Cranks, balances, locks
Windows that stick, drop, leak air or won't lock
Most window trouble is a part, not the glass or frame: a window crank that spins, a balance that's let go, a latch that won't catch, weatherstripping flattened by years of wind. The crank may be the only thing that's worn out. We connect you with an independent local pro who repairs house windows; they quote and do the work.
- The worn part is often the only problem
- Cranks, balances, latches, weatherstripping
- A photo helps match hard-to-find parts
Casement windows
Casement cranks and operators that spin, strip or bind
Turn the window crank and nothing happens, or it grinds, or the sash stops halfway. Usually the operator's gears have stripped, often from forcing a window frozen to its weatherstrip. Sometimes only the handle has failed.
An operator is swapped from inside, window in place. A good pro checks the hinges too; bent ones will strip a new crank. In a cold snap, let a frozen casement thaw rather than cranking harder.
Hung windows
Hung windows that won't stay up: balances, cords and tilt latches
A hung sash should stay where you leave it. When it creeps down or slams, the balance has failed. Vinyl windows hide spring balances in the side tracks, replaced as parts.
Older wood sash, still common in the Lower City, hang on cords over pulleys to hidden weights. A broken cord is repairable by someone at home with old windows; see wood window repair.
Replace cracked tilt latches promptly; a sash that tilts in unexpectedly can fall.
Sliders
Sliders that drag: rollers, tracks and latches
A slider that sticks or scrapes usually has worn rollers, grit in the track, or both. Vacuum the track first; if it still drags, the rollers can often be replaced. A latch that misses its keeper usually needs adjusting, not replacing.
Older aluminum sliders are covered on sliding and double-hung windows.
Drafts
Drafts and whistling: weatherstripping and exterior sealant
A whistle on windy nights or a cold line along the sill points to seals, not glass.
Weatherstripping flattens, tears or shrinks, and replacing it is a small job; the City's heritage guidance suggests it for older windows too. Outside, the sealant between frame and brick cracks away and needs a new bead.
Why exposed Mountain walls wear seals faster
The Mountain is windier and snowier than the Lower City, and freezing rain comes every winter. A casement on the windward side gets pushed and soaked more, so its weatherstrip and crank work harder. More on windows on the Mountain.
Locks and limiters
Locks and opening limiters for rentals and kids' rooms
A sash lock is a small part with a big job: it keeps the window shut and pulls the sashes tight so they don't rattle. Once the right part is in hand, it's a quick swap.
Opening limiters stop a window opening wide enough for a child to fall through, and fit most casements and sliders. In a bedroom, choose one an adult can release, so the window still works as a way out.
Landlords under Hamilton's rental licensing program have extra reason to keep locks and screens working; see the rental licensing guide.
Ask about a lock or latchHard-to-find parts
When parts can't be found any more
The crank or lock on an older window may not be sold any more. That doesn't automatically mean a new window: pros keep a range of operators, balances and latches, and many fit more than one make.
A photo of the part beside a tape measure, plus one of the whole window, is often enough to find a match that uses the same screw holes. When nothing fits and the frame is tired as well, it's time to look at replacement windows.
What affects the quote
What decides the price of a hardware repair
The price follows the part and the time on site:
- Which part: a handle, an operator, a pair of balances, a lock or new weatherstripping
- Whether the part is common or has to be tracked down
- How many windows are done in one visit
- Access, such as an upstairs window
- Extra work found on the day, like bent hinges or a warped sash
Ask for parts and labour listed separately.
Questions
Window repair questions
Explore your options
Other window help
Pros fix window hardware across the city, including the Mountain, Stoney Creek, Binbrook, Ancaster and Westdale.
Send a photo of the part that's failing
A clear shot of the crank, lock or balance, plus one of the whole window, tells a pro whether they carry a match. We pass it to a local pro who repairs window hardware.