Richmond Hill · next door
Richmond Hill's 1990s homes: glass and door help from next door
Richmond Hill, Ontario is Markham's western neighbour, not part of it, and this site is set up for Markham homes. We take Richmond Hill requests when an independent local glass professional who does your kind of job also works there. Tell us your street and the problem, and we'll look for a pro whose area includes it. If there is one, the pro we match you with measures, quotes and does the work. If there isn't, we'll tell you plainly rather than let the request sit.
At a glance
- Coverage
- Case by case: we check your address before passing it on
- Housing
- More homes from the 1990s than from any other decade
- Permits
- Richmond Hill's own building department, not Markham's
- Common jobs
- Fogged sealed units, patio door rollers, cranks and locks
A 1990s-heavy housing stock
More of Richmond Hill's homes went up in the 1990s than in any other decade. Most homes are owner-occupied, and a sizeable share of households live in condos. That build era is the useful part: windows from the 1990s have reached the age when original sealed units fog and the hardware that works them wears out.
If your front windows have grilles or an arched transom, say so in your request. A replacement unit has to carry the same pattern and shape, and the pro will want a photo of the whole front to match it.
Fogged 1990s glass and worn hardware
Most problems with 1990s windows come down to three things, and none automatically means new windows:
- A haze inside the glass: the edge seal has failed, and a new sealed unit can go into the existing frame.
- Worn cranks, locks or balances: parts replaced on their own; see window repair.
- Drafts, soft frames or many units failing together: the point where replacement windows deserve a quote.
On rebates, the plain version: Ontario's Home Renovation Savings program pays toward new ENERGY STAR windows and doors, with a home energy assessment as the usual route in. A new sealed unit in an old frame isn't eligible.
Doors and screens
- Sliding door repair: a 1990s patio door that has sagged onto its track or stopped locking can usually be put right with new rollers or a new latch.
- Door glass: a fogged or cracked panel in a patio or front door replaced in the existing door.
- Screens: torn window and patio screens rescreened, or new frames made to size.
- Storm doors: closers, sweeps and glass inserts on older storm doors.
Condos and townhouses: approvals first
Richmond Hill has its share of condo towers and townhouse complexes. In an Ontario condominium, exterior windows and balcony or patio doors normally belong to the corporation as common elements, and changing them takes the board's approval first. Some townhouses that look freehold are condos too; the declaration settles it. Our Markham Centre page walks through how those approvals work.
Permits: check with Richmond Hill, not Markham
Richmond Hill has its own building department. The permit notes elsewhere on this site describe the City of Markham's rules, and Markham's heritage districts and heritage grant don't reach across the boundary either. Before you enlarge an opening, add a window or door, or change anything on a heritage property, check with Richmond Hill's building department, and pass what they say to the pro.
If you're on the Markham side of the line, our service areas page lists the communities this site covers directly.
Richmond Hill questions
Is my Richmond Hill address covered?
Possibly. Coverage here depends on whether an independent pro who does your kind of job works in your part of Richmond Hill. Send your street and the problem through the request form, and we'll check before passing it on. If no pro covers your address, we'll say so rather than leave the request unanswered.
Does replacing windows in Richmond Hill need a permit?
Ask Richmond Hill's building department, not Markham's. We haven't confirmed Richmond Hill's rules, so we won't guess at them. The questions to put to them are whether the opening changes size, whether a new opening is being cut and whether the property has heritage status. Get the answer before you sign a contract, and share it with the pro who quotes.
Can fogged glass be fixed in a 1990s window?
Usually, by replacing the sealed unit rather than the window. The frame, hardware and trim stay; only the glass unit is made new, to size and with any grilles matched. Defogging, which cleans and vents the existing unit, is another option some owners choose. A full new window makes more sense if the frame is failing or you want a rebate-eligible upgrade. Our foggy window page compares all three.
My 1990s patio door has dropped and drags. Repair or replace?
Repair is usually the place to start. A dropped door almost always has worn rollers, sometimes with a damaged track, and new rollers plus an adjustment lift it back into line. A lock that no longer catches is often the same problem showing up at the latch. Replacement is worth a quote when the frame is bent, the glass unit has failed or the sill has rot.
Should I replace all the windows in a 1990s Richmond Hill house at once?
Only if most of them are failing. Doing several in one visit can be more efficient than one at a time, and new ENERGY STAR windows, not glass-only work, are what earn the provincial rebate. But if only a few units have fogged, replacing those is a sound choice. The repair or replace guide sets out the trade-offs.