Cranks, locks, balances
Window won’t open, close or lock? Often one part has worn out
Moving parts wear out before glass does. In a house built in the 1970s, 80s or 90s, the crank, hinges and weatherstrip have been working for a long time. When one fails, the rest of the window is often fine, and the worn part can be changed on its own. We connect you with an independent local pro who repairs window hardware; they find the part, quote the job and fit it.
- One worn part, one repair
- Casement, hung and slider hardware
- Small jobs are real jobs
Cranks and operators
Cranks and operators on casement and awning windows
The crank turns a small gearbox, the operator, which pushes the arm that opens the sash.
The crank spins but the window doesn’t move
The gears inside the operator have stripped; the handle is rarely at fault. A new operator goes into the same spot if a matching one exists.
It opens but won’t close tight
The arm has slipped out of its track or the hinges have sagged. A pro resets the arm or replaces the hinges. More on casement windows and awning windows.
It’s stiff and hard to turn
Grit in the hinge tracks. Clean them; forcing the crank strips the gears.
Hung windows
Balances and tilt latches on hung windows
In a single-hung or double-hung window, a balance hidden in the side of the frame holds the sash up. When it wears out, the sash slides down or won’t stay put. A pro matches the replacement to the window.
The same visit can cover the tilt latches, the small slides that let the sash tip in for cleaning. If they’ve snapped, the sash can fall inward, so replace them rather than tape them. Horizontal sliders use rollers instead; a dragging sash usually needs a clean track or new rollers.
Locks and handles
Locks, keepers and handles
A window lock has two halves: the lock on the sash and the keeper it catches on the frame. When a window won’t lock, the sash has often dropped slightly, so the two no longer meet. Adjusting the keeper fixes many of these.
Broken cam locks and casement handles can usually be replaced with matching parts, and a keyed lock can be added to many sliders and hung windows. In a condo suite, ask the management office before changing hardware on the building’s windows.
Drafts
Weatherstripping and drafts, and what “window seal” means
People say “window seal” for two different things, and each has its own fix.
The weatherstrip
The rubber or foam strip that closes the gap around the sash. Flattened or torn, it lets in drafts and wind noise. It’s replaced on its own, and it’s a small job. If the draft is at the trim instead, the outside caulking has probably cracked.
The sealed unit’s edge seal
The seal around the glass that keeps the air between the panes dry. When it fails, the glass fogs. That’s a glass job; see foggy sealed units.
Time to replace?
Signs repair has run its course
Usually it’s one of these:
No matching parts
Some older hardware is no longer made. A newer operator can sometimes be adapted, but not always.
The frame is the problem
Soft wood, split vinyl corners or a sash that no longer sits square won’t hold new hardware for long.
Everything is going at once
Worn cranks, fogged glass and drafts across the house may point to replacement windows. The repair or replace guide walks through it.
What affects the quote
What shapes the price of a window repair
Most hardware repairs are small jobs. The quote depends on:
- Which part failed, and whether a match can still be found
- How many windows need the same repair on one visit
- Whether the sash has to come out to reach the part
- Access: upper floors, or a suite where the service elevator must be booked
Photograph the part, the whole window, and any label or stamp on the frame or spacer. It helps the pro identify the part before the visit.
Old Port Credit
In Old Port Credit: hardware swaps don’t need heritage approval
Old Port Credit Village runs from Lakeshore Road West to the lake, between the Credit River and Mississauga Road. Its district plan lists replacing worn hardware among work exempt from heritage approval.
The plan also protects original sash and glazing, so choose parts that suit the old window. For anything beyond hardware, check with City heritage staff and read our guide to the heritage villages.
Questions
Questions about window hardware
Explore your options
Related window help
Pros repair window hardware across the city, including Erin Mills, Meadowvale, Applewood and Port Credit.
Photograph the crank or lock and send it in
Include the whole window and any label on the frame. We’ll pass it to a local pro who repairs hardware.