Repair or replace
New glass or a new window? How to decide
If the frame is sound and only the glass has failed, a new sealed unit is usually the sensible fix. If the wood is soft, air leaks through the frame, or several units are going at once, a full triple-pane window makes more sense, and only that option can earn the Efficiency Manitoba rebate. Many houses need some of each.
Three roads: defog, new glass or a new window
When a window starts fogging, drafting or icing up over a Winnipeg winter, there are three realistic ways to deal with it. Only one can earn the Efficiency Manitoba rebate, which makes the choice less obvious than it looks.
| Option | What's replaced | Usually suits | Rebate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defogging | Nothing. Small holes are drilled, the space is dried and the holes are sealed | One fogged unit you want to look better for a while | No |
| New sealed unit | The glass only. Frame, sash and trim stay | A sound frame with fogged or broken glass | No |
| New triple-pane window | The whole window, frame included | A soft or leaky frame, several failing units, or a planned upgrade | Can qualify, if it meets the program rules |
None of these is the right answer by default. And if the ice is on the room side of the glass and wipes off, it may not be a window problem at all. Read the frost or failed seal guide first.
We connect you with an independent local glass pro who looks at the window and says which one fits. The pro quotes and does the work, not us.
Start with the symptom
Each window problem points somewhere different. Go round the house and match what you see:
| What you notice | What it usually means | What often fixes it |
|---|---|---|
| Fog, droplets or white streaks between the panes | The edge seal has failed | A new sealed unit, or defogging for looks |
| A crack or break in one pane | Damaged glass | New glass, see broken window glass |
| A draft at the sash | Worn weatherstripping, or a sash that no longer pulls tight | Hardware and weatherstripping first |
| Soft wood, peeling paint, stains on the sill | Rot in the sash or frame | Sash repair if it's local, a new window if it's spread |
| A crank that spins, or a sash that won't open | Worn hardware | A new operator, hinge or lock |
Make a list, window by window. It makes quotes easier to compare, and it often shows that only a few windows need attention.
When new glass is enough
Fog between the panes means the seal has let go, not the window. If the frame is solid, the sash closes snugly and the crank works, a new sealed unit can be made to size and set into the existing window. That's the usual job described on the foggy sealed unit page. The same goes for a pane cracked by a stone thrown from the mower.
This is also where the small fixes live. Plenty of windows that feel ready for the landfill need only a crank, a hinge or fresh weatherstripping, and that work is worth doing properly.
Plastic over the windows every fall? Look at why before deciding the windows are done. Often the sash isn't pulling tight because a lock or hinge is worn, or the weatherstripping has flattened. Those are small repairs. If the air comes through the frame itself or around its outside edge, that's a different story.
When the window itself has to go
New glass doesn't help a window that's failing around it. Signs the whole unit should go:
- Soft wood. Push a screwdriver into the sill corner, where water sits. If it sinks in, the rot is in the frame.
- Several units failing at once in the same window or the same room.
- Air moving through or around the frame, not just at the sash.
- A sash that binds whatever is adjusted, because the frame has warped. Houses here settle on clay, so openings are rarely perfectly square. A good installer expects that and works with it.
When it's time, there are two ways to do it: a retrofit, where the new window fits inside the old frame, and full-frame, where everything comes out to the rough opening. The retrofit versus full-frame page explains the trade-offs, and replacement windows covers styles and what to expect.
Money: what each option costs you and what the rebate pays for
We don't publish prices, because every window here is made to measure. These are the things that move a quote:
- Size and shape, including arched or oversized picture units
- Double or triple pane, and any low-E coating
- Access: upper floors, or glass behind a storm window
- Frame condition, since soft wood changes the job
- For a whole window: retrofit or full-frame, and trim inside and out
Then there's the rebate. Efficiency Manitoba's window and door rebate pays only for complete ENERGY STAR triple-pane windows and doors with an NRCan reference number. A new sealed unit doesn't qualify, even a triple-pane one. So the smaller job earns nothing back, and the bigger one may earn something.
