• Do the important living areas of your house receive adequate natural lighting?
• Do you have or want windows or doors that connect you with outdoor living areas, interesting landscape features or views?
• Do the windows and doors match the original style of your house?
• Do the windows and doors have the appearance, durability and maintenance requirements that you expect?

• Increase the glass area. For good natural lighting, glass area needs to be about 10 per cent of the floor space.
• Add windows or doors to connect you with the outside environment. Make sure the weatherstripping prevents or minimizes air and water leakage.
• Choose replacement windows and doors that fit with the original style of the house.
• Select windows and doors that meet your needs. If you are replacing all of the windows and doors, you may want to totally change the look and feel of the house by choosing units of a completely different design.
• Consider the use of a professional designer to help explore your options.

• Poor natural lighting can detract from your enjoyment of the renovation. If you compromise on your choices you will have to live with the results.
• Adding another door or window later will be more costly and may not fit well with other renovation work that you have done.
• Poor selection can result in windows that look bad, perform poorly or require excessive maintenance. A designer can help to avoid problems such as installing too large a glass area on the sunny sides of the house that can lead to overheating unless sun controls (e.g., large overhangs, awnings or trees) are also included.

• Are your windows and doors in good operating condition and free from wind or water leakage?
• Are glass surfaces easy to reach for cleaning?
• Are storm windows and screens easy to install and in good condition?
• Are the latches, doorknobs or weatherstripping in good condition?
• Do your doors have security features such as door viewers, deadbolt locks, reinforced striker plates and hinge attachments?
• Is your window hardware adequate to resist forced entry?
• Does each bedroom have a window that allows egress in case of fire?

• Replace or repair worn out window or door units.
• Choose new window units that open or tilt in for easy cleaning. Familiarize yourself with available products and options. Pay attention to energy efficiency features.
• Replace worn or damaged latches, doorknobs or weatherstripping.
• Install deadbolts on exterior doors. Use door viewers or glazing to give you a clear look at your caller. Install longer screws at hinges or striker plates. Install solid blocking between the jamb and framing at hinge locations and striker plates.
• Install bedroom windows that have openings that meet the National Building Code requirement for egress.

• Window and door units will continue to be a source of problems.
• You may put yourself and your family at risk.

• Are there existing structural problems that affect your windows and doors?
• Will installation of new windows or doors require special structural details or changes in electrical and plumbing services?

• Carry out an inspection to help you understand the cause of any existing structural problems. Look for cracked or binding windows and doors.
• Repair or strengthen structural components so that they are adequate to carry the loads over existing or new openings.
• Consult with an expert to help you with the structural part of the work. Use a licensed tradesperson to disconnect or move any electrical or plumbing services.

• Structural deficiencies can lead to difficulties in operating windows and doors.
• Other structural problems can show up as cracked finishes or glass, bowing or displacement of walls and roof structures and possible structural failure.
• Structural, electrical or plumbing modifications that are not up to code can be a safety hazard.

• Is there moisture damage to any of the windows and doors?
• Is there moisture between the two panes of glass?
• Is there visible mold growth on any surfaces? Are there water stains?
• Has there been condensation on glazing, jambs or sills?
• Is there blistering or peeling paint?
• Is any of the caulking cracked or missing?
• Are the flashings in good repair?

• Determine the source of the moisture. It may be from building leaks or condensation of vapour on cold surfaces.
• Replace the sealed unit.
• Modify or move curtains, plants or window screens that are keeping warm air from getting to the window surface.
• Clean up visible mold growth according to CMHC guidelines.
• Insulate, air-seal or use energy efficient glazing to provide warmer inside surface temperatures.
• Provide ventilation and eliminate sources of moisture to control high humidity.
• Replace or repair all deteriorated finishes or structural components.
• Maintain caulking and flashings to prevent water access to the building structure.

• Unsolved water damage problems will continue and lead to further deterioration of the building or newly renovated areas.
• A broken seal will allow moisture to build up between the panes, reducing the window efficiency and possibly causing breakage.
• Mold growth caused by excess moisture can be a serious source of IAQ problems.
• Superficial cleanup or hiding moisture damage behind new finishes will allow deterioration to continue.

• Do large areas of glass make the room uncomfortable and hard to heat?
• Does excess condensation form on windows or other surfaces?
• Do large areas of glass lead to overheating from the sun’s energy?

• Make sure that there is adequate heating supplied to the area. Poor insulation levels and high air leakage will make the area hard to heat, drafty and uncomfortable.
• Use energy efficient glazing. In some cases, you may need to install additional ventilation to reduce indoor humidity levels. If you are installing a whole house ventilation system, consider one that includes heat recovery.
• Use a licensed installer for heating and ventilation work.
• Install blinds or exterior shading to control overheating from the sun and damage to interior finishes.

• The heating system may not be able to maintain a comfortable temperature in the living space during cold windy weather.
• Condensation may damage your work.
• The sun may overheat the living space.

Rewards

• Your window and door repair or replacement can provide you with units that are easy to operate, free from condensation and energy efficient.
• Additional glass area can result in bright, well-lit living spaces.
• You can improve the security and safety of your home.

Skills to Do the Job

A homeowner with good fix-it skills may be able to do some of the work on the repair or replacement of windows and doors such as:

• Replacing hardware or weatherstripping.
• Repairing caulking or flashing.
• Installing insert type window replacements.

Consider hiring a professional renovator for structural changes, finish work or complete project management. If you are doing the changes yourself, you will still need to hire subcontractors to carry out the electrical, plumbing, heating and ventilation work. Remember to obtain all necessary permits, ensure that workers use safe practices and are covered by workers’ compensation. Protect yourself, your family and your home.