Replacement methods · Winnipeg
Retrofit, full-frame or just a new sealed unit?
A tired window can be fixed three ways: replace only the sealed unit, fit a retrofit insert inside the old frame, or strip it back to the rough opening and start again. Each suits a different problem. We connect you with local glass and window pros who check the frame before recommending one, and who'll say so when the smallest fix is enough.
- Glass, insert or full-frame, compared evenly
- Photo-first quotes from local pros
- Plain answers on what the rebate covers
Three options
Three ways to fix a bad window
Less work costs less, but only if the part you keep is sound. Our repair-or-replace guide goes deeper.
A new sealed unit
Only the glass changes. Frame, sash, hardware and trim stay. It's the fix for fog or a crack when the rest of the window is fine.
A retrofit insert
The old sash and glass come out and a complete new window, with its own frame, is fitted inside the old frame. Interior trim usually stays.
Full-frame replacement
The old window comes out down to the rough opening, the framed hole in the wall. The new one is sealed to the house, with new trim.
Glass only
Sealed unit replacement: when only the glass has failed
A sealed unit is the glass part of the window: two or three panes sealed around the edge with a dry space between. A failed seal fogs; a stone or hailstone cracks it. Either way, the unit can usually be replaced on its own.
A new unit is made to size and set into the existing sash. See broken glass and new sealed units for the details, or foggy windows if yours has clouded.
It stops being the right call when the frame is soft, air leaks around the outside of the window, or the same window is on its second or third unit.
Insert windows
Retrofit (insert) windows: how they work, pros and trade-offs
A retrofit window is a complete new window built to fit inside the old frame. You gain a tidy install with no new drywall. You give up a little glass, and an insert over rot just hides the rot.
Measure
Each opening is measured at several points, and the insert is ordered to the tightest one.
Remove the sash and glass
The old frame and trim stay put.
Set, insulate and cap
The insert is shimmed level and foamed, and the old frame is capped outside.
Quick guide
Which fix fits the symptom
A starting point, not a diagnosis. The pro confirms on site.
| What you see | Usually fixed by | When to go further |
|---|---|---|
| Fog or haze between the panes | A new sealed unit | Retrofit if several units in the window are failing |
| Cracked glass | A new sealed unit | Full-frame if the impact damaged the frame |
| Draft at the opening sash | New weatherstripping or hardware repair | Retrofit if the sash is warped |
| Draft around the frame or trim | Full-frame, so the gap to the wall can be sealed | Already the full fix |
| Soft or rotted sill or frame | Full-frame | Retrofit only if minor rot is repaired first |
| Out-of-square opening | Retrofit, measured carefully | Full-frame if the frame is badly twisted |
Starting over
Full-frame replacement: when the opening needs to be rebuilt
Full-frame is the choice when the frame is rotten, when air and water get in around the window, or when you want a different size or style. It also shows what's behind the trim; in older Winnipeg houses that's sometimes missing insulation.
It costs more, since trim and finishes are redone. Same-size replacement doesn't need a City building permit, though the work must meet code (City of Winnipeg). Heritage-listed homes and heritage conservation districts may need a heritage permit. For styles and glass, see replacement windows.
What affects the quote
What makes retrofit or full-frame cost more or less
A sealed unit is the smallest job and full-frame the largest, but the house decides the details:
- The method: glass only, retrofit insert or full-frame
- Size, style and number of windows
- Triple or double pane
- Exterior finish: siding, stucco and brick take different work
- Capping outside and new casing inside
- What turns up once the old window is out, such as rot
Photos from inside and outside, with a close-up of the sill, let a pro say which method fits before visiting.
Rebate rules
Rebate rules: what Efficiency Manitoba excludes
The window rebate is run by Efficiency Manitoba, not Manitoba Hydro. It pays for ENERGY STAR certified triple-pane windows and doors with an NRCan reference number, and it excludes glass inserts without a full frame and NRCan number.
So a new sealed unit earns no rebate, however good it is, and a full-frame triple-pane window can. A retrofit insert sits in between: it's a complete window with its own frame, set inside your old one. Confirm with Efficiency Manitoba whether a certified insert qualifies before you choose. Our rebate guide covers the paperwork.
Questions
Retrofit and full-frame questions
Explore your options
Related window services
Local pros quote glass, retrofit and full-frame work across the city and nearby, including Wolseley & Armstrong's Point, River Heights, St. Vital, North Kildonan and Selkirk.
Send photos of the frames, inside and out
A picture of each window inside and out, plus a close-up of the sill, shows whether you need glass, an insert or full-frame. We pass your photos to an independent local pro, who follows up with a quote.