Common questions about window and glass work in Windsor-Essex

Wipe each side with a dry cloth. Outside dew on a muggy morning is normal: air-conditioned rooms chill the glass, and it clears as the day warms. Haze that won't wipe off either side is a blown seal. See the condensation guide.

Sometimes. Thermal glass, which pros call a sealed unit, is panes sealed at the edges. Defogging clears the haze on a unit you'd keep. A new sealed unit fits your frame and replaces the seal. A rotting frame means a new window. Compare them.

No. In an old wood sash, a glazier cuts and reglazes a new pane. In thermal glass, only the sealed unit is swapped. Patterned or wavy glass in older Walkerville or Sandwich houses is harder to match, so send a photo. Broken window glass has more.

Cover it tonight if the house can't be locked, rain can get in or a loose shard could fall; see emergency board-up. Take photos first. Claiming depends on your deductible: for one cracked pane it may exceed the repair, while after several windows break, a claim makes more sense.

Reglazing plain glass in an old wood sash suits a handy owner. Sealed units and whole windows are heavy, made to exact sizes, and a poor seal lets water into the wall. Tempered door and shower glass can't be cut once made.

The City's list covers new or structural changes to windows and doors, plus porches, sunrooms and walkouts: a bigger opening or a window-to-door conversion needs one. A same-size swap usually doesn't need one, but confirm on the City's permit page.

In the Sandwich Heritage Conservation District, a same-opening replacement needs no heritage permit unless the original is a significant street-facing feature, and storm windows are exempt (Sandwich plan). Walkerville isn't a district yet. Its plan goes to Council this winter and the window rules aren't published (City study), so ask first.

Whole windows and doors, not glass. The Home Renovation Savings Program pays toward ENERGY STAR certified windows and doors, generally alongside a home energy assessment. A new sealed unit or a defog doesn't qualify, and the federal grant has closed. Check the program site.

For houses, Sandwich Town and Ford City. Their Community Improvement Plan (CIP) grants name front doors, windows and porches, for repair or replacement; Ford City's work must be visible from the road. Apply before work starts, with two contractor estimates. See the grants guide.

Get a written, itemized quote that shows HST. If you sign at home, Ontario generally gives you a 10-day cooling-off period from the day you get your copy, and the final bill can't run far past a written estimate unless you agree. See Ontario's rules.

The pro. We pass your request to an independent local business that does that work, and step back in only if it goes quiet. They measure, quote and do the job, and the contract and warranty are between you and them. How it works spells it out.