Rural north Oshawa
Window and glass service in Oshawa's northern villages
Around Columbus, Raglan and Kedron, an older farmhouse with wood sashes and storm windows can be a short drive from a house built a few years ago, and the two need different work. We connect you with an independent local glass pro. Because these are rural addresses, we check by postal code that one covers your road before passing the request on.
At a glance
- History
- Villages that joined Oshawa in 1974
- Housing
- Older farmhouses, with new growth to the south
- Heritage
- Some properties are on the City's register
- Coverage
- Checked by postal code first
Villages that joined Oshawa in 1974
When Durham Region was created in 1974, Oshawa took in the rest of East Whitby Township, and Columbus, Raglan and Kedron came with it. A few buildings here are on the City's heritage register, among them the Columbus Community Centre, a 1967 Centennial project, and Terwillegar House on Grandview Street North.
On a designated property, altering heritage features goes to Council, but routine repair doesn't need approval, and a listed house that isn't designated doesn't go to Council at all. The City's alterations page has the detail.
Older farmhouses: wood windows, storms and reglazing
Wood sashes with storms outside them are worth keeping when the wood is sound. The usual faults are small: a cracked pane, putty falling away, a sash cord that has let go, a torn storm screen. A pro can reglaze a sash, replace a storm pane or rehang a sash without touching the frame; see window repair.
Where sills have rotted through, get replacement quoted beside the repair. Our repair or replace guide has the tests a pro uses.
Newer homes nearby: sealed units and patio doors
North-end growth picked up after Highway 407 reached Harmony Road in 2016, and newer streets are spreading toward these villages. Newer houses bring their own jobs:
- Foggy sealed units: fog trapped between panes means a failed seal; the unit is replaced in its frame.
- Patio doors: a slider that drags or won't lock usually needs rollers or a latch.
- Builder warranty: in a house this new, check your purchase documents before paying anyone.
For the newer north end, see our north Oshawa page.
Screens and seasonal storms
Storms go on in the fall and screens come back in spring, which is when you find the torn mesh or the cracked storm pane. Winters around Oshawa cross freezing often, which is hard on putty, caulking and seals. A pro can rescreen or rebuild screen frames and replace storm glass on one visit if you list everything. In a rental, the City expects a screen on every window that opens.
Getting a pro out to rural addresses
Send your full address with postal code, a photo of each window, and whether your timing is flexible. We check that a pro covers your road; if none does, we tell you rather than leaving it sitting. A rural visit may be grouped with other north-end jobs, so a flexible date helps.
Columbus, Raglan and Kedron questions
Can old farmhouse windows be reglazed rather than replaced?
Yes, if the sash is sound. Reglazing means removing old putty and any cracked glass, setting new glass and bedding it in fresh glazing compound. It keeps the original window and its look. If the wood crumbles at the corners or bottom rail, that part needs repair or the window needs replacing. See broken window glass.
Do storm windows still make sense on an older home?
On a house with sound single-glazed wood sashes, yes. The storm adds a second layer of glass and keeps rain and snow off the sash. It stops making sense if the storms are beyond repair and the main windows are being replaced anyway. Ask about both when you request a quote.
Why are my farmhouse windows foggy in the morning?
Wipe the glass. If the fog comes off, it's indoor moisture condensing on cold glass overnight, common with single glazing. More air movement and lower humidity help, and so does a working storm. If the fog is between two panes and won't wipe off, the sealed unit has failed; see foggy window repair.
Is my older Columbus home on the heritage register?
Look up your address on the City's heritage register, which shows designated properties and ones listed without designation. Ontario gave municipalities until 1 January 2027 to designate or remove listed properties, so a listed house can become designated in the meantime. If yours is designated, routine repair needs no approval.