Courtice · Clarington
Courtice homes: windows and patio doors, fixed or replaced
Courtice was a rural village until subdivisions arrived in the mid-1980s, so many homes here share an age, and their original windows and patio doors wear out in the same ways: fog between the panes, cranks that spin, doors that drag. We connect Courtice homeowners with independent local pros for home window glass, doors and screens, who can tell you what to fix and what to replace. Courtice is in Clarington, next to Oshawa's east end; send your postal code and we'll check that a pro covers your street.
At a glance
- Housing
- Subdivisions from the mid-1980s on, around a former village
- Common jobs
- Fogged sealed units, window hardware, patio-door rollers, screens
- Worth knowing
- Several same-age windows can be measured on one visit
- Permits
- Municipality of Clarington
From village to subdivisions since the mid-1980s
Before the mid-1980s Courtice was a rural village along Highway 2; after that, housing developments spread out from it. Across Clarington, the 1980s and 1990s were among the busiest decades for building.
So many houses on the same streets went in with the same generation of windows and patio doors. When one neighbour's glass fogs, it's common to see it on the next street too. That's age, not a fault in your house.
First-generation windows: fogged units and worn hardware
When these houses were new, the double-pane glass was often sold as thermopane. The trade now calls it a sealed unit: two panes sealed around the edge. Fog between them means that seal has failed. Here's how the fixes compare:
| Option | Suits | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Defog and reseal | A sound frame, when a clear view is the goal | Ask what it restores and what the warranty covers |
| New sealed unit | A sound frame and sash with failed glass | Made to measure, so it's fitted on a return visit |
| New window | A cracked or soft frame, or a window that won't close | The biggest job; worth it when several are failing |
Hardware wears too: cranks strip, hinges stiffen, locks stop catching, and each can usually be replaced on its own. See window repair and foggy window repair.
Patio doors and screens
- Sliding door repair: a door that drags usually needs new rollers or a cleaned-up track; one that won't lock usually needs the latch or keeper adjusted or replaced.
- Patio door glass: fog or a crack in a door panel is a sealed unit too, and it can be replaced without a new door.
- Screens: a torn screen can be rescreened in its frame; a bent frame can be remade.
- Screen and storm doors: a closer, handle or sweep replaced on its own.
Repair or replace: making the call on an older subdivision home
When the frames are sound, fix what has failed. Replacement earns its place when frames are cracked or soft, several windows are failing at once, or you want better energy performance across the house. The repair or replace guide walks through the call.
Either way, batch it: if several units have fogged, have them all measured on one visit, and send them as one request so the written quote lists each window. If you do replace whole windows, the provincial Home Renovation Savings Program has a rebate for ENERGY STAR certified windows and doors, generally with a home energy assessment; glass-only swaps don't qualify.
Permits: Municipality of Clarington
Courtice sits in Clarington, so the Municipality of Clarington handles building permits here, even with Oshawa next door. Before you replace windows or doors, and certainly before you enlarge an opening or add a basement window, ask Clarington what applies. Bowmanville, to the east, follows the same rules.
Courtice questions
Can the fogged units in a Courtice home be resealed instead of replaced?
Sometimes, through a defog-and-reseal service, but be clear about what that does: it can clear the view in a sound unit, but it doesn't make the unit new. A replacement sealed unit, fitted in the existing sash, is the other common fix. Ask the pro to price both and explain what each warranty covers. The foggy window page sets out the options.
Are 1980s and 1990s windows worth repairing?
Often, yes, if the frames are sound. The parts that wear out in windows this age, like sealed units, cranks, hinges, locks and weatherstripping, can usually be replaced one at a time. Repair gets harder to justify when frames are cracked, parts can't be found, or most of the house is failing together.
My sliding door won't lock. Does the whole door need replacing?
Not usually. A sliding door that won't lock often has a latch or keeper that's worn or out of line, or a panel that has dropped because the rollers are worn. Setting the rollers can bring the latch back into line. Replacement makes sense when the frame is damaged or the door leaks air all the way round. See sliding door repair.
What changes the price when I replace ten windows at once rather than a few?
Doing them together means one measure, one order and fewer visits, and that can show up on the quote. What still drives the total is the size and style of each window, the glass, access to upper floors, the condition of the frames and trim, and whether any opening changes size. Ask for a written quote that lists each window separately, so you can compare.