Blog
What we see on Hamilton homes and shops through the year, and what it takes to put the glass right.
Why glass cracks on the coldest Hamilton mornings
A crack that appears overnight in January is usually thermal stress. One part of the pane warms faster than the rest, the glass expands unevenly and it splits, often in a slow curve from an edge. Nothing hit it. The pane still has to be replaced, from $150 for a single pane and $350 for a sealed unit.
Wind and hail damage on Mountain facing windows
Storms coming over the escarpment brow hit glass with gravel and debris rather than hail alone. Surface chips smaller than a pencil tip can be left. Anything cracked, spidered or fogged after a storm needs new glass, from $150 for a single pane and $350 for a sealed unit.
Condensation on the inside of the glass is not a failed seal
Wipe the glass. If the moisture comes off the inside surface, your window is fine and your indoor humidity is high. If it comes off the outside, that is dew. If it wipes off neither, the moisture is between the panes and the sealed unit needs replacing, $350 to $650 installed.
Five signs your patio slider needs glass, not a new door
A patio door that fogs, drags or has a cracked pane is almost always fixable in place. The glass panel comes out of the track, a new tempered unit goes back in, and the frame stays. Rollers, locks and handles are a separate small repair. Neither means buying a new door.
What a same day glass repair actually looks like
Call before noon and stock glass usually goes in that day. You get a price on the phone, we confirm the glass and the slot, and the fitting itself takes 60 to 90 minutes. We take the old glass away and leave the sill clean. Made-to-measure sealed units take three to seven business days.
Cleaning your windows without wrecking the glass or the seal
Most glass we replace for scratching was cleaned with something abrasive: a razor, a scouring pad, or grit dragged across a dry pane. Water, a little dish soap, a soft cloth and a squeegee handle almost everything. Keep pressure washers and ammonia away from the perimeter seal and the coating.
Glass safety when there are kids and dogs in the house
The panes that matter are the ones at floor level: patio door leaves, side lights beside the front door, and any glass low in a wall. Those should be tempered or laminated safety glass. If yours is plain annealed single pane, replacing it is a straightforward glass job.
A cracked window in a rental: who calls and who pays
In Ontario the landlord is responsible for repairs and for keeping the unit in good state, so the landlord normally arranges and pays for glass. A tenant who broke it can be charged for the damage. Either way the glass gets replaced first, from $150 for a single pane and $350 for a sealed unit.
Broken storefront glass: how to stay open while it gets fixed
Secure the opening first, then order the glass. A same day board up gets you locked up, insured and trading, while the tempered storefront pane is made to measure. Photograph everything before you sweep, and get the incident number for the insurer.
Repairing wood window glass without losing the character
Old sashes were built to be reglazed. A broken pane comes out, the rebate is cleaned, new glass is bedded and puttied, and the sash keeps its original profile. Single pane glass starts at $150 installed and the sash, the trim and the look stay exactly as they were.