Bay and bow windows
Bay and bow windows, repaired or replaced
A bay or bow is several windows joined together, with a small roof above and a seat below. When it's cold, drafty or sagging, the trouble can be in any of those parts. We connect you with local window pros who look at the whole assembly before quoting, and who'll say so when one new sealed unit is all it needs.
- One fogged pane or the whole bay
- Seat, roof and support checked too
- Plain answers on the rebate
Bay or bow
Bay vs bow: what's the difference
A bay usually has three units, a wide fixed centre and two angled side windows; that shape is called a canted bay. A bow uses four or more units of similar width in a gentle curve.
Both project from the wall, with a roof above and a seat below, so their problems are often about structure and insulation, not just glass.
What goes wrong
Common problems: sagging, leaks, cold seats, fogged units
Sagging
Drooping corners or a sloping seat can mean lost support. Cables or brackets can often be added.
Leaks at the head
Water getting past the little roof's flashing stains the trim above the glass.
A cold seat
Usually insulation, not glass. More on that below.
Fogged units
Each window in the bay has its own sealed unit, and one can fog while the rest stay clear. See foggy sealed units.
Your options
Fix one pane or replace the whole bay?
Start with the part that failed. Replacing a whole bay to cure one foggy pane is rarely the right spend.
Replace a sealed unit
When one pane has fogged or cracked and the frames are sound, the unit is replaced on its own and the rest of the bay stays put.
Repair the seat, roof or support
Insulating the seat, reflashing the roof or adding support can fix a cold or sagging bay without new windows.
Replace the bay
When the frames are soft, several units are failing, or you want triple pane throughout, the bay is replaced as one assembly.
Rebates
Rebates on bay and bow windows
A new ENERGY STAR certified triple-pane bay or bow, replacing an existing one, can qualify for Efficiency Manitoba's window rebate. The program counts by rough opening, the framed hole in the wall, so a bay counts as one opening even though it holds several windows. Check the current terms, since details change.
A new sealed unit in an existing bay doesn't qualify, because glass inserts without a full frame are excluded. It's still often the right fix. Our rebate guide covers what does count.
What affects the quote
What shapes the price of bay and bow work
- One sealed unit, a repair, or a whole new bay
- Bay or bow, and how many units
- Triple or double pane, and which units open
- Seat, head and roof work, including insulation and flashing
- Support: cables, brackets or framing repairs
One photo from outside and one from inside let a pro see the roof, the support, the seat and the glass.
Cold seat
Cold seat and corner frost: insulation under the seat, not only the glass
If the seat is cold to sit on in January, or frost builds where the side windows meet the centre, the glass may not be the culprit. Many bays were built with little insulation under the platform and in the small roof above, and cold air finds the joints.
Insulating and sealing the seat can do more than new glass. If you're replacing the bay anyway, make sure the quote includes insulating the seat and head.
The install
What installation involves
The old bay comes out and the rough opening is checked for rot and level. The new one is set with proper support, the seat and head are insulated, and the roof is flashed.
Bays are made to order, and out-of-square openings in settled houses are allowed for when measuring. See window styles for other options and replacement windows for the wider decision.
Questions
Bay and bow window questions
Explore your options
Related window services
Local pros repair and replace bays and bows across the city, including River Heights, Tuxedo & Charleswood, North Kildonan and Fort Garry.
Send a photo of the bay, from inside and outside
Outside shows the roof and support; inside shows the seat and glass. We pass them to a local window pro who quotes the fix, whether that's one sealed unit or a new bay.