Can an old sliding window be repaired?

Often, yes. New rollers, a latch and fresh pile weatherstrip bring many sliders back to smooth, tight closing. On older aluminum sliders the catch is finding matching parts, so a clear photo of the roller helps. If the frame is bent or the glass is failing too, replacement may make more sense. Window repair covers other hardware.

Why won't my double-hung window stay up?

The balances have worn out or, on an old wood window, a sash cord has snapped. Spring and spiral balances lose tension over the years, and once they can't carry the sash, it creeps or drops. They're replaced in pairs, usually without touching the glass or frame.

If I enlarge a basement slider for a bedroom, what does the new window need?

An opening that meets the Ontario Building Code's bedroom egress rule: a minimum clear area, width and height, openable from inside without tools. Enlarging the hole means cutting the wall, so it needs a building permit from the City of Hamilton. The pro can suggest the style with the most clear opening.

Which slider and hung-window fixes are safe to try myself?

Vacuuming the track, clearing its drain holes and a silicone spray on the rollers are fair game. Balance springs are under tension and a heavy sash can crack as it comes out, so leave those to a pro. A photo with your request lets them tell you what's broken before they visit.

Sliders and hung windows

Sliders and hung windows: fixes, parts and replacements

A slider that grinds along its track. A latch that won't catch. A double-hung that drops the moment you let go. A big slice of Hamilton was built in the 1960s and 70s, when aluminum and early vinyl sliders were the norm, and older Lower City houses still have hung windows. Usually it's one worn part. We're a free referral service for house windows: we connect you with an independent local pro who'll tell you whether a roller, a balance or a new window is the answer.

Rollers, latches and balances replaced
An honest call on repair or new
Bedroom egress rules explained

Get a free quote 905-540-1432

A 1970s aluminum slider: worn rollers and a gritty track, both fixable.

Know your window

Sliders vs hung windows: how they work

Sliders

Sashes glide sideways on rollers in a bottom track. Common in 1960s and 70s houses, and across lower Stoney Creek, much of it built up in the 1970s and 80s.

Double- and single-hung

Sashes move up and down; on a single-hung only the bottom one does. Newer ones ride on spring or spiral balances in the jambs, and many tilt in for cleaning.

Slider trouble

Sliders: rollers, tracks, latches

Hard to slide

Seized or flattened rollers, or a track packed with grit. Cleaning helps; worn rollers need replacing, and a pro can often match one from a photo.

Won't latch

The sash has dropped on tired rollers, or the latch is broken. New rollers lift it back into line; a new latch does the rest.

Drafty or rattling

Worn pile weatherstrip on the rails and track. It matters most up on the Mountain, where the wind is stronger than in the Lower City.

Hung window trouble

Hung windows: balances and tilt latches

If a hung window creeps down or crashes shut, suspect the balance.

Identify the balance
A tired spring can't carry the sash. On an old wood window, the same symptom means a snapped cord; see wood window repair.
Replace them as a pair
The pro lifts the sash out and fits matched new balances so it rides evenly.
Check tilt latches and pivots
These small parts break often on windows tilted for cleaning, and they're replaceable on their own.

Bedroom windows

Basement and bedroom windows: egress size rules

For a bedroom, the Ontario Building Code expects a window with a minimum clear opening area, width and height, openable from inside without tools, unless the room has a door straight outside.

A same-size replacement in the same spot doesn't need a building permit in Hamilton unless a fire rating applies. Enlarging the opening does; see the City's building permit page. Since a slider only opens halfway, the pro may suggest a casement for more clear opening.

Water in the window well

A well that fills after rain usually has a blocked or missing drain. Clear it, top up the gravel or add a clear cover before replacing the window.

When it's time

Replacing a slider or hung unit

Sometimes the part can't be found, the frame has warped, or no weatherstrip will close the gap. Older aluminum sliders run cold to the touch, so replacing them is often about comfort as much as the broken part. You can keep the style or switch; see replacement windows, vinyl frames, or our repair or replace guide.

What affects the quote

What drives the price

Repair or replacement, the quote depends on:

Whether the part can be matched
How many windows share the problem
The window type and size
For a new window: frame, glass and trim
Access, and any wall cutting for a bigger opening

A photo of the whole window, a close-up of the worn part, and the width and height are enough for a first answer.

Get a slider or hung-window quote

Free matching with independent local pros.

Questions

Slider and hung window questions

Explore your options

The pros we work with fix and replace sliders and hung windows above and below the escarpment, including Stoney Creek, Hamilton Mountain, Binbrook, Ancaster and Crown Point and Ottawa Street.

Send a photo and the window size

Tell us whether it's a slider or a hung window, what it's doing, and roughly how big it is. We'll pass it to a local pro who does repairs and replacements, and they'll get back to you with options.