Window Repair near you

Natural Resources Canada's guide to upgrading windows ties the decision to the frame. If the frame is in poor condition, it may be time to replace the unit; if only the glazing has failed, a new sealed unit is the fix. Most of what lies in between, from cranks and balances to weatherstripping and small patches of rot, is repair work that leaves the frame, the trim and the seal to the wall undisturbed.

Counting the problems helps. One broken operator on an otherwise sound window is a short repair. When nearly every window needs new hardware, several sealed units have fogged and the sills are soft, the repairs start to demand as much effort as a replacement without delivering its gains. Ask the technician to write down the condition of each window, so you can repair the good ones now and plan to replace the worst.

Window drafts follow two paths: between the sash and the frame, which is the weatherstripping's job, and around the frame, where caulking takes over. Inside, Natural Resources Canada recommends a continuous bead of caulk where the trim meets the wall, at the mitred corners of the trim and between the trim and the frame, using a good-quality indoor caulk that can be painted. Outside, the joint between the frame and the siding calls for an exterior sealant.

Condensation on the room side of the glass is mostly a humidity issue. Natural Resources Canada explains that it forms in cold weather when moist indoor air meets cooler surfaces, and that the risk rises as it gets colder outside and more humid inside. The lower edge of the glass and the frame tend to be the coldest parts of a window, so water and frost gather there first.

NRCan's advice is to keep air moving near the windows by not blocking them with drapes, furniture or deep sills, to run the heat recovery ventilator if the house has one, and to lower indoor humidity through ventilation. Its window guide also warns that new, tighter windows can make condensation worse, because the old leaky ones were letting humid air escape.

Old wood windows are often worth keeping. They were built to be taken apart and repaired piece by piece, and on an older facade they carry much of the building's character. The Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada favour minimal intervention: repair character-defining elements with recognized conservation methods, and replace in kind only the parts that are too far gone, where surviving examples exist to copy.

Restoration usually means freeing sashes that were painted shut, splicing new wood into rotten sections, re-glazing panes with fresh putty, adding weatherstripping and fitting a storm window. It keeps the original look while improving comfort. Replacement is the practical route when most of the wood is rotten or when the priority is a large gain in energy performance. On a heritage building or in a protected area, ask the municipality before choosing either route, since new sashes or windows may need approval.

A technician starts by opening and closing each window, looking for markings that identify the model, and checking the hardware, weatherstripping, glass and wood. Common operators, hinges, balances and rollers can sometimes be swapped on the first visit; parts for older windows often have to be ordered or matched, which can mean a second trip.

On older wood windows, the paint needs attention before anyone scrapes it. According to Health Canada, lead-based paint is probably present in homes built before 1960 and may be on the exterior of those built between 1960 and 1990. Health Canada warns against removing it with sanders, heat guns or blowlamps, which release toxic dust and fumes, so ask how the crew will test the paint, contain dust and clean up, and keep children away from the work area.