Your doors and windows are beaten throughout the year. Ontario’s climate swings from -25°C winters to +35°C summers — and that extreme range causes seals to crack, hardware to corrode, and frames to shift season after season.
Most of the homeowners however do not develop an eye