My slider drags and sticks. Is that fixable, or is the window done?

Usually fixable. Worn rollers and a dirty or bent track cause most sticking, and both can be fixed. If the frame has warped or the sash has cracked, replacement is more sensible. A photo of the bottom track and the sash edge helps the pro tell which.

Can I still get balances and tilt latches for an older double-hung?

Usually. Balances and tilt latches are made in many types and lengths, and a pro matches the old part by measuring it and reading any markings. For discontinued designs, a close substitute often fits. If nothing suits, that's one of the few hardware reasons to consider replacing the window.

Is it worth switching from sliders to casements when I replace?

Often, where wind and air matter. Casements press against the frame when closed, so they tend to seal better, and they open the full sash. Sliders suit spots where a sash can't swing out, over a walkway or deck. In a bedroom, a casement can also make it easier to meet egress.

Do replacement sliders come in standard sizes, or are they made to order?

Most replacement windows are made to order for the opening, measured on site, so there's a wait between measuring and fitting. Older openings, especially in plaster or stone walls, are rarely a stock size. Same-size replacement doesn't need a City of Kingston building permit; changing the opening does.

The latch on my sliding window won't lock. Can just the latch be replaced?

Usually yes. Often the latch only needs adjusting against its keeper, because the sash has settled. If it's broken, a replacement latch is matched to the frame. In a ground-floor bedroom or a rental, fix it before the next term starts.

Sliders & double-hungs

Sliders and double-hungs: fixing them or choosing new ones

Double-hung sash, sliding up and down, are common in Kingston's older houses. Sliders, moving sideways, turn up in many homes built after the city grew west in the 1950s. Both wear out at the hardware long before the frame, so the first question is which part has gone. We're a referral service: we connect you with an independent local pro who repairs these windows or replaces them.

Rollers, balances and latches first
Straight advice on switching styles
Same-size replacements made to the opening

Get a free quote 613-480-0991

A slider over the sink, a double-hung next door: two styles, two sets of hardware.

Two styles

How sliders and double-hungs differ

Slider

Sash run sideways on small rollers in a bottom track, locked by a latch at the meeting rail.

Double-hung

Two sash move up and down. Old wood ones hang on cords and weights; newer ones use balances in the jambs and often tilt in.

Single-hung

Only the bottom sash moves, so there's less hardware to wear.

Sliders

Slider problems: rollers, tracks and latches

In 1952 Kingston annexed land west to Little Cataraqui Creek, and large subdivisions followed in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Many houses of that era had sliders, often replaced once since.

A slider that drags or jumps usually has worn rollers or a gritty track; new rollers and a cleaned track often finish the job. A sliding window lock that won't catch may need adjusting, or a new latch. Across Kingston's many freeze-thaw days, meltwater can freeze in the track: let it thaw, then clear the weep holes. More small fixes are on our window repair page.

Double-hungs

Double-hung problems: balances, tilt latches and drafts

Work through these in order. Each is a part, not a whole window.

Won't stay up
A balance has lost tension or come unhooked, and can be replaced. On old wood sash it's a cord; see wood window repair.
Won't tilt or latch back
Worn tilt latches at the top of the sash are small, replaceable parts.
Drafty at the middle
A loose sash lock or flattened weatherstripping lets air through the meeting rails.

Replacing

Replacing with the same style or switching to casements

A new window makes sense when the frame is failing, several thermal units have fogged, or parts can't be found. Like for like suits spots over a counter or walkway. Casements seal tighter and open fully, but the crank wears. See replacement windows for fitting and vinyl windows for frames. In a rental, a slider that won't lock belongs on the turnover list; see our page for landlords.

The City of Kingston says no building permit is needed to replace a window at the same size, following property line rules; enlarging or altering an opening, or work on a heritage building, needs one.

What affects the quote

What affects the cost

A repair is mostly the part and the visit. For a new window, the pro asks about:

Whether a part is still made for your window
Style and size, and whether the opening changes
Frame material and glass
Removing the old frame and finishing the trim
Access, such as over a sink or upstairs

A photo of the hardware helps the pro identify the part.

Get a window quote

Free quotes from independent local pros.

Bedrooms

Egress: bedroom windows must still open wide enough

Under the Ontario Building Code, a bedroom without its own outside door needs a window someone can climb out of, opening from inside without tools. Sliders fall short most often, since only half opens. Before replacing a bedroom slider, especially downstairs, check the opening; a casement often clears more. See basement and egress windows.

Questions

Slider and double-hung questions

Explore your options

Pros repair and replace these windows across the city and nearby, including Kingscourt, Portsmouth Village, Bayridge and Amherstview.

Tell us what the window is doing

Give the style, rough size and the problem. We'll pass it to a local pro who fixes sliders and double-hungs.