North & East Kildonan · Winnipeg
Window and glass repair in North and East Kildonan
If a window is broken right now, start with the room, not the glass. Keep people and pets away, pick up the big pieces with gloves, photograph the damage, then cover the opening. North and East Kildonan know that routine from the August 2023 hail. The rest of the year, the houses here, mostly built before 1981, bring their own sealed units, sliders and storm doors. We connect you with independent local pros who repair all of it.
At a glance
- Housing
- Mostly built before 1981; a large stock of detached houses
- Storm history
- Among the hardest-hit areas in the 24 August 2023 hail
- Common jobs
- Hail and storm glass, screens, sealed units, storm doors
- Insurance
- MPI covers vehicles; house glass is a home-policy question
August 2023: the hailstorm that hit Kildonan
The storm hit on the evening of Thursday, 24 August 2023. Hailstones driven by strong winds shattered windows and dented houses across the north of the city, and news coverage named West and North Kildonan, Garden City and Transcona among the hardest hit, with photos from streets in Fraser's Grove and Rossmere.
Hail doesn't always break glass outright. A pane can take a small chip at the edge and carry on, and the seal may start to fog later. If a window here has fogged, rattled or stopped latching since that storm, mention it when you ask for a quote.
Broken glass and shredded screens after hail
When hail or wind breaks a window, the order is the same every time:
- Make it safe. Keep people and pets out of the room, and wear gloves around the glass.
- Photograph it. Wide shots of each side of the house, close-ups of every broken pane and torn screen, all before anything is moved.
- Cover it. Plywood, a board-up from a pro, or heavy plastic taped from the inside over a small pane.
- Replace it properly. Sealed units are made to measure, so the permanent glass usually comes on a second visit.
One point confuses a lot of people. MPI insures vehicles in Manitoba, so your car's hail claim goes there, but damage to your house is a question for your home insurance policy. The pro can supply the written quote and photos your insurer will ask for. Torn screens can usually be rescreened in their own frames; see screen repair.
1950s–70s homes: sealed units, sliders and storm doors
Outside storm season, the everyday jobs come from the age of the houses. Much of North and East Kildonan went up from the 1950s through the 70s, and many houses have had their windows replaced once since; those sealed units are now at the age when seals fail. A single fogged unit can usually be swapped without touching the frame; see foggy sealed units.
Older sliders wear their rollers and latches, and the storm door takes a beating from both winter and summer. A closer that slams, a torn sweep, or a glass insert that needs to become a screen for July are all small fixes. Our storm doors page explains what can be repaired and when a new door fits better.
Before the next storm: what's worth checking
No house is hail-proof, but a spring walk-around makes the next storm easier:
- Look along the edges of each pane for chips or small cracks.
- Check screens for dents and pulled splines before bug season.
- Test the storm door closer and latch, so the door can't catch the wind.
- Photograph your windows as they are now; before-and-after pictures make an insurance conversation simpler.
- Note which units are already fogging.
Kildonan hail and window questions
Can hail-cracked glass be replaced without a new window?
Usually, yes. If the frame and sash weren't damaged, the pro replaces only the glass: a new sealed unit made to size for a double- or triple-pane window, or a single pane in a storm or older sash. The frame, trim and hardware stay. A full replacement comes up when the frame itself is cracked or bent. See broken window glass for the first steps.
What should I check on my windows after a hailstorm?
Walk around the house once it's safe. Look for broken or cracked panes, chips along the edges of the glass, torn or dented screens, and dents in metal trim. Check that storm doors still close and latch. Photograph everything before it's moved or covered. Over the following months, watch for fog between the panes, which can follow damage at the edge of a unit. Our hail damage page has more.
Is hail damage to my house handled like MPI handles my car?
No. MPI is Manitoba's public auto insurer, so it deals with vehicles. Hail damage to your house, including windows and screens, is a matter for your home insurance policy. Policies differ, so read yours and call your insurer before deciding how to go ahead. The pro can give you a written quote and photos to support a claim.
Can old sealed units be swapped in a 1960s house?
Yes, as long as the frame is sound. Whether the window is original or a later replacement, the pro measures the glass, orders a unit made to size and sets it into the existing sash. Ask whether the frame can take a thicker, better-insulating unit. If the frame is soft or the window leaks all round, ask for a price on a new window as well.
Does a small hail chip in the glass need fixing?
Have it looked at. A chip at the edge is more of a worry than one in the middle: a crack can start there as the glass heats and cools, and on a sealed unit it can let the seal go. Photograph it now, and ask the pro to check it while they're there.