Can I get a new crank without a new window?

Yes. The crank handle and the operator it turns are separate parts, and both can be replaced while the window stays in the wall. The pro matches the operator's size and direction to the old one. A photo of the old part and any frame label helps them match it.

Why won't my window lock line up any more?

Usually the sash has shifted. Hinges wear, frames settle, and the lock no longer meets the keeper on the frame. Moving the keeper or adjusting the hinges is often enough; a worn or cracked lock gets replaced. Neither needs a new window.

Is it worth repairing an older vinyl window?

Usually, if the frame is sound. A 1990s vinyl window with a stripped crank or tired weatherstrip can keep working well after a repair. It's less worth it when the corners are cracked, the sash won't sit square and the glass has fogged too. See repair or replace for the checks.

Are the crank kits sold in stores worth trying?

Sometimes. If you can match the handle or operator exactly, a handy owner can swap it. But operators come in many sizes and mounting patterns, and a near-match can bind or strip again. If it doesn't fit cleanly, let a pro source the right one.

Cranks, locks, balances

Window hardware and seal repairs

When a window stops opening, closing or locking properly, the glass and frame are often fine. What wore out is usually small: a crank operator, a lock, a balance or weatherstripping, and many 1990s and 2000s Brampton homes are at that age. We connect you with an independent local pro who finds the right part and fits it. For other problems, see all window services.

The worn part, not the whole window
Casements, sliders and hung windows
Tidy work in lived-in rooms

Get a free quote 905-216-6105

New operator and weatherstrip ready to go in. Sash, glass and frame stay.

Symptom to part

Match the symptom to the part

These are the usual culprits behind each symptom.

Crank spins but the window doesn't move

Stripped gears in the operator, or a handle worn smooth. A new operator or handle fixes it.

Won't close tight

A bent operator arm, a worn hinge or a sagging sash. Drafts and whistling on windy days are the clue.

Lock won't catch

The lock and keeper have drifted apart, or the lock is worn. An adjustment or a new lock.

Sash drops or won't stay up

Balances hidden in the side tracks of a hung window hold the sash up. When one fails, the sash slides down.

Screen keeps jumping the track

Usually a bent frame or missing clips: a screen repair for the same visit.

Crank windows

Casement operators and hinges

A casement's crank turns a small gearbox, the operator, which pushes an arm that swings the sash. Forcing a frozen or stuck window is the usual way the gears strip. Hinges along the top and bottom carry the sash, and when they wear, it sags and catches the frame.

Slider and single-hung balances, rollers and latches

Sliding and hung windows have their own moving parts, each replaceable on its own.

Balances

Springs in the side jambs hold a hung sash at any height. A pro matches the type and swaps them.

Rollers

Worn wheels under a sliding sash make it drag or stick open. New rollers fix it.

Latches and locks

A slider that won't lock often has a latch that no longer meets its keeper. An adjustment or new latch lines them up.

Before and after

A snapped crank handle, replaced on its own

One broken handle doesn't mean a new window.

Weatherstripping and exterior caulking after freeze-thaw winters

Winters here cross freezing on many days, and every swing works at the seals around a window.

Inside, weatherstripping flattens, tears or shrinks. New strips are cut to fit, and on casements the job pairs well with a new operator.

Outside, caulking where the frame meets the brick cracks and pulls away. A pro runs a new bead and checks that a slider's drain holes are clear.

What affects the quote

What goes into a repair quote

Repairs are priced by the part and the time. These change it:

Which part, and whether it's still made or needs a close match
How many windows need the same fix
Window type: casement, awning, slider or hung
Access: upper floors, stairwells, basements

A photo of the part and any frame label helps the pro source it first.

Get a repair quote

Free quotes. The pro confirms the part before any work.

Children at home

Child safety and window locks

Opening-control devices limit how far a sash opens, and many release with a quick press by an adult. A pro can fit them and check that existing locks hold.

A bedroom window may also be a way out in an emergency, so avoid devices that need a key.

Basement windows

Stiff or painted-shut basement windows

In a basement bedroom or unit, an unused window can seize with paint or grit. A pro can free it and check that it opens fully and stays open, which matters most where someone sleeps.

If it's too small to be a way out, see basement windows.

Beyond parts

When hardware is no longer the fix

A new part won't help if the frame is failing, with cracked corners, a sash that won't sit square or a rotting sill, or if the parts are no longer made.

The pro should say so plainly. Fog between the panes can still be fixed on its own, and when frames are going, price replacement windows too.

Questions

Window repair questions

Explore your options

Pros fix window hardware across Brampton, including Springdale, Professor's Lake, Castlemore, Mount Pleasant and Heart Lake.

Photograph the crank or lock and send it over

We'll pass it to a local pro who sources the part, arrives when agreed, works tidily and explains the fix to whoever is home.