For one fogged unit in a sound frame, new glass is usually the simpler and cheaper fix. When several windows are failing or the frames are going, the comparison gets closer, and it's worth asking for both quotes. The rebate guide explains what counts. Program rules change, so check the official rebate page before you decide.
Heritage homes: why keeping original windows can matter
Older districts are full of original wood sash. In Armstrong's Point and Crescentwood-Enderton Park, the city's two Heritage Conservation Districts, and on properties on the City's List of Historical Resources, a heritage permit may be required before windows are changed. Check the City's heritage permit page before you order anything.
Even outside those districts, a well-made old sash can often be repaired and paired with a tight storm window. Wood window and sash repair covers what that involves.
A room-by-room approach instead of all at once
You don't have to do the whole house in one go. Many people start with the windows that are actually failing, like the fogged picture window or the kitchen casement with the soft sill, and carry on over a few seasons. That spreads the cost, and you see how the first new windows handle a winter before committing to the rest.
If you phase the work, keep the style and colour consistent and keep the invoice for each batch. If you're counting on the rebate, each claim has to go in within a set time after installation and payment, and there's a cap per application. Doing it all at once can still make sense, with one measuring visit and one install, so ask for a quote both ways.
Questions to ask any installer before you sign
- Is this a new sealed unit, a retrofit window or a full-frame replacement?
- Is the new window ENERGY STAR certified triple pane, and will each NRCan reference number be on the invoice?
- What does the warranty cover on the glass, the frame and the installation, and who handles a claim?
- Does the installed price show GST only? In Manitoba the installer normally pays provincial sales tax on materials rather than adding it to an installation bill.
If you sign with a salesperson in your home, Manitoba gives you a period to cancel; the province's home improvement rules explain it. Get everything in writing, and compare quotes on the same scope of work.
Decision checklist
- The moisture is between the panes, not on the room side
- You've tested the sill and frame for soft wood
- You've tried the crank, the locks and the weatherstripping
- You've listed each window and what's wrong with it
- You've checked whether your home needs a heritage permit
- You've read the current Efficiency Manitoba rules, if the rebate matters to you
- Your quotes name the option: sealed unit, retrofit or full-frame
Ready for an opinion on your windows? Send photos with a quote request and we'll pass them to a local pro who can say which fix fits.
Frequently asked questions
Why would I pay for a whole window when only the glass is fogged?
Often you shouldn't. If the frame and sash are sound, a new sealed unit fixes the fog and keeps everything else. A whole window earns its cost when the frame is soft, air leaks around it, or the hardware is worn out too. The catch: only a complete triple-pane window can qualify for the Efficiency Manitoba rebate.
Is it worth replacing older double-pane windows that still look fine?
Not usually for their own sake. If the glass is clear, the sash closes tight and there's no rot, they're doing their job. When they start fogging, drafting or sticking, compare a new sealed unit with a full triple-pane window, since only the full window can earn the rebate.
Storm windows or replacement windows: which makes more sense?
For an original wood sash in good shape, a tight storm window can be the better choice. It keeps the old window and cuts drafts and frost. For a window that's failing, a replacement does more. Heritage homes often lean toward keeping the originals. A pro can look at the sash and tell you which way it leans.
Are triple-pane windows worth it compared with new glass in my old frames?
If the frames are sound, new sealed units are the lighter job, and they can often be ordered as triple pane. If the frames are failing, a new triple-pane window fixes both problems and can qualify for the rebate. In a Winnipeg winter the extra pane keeps the room-side glass warmer, which helps with frost and comfort.
Do I need to replace all my windows at once?
No. Start with the ones that are failing and carry on over a few seasons if that suits your budget. Doing them together can mean one measuring visit and one install, so ask for quotes both ways. If you're claiming the rebate, keep each batch's invoice and check the claim deadline and per-application rules.
