handles and latches.

Security doors

We re-mesh security doors and screens (where mesh is replaceable), repair hinges and closers, and adjust doors that drag or don’t latch. Lock repairs and re-keying are locksmith work.

Window repairs

Sticking windows

Timber windows swell in damp weather and stick. Painted-shut windows are common in older homes. We free them up, ease the sashes, and treat the timber so they open smoothly. Aluminium windows stick when tracks are dirty or rollers are worn. We clean the tracks, replace rollers and adjust them so they slide easily.

Latches, locks and handles

Broken window latches are a security issue, and in rentals, a minimum standards issue. We replace latches, handles and winders on aluminium and timber windows, and fit keyed window locks where you want extra security.

Winders and chains on awning windows

Awning windows that won’t open or close often have a broken winder or chain. We replace winders and chainwinders where parts are available.

Sash windows

Older double-hung sash windows in some Traralgon and Moe homes may have broken sash cords or sticking sashes. We can replace sash cords, free up stuck sashes and replace parting beads and stops.

Window seals and draughts

Worn seals and gaps around windows let in cold draughts in winter. We replace weather seals on aluminium windows where available, add draught strips to timber windows, and seal gaps around frames.

Rotten sills and frames

Timber sills and the bottom of frames rot when water sits on them. We cut out and repair small areas of rot with timber filler or a new timber section, then prime and paint. Larger rot may mean the window needs replacing by a window specialist.

What we do not do

We do not replace glass in windows. Broken glass is best handled by a glazier, who can cut and fit the correct safety glass. We also do not install new windows, which can involve structural and weatherproofing work. We’re happy to work with a glazier, for example by repairing the frame before the glazier installs new glass.

Child safety and windows

Children can fall from windows, including ground floor windows over a drop and second-storey windows. Flyscreens do not stop children falling. In Victoria, window safety devices are recommended where windows open more than 12.5 cm and the drop is significant. We fit window restrictors to limit opening, and can fit keyed restrictors in bedrooms and rental properties. Kids’ rooms should also not have furniture placed under windows.

Bushfire areas

Homes in bushfire-prone areas, such as parts of Traralgon South, Tyers, Glengarry, Callignee and the Churchill hills, can benefit from metal mesh flyscreens, which resist ember attack better than fibreglass mesh. If your home has a Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) requirement from a building permit, the screens may need to meet that standard. Ask us about suitable mesh, or check with the CFA’s guidance on preparing your home.

Rentals

Window coverings and functioning window latches in rentals are part of Victoria’s rental minimum standards, and flyscreens are often on the condition report. We fix flyscreens, latches and sticking windows for landlords and property managers and send photos with the invoice.

Areas we cover

Window and flyscreen repairs across Traralgon, Morwell, Moe, Newborough, Churchill, Yallourn North, Glengarry, Tyers, Traralgon South and Hazelwood North.

Combining jobs

Window and flyscreen repairs are often booked with:

• Door repairs, including screen doors
• Curtain rods and blinds; see picture and shelf hanging
• Painting touch-ups on frames and sills
• Silicone and caulking around frames

Windows in Latrobe Valley homes

Timber windows in older homes

Homes built from the 1940s to the 1970s in Moe, Newborough, Morwell, Yallourn North and Traralgon’s older streets usually have timber windows: double-hung sashes, casements or fixed panes with opening hoppers. Good timber windows can last a century if they are painted and maintained, but neglected ones swell, stick, rot at the sills and let in draughts. The Valley’s damp winters and morning fogs keep timber wet for long periods, especially on south-facing walls that get little sun. Regular painting, clear weep holes and sealing the joints between sill and frame make a huge difference to how long they last.

Aluminium windows from the 1970s to now

Most homes built from the late 1970s onward, including much of Churchill and Traralgon’s newer estates, have aluminium sliding and awning windows. They don’t rot, but their rollers wear out, tracks fill with dirt and dead insects, latches break, seals shrink, and the flyscreens that clip into them tear or warp. Most aluminium window hardware is replaceable, though older brands can be hard to match. We bring common parts and source others.

uPVC and double glazing

Some newer homes and renovations have uPVC or double-glazed aluminium windows. These have more complex hardware, such as tilt-and-turn mechanisms and multi-point locks. We can adjust and service common types, and refer specialist repairs to the manufacturer or a window company.

Keeping the warmth in

Single-glazed windows lose a lot of heat in a Valley winter. Without replacing the windows, you can improve things by:

• Fitting good-quality heavy curtains with pelmets, or close-fitting blinds
• Replacing worn window seals and adding draught strips
• Sealing gaps around frames inside
• Fitting secondary glazing film kits in rarely-opened windows (a DIY option)
• Keeping curtains closed at night and open in the winter sun

We can help with seals, draught proofing, curtain tracks and blinds.

Cleaning window tracks

Dirty tracks make sliding windows and doors hard to open and wear out rollers. Vacuum the tracks regularly, clean them with a brush and soapy water, and keep the weep holes in the bottom of the frame clear so water drains outside. Don’t oil aluminium tracks, because oil collects dirt. A dry silicone spray is better.

Getting a quote

Email photos of each window or screen, its approximate size, the frame type (timber or aluminium) and what is wrong. For flyscreens, tell us whether you need pet mesh. We’ll reply with a clear scope and quote.

Flyscreens and Valley summers

Summer in the Latrobe Valley brings flies, mosquitoes and moths, especially near the Latrobe River, Lake Narracan, the Morwell River and the wetlands and dams on rural blocks. Mosquitoes can carry diseases such as Ross River virus, and Victoria’s health department has issued warnings in some recent summers about mosquito-borne illness in parts of the state. Good flyscreens on every opening window and door are a simple, effective protection, letting you open the house up on warm evenings without letting insects in. Before summer, check every screen for holes, gaps at the frame edges and missing screens, and get them fixed before the warm weather arrives.

Screens for sliding doors and stacker doors

Wide stacker and sliding doors to decks and alfresco areas are popular in newer homes. They need wide or multiple screens, retractable screens or sliding screen doors. Retractable flyscreens roll away when not in use and suit wide openings and French doors. We repair and adjust sliding screen doors, and can refer retractable screen installation to a specialist supplier.

Pet doors in screens

Pet doors fitted into flyscreen doors let cats and small dogs in and out without you holding the door open. We fit pet doors into screen doors with pet mesh, so the mesh around the pet door is strong enough to hold it.

Mesh for privacy and sun

Besides insect mesh, there are mesh types that cut sun and glare, and some give daytime privacy. These suit west-facing windows that overheat in summer, and street-facing windows. We can fit these into existing screen frames where they suit.

Screens at rental properties

Flyscreens are often damaged during a tenancy by pets, children or wind. Tenants should report damage early, and many landlords include flyscreen checks in their routine maintenance. We can re-mesh all the screens at a rental in one visit and send photos for the file.

Signs your windows need attention

• Windows that stick, jam or need force to open
• Latches that don’t catch or won’t lock
• Daylight or draughts around the frame
• Condensation pooling on sills, or black mould on the frame
• Soft or flaking paint on timber sills
• Flyscreens with holes, sags or gaps at the edges

• Awning windows that won’t wind fully closed

Frequently asked questions