If you have a window that has sustained damage and leaks, it can be difficult to decide whether you should repair or replace leaky windows. This is true whether that leak lets in rain or air. To help you decide which would be more practical and economical while ensuring you get a quality fix, we provide some considerations for you to make.

When To Repair Windows

Here are a couple of problems that call for window repairs that you should know.

Broken Individual Parts

Generally, when a single part has damage but doesn’t compromise the rest of the window, you can depend on residential window repair to correct the issue and make your window as good as new. This includes aspects like cracked or broken glass, missing or rotting drip caps, or poor exterior window casing. Rot is a major issue with lots of wooden windows, but you can stop it quickly if you’re proactive in your repairs. If the problem doesn’t stem from rot, a protective component of your window may be loose, damaged, or missing, such as the drip cap or exterior casing.

Minor Water Leakage

It can be difficult to locate the exact source of the problem at a glance, so another good way to gauge if a repair job is more appropriate is to see if the leak is minor. Specifically, if water is coming around the window rather than through it, it may be more of an issue with your gutters and drainpipes redirecting water incorrectly. The seals around your window should keep out water, but not at such a great force.

When to Replace Windows

The following problems call for complete window replacement rather than just repairs.

Structural Issues

If your window has extreme structural issues, then you should absolutely replace the whole thing. One obvious indication is that your window constantly fogs up. This is symptomatic of water condensing inside your window’s double-paned or triple-paned insulated glass units (IGUs). Fixing IGUs is a very all-or-nothing project, and the expertise necessary to repair IGUs is incredibly niche. At that point, it’s easier and more cost-effective to replace the entire window.

Major structural damage is also a good indicator to replace the window, as you’ll have to have parts of your wall rebuilt. A failing window in this scenario would require extensive repairs to prevent further issues.

Major Water Leakage

If minor leaking means you should repair, major water leakage indicates that you should replace your leaky window. When excessive amounts of water infiltrate your window, that’s an indication that the exterior window casing has become bad. When this occurs, it’s an indication that the exterior as a whole has an issue, so you’ll need to replace the window because of it.