Crank-out windows
Casement windows: cranks, seals, glass and new units
A casement swings outward when you turn its crank. Most Brampton houses went up after 1980, and many came with casements. When one spins, leaks air or fogs between the panes, the whole window rarely has to go. We're a free referral service, not a program or a window maker: we connect you with a local glass professional who checks the crank, hinges and glass, then quotes the fix. It's one of several window problems we help with.
- Crank, hinge and lock repairs
- New glass in the sash you have
- A new window when the frame is done
How they work
Why casements seal well and what wears out
Locked, the sash is pulled tight against weatherstripping on all four sides. That seals well, and it puts every moving part under strain.
The crank spins or slips
Gears inside the operator wear, or the handle's teeth round off. The sash stops part way, or nothing moves at all.
A draft when it's locked
Worn hinges let the sash sag, an arm bends, or the weatherstripping flattens. Kitchen and bedroom windows opened daily show it first.
Stiff after winter
The temperature here crosses freezing on many days each year. A sash that freezes shut and gets forced open can bend its arm or loosen a hinge.
Fix the part
Operator, hinge and lock repair
One worn part is the usual cause. The operator, hinges and lock each come out with a few screws, but hardware varies by maker and year, and a near match can leave the sash crooked. A pro matches the part and adjusts the sash to land evenly on the seal.
With a sound frame, that's far less disruption than a new window. Window repair covers other styles.
Foggy glass
Fogged glass in a casement sash
Foggy between the panes, but the crank still works? The usual fix is a new sealed unit, the glass part, set into the sash you have. Foggy windows covers the difference between a failed seal and room-side condensation.
Measure and check
The pro measures the glass and tries the hardware. A worn crank can be done on the same job.
Fitted on a second visit
The unit is made to size, then set and sealed. In a basement suite, give the tenant notice.
Basement windows
Why a basement casement opens wider than a slider
Casement
Swings its whole sash clear, so nearly the full frame opens. Pros often suggest one for a basement bedroom, where the clear opening is what counts.
Slider
Opens only as far as one panel travels, roughly half its width. Fine in a rec room, often short in a bedroom. See basement and egress windows.
New windows
Replacing a casement: same style or switch to a slider?
It's time for a new window once the frame has cracked, the sash has twisted beyond adjustment, or several casements are going at once.
Many owners keep the style. A slider upstairs is a fair swap; in a basement bedroom it costs opening space. For small openings, an awning window is the casement's close relative. See replacement windows and the repair-or-replace guide.
What affects the quote
What shapes a casement quote
- Which part has failed: crank, hinges, lock, seal or glass
- Whether the original hardware is still made
- Sealed unit size and any coating or spacer upgrade
- How many casements are done on one visit
- Floor level and access, including basement windows in a well
- For a new window: frame, colour, trim and caulking
A photo of the crank and one of the whole window help a pro quote before visiting.
Summer cooling
Air conditioners and casement windows
Window air conditioners sit on a sill under a lowered sash; a casement has no such sash. The usual answer is a portable unit on the floor, venting through a filler panel fitted into the open casement. A glass pro can cut a solid panel or rigid plastic sheet to size. Whatever fills the gap should be secure, sealed against rain and insects, and easy to remove. Never block the only window in a basement bedroom. We don't recommend appliance models.
Screens
Screens on casements (interior mount)
Since the sash swings out, the screen lives on the room side, held by small clips. Years of removal for cleaning break clips and bend the thin frame. See window screen repair for new mesh or a new frame.
Questions
Casement window questions
Explore your options
Related window help
Local pros work on casements across Brampton, including in Springdale, Mount Pleasant, Castlemore and Professor's Lake.
Tell us what your casements are doing
Say how many casements need attention and what each does: spins, sticks, leaks air or fogs. Add a photo of the crank. A local pro who handles casement hardware and glass will get it and follow up with a quote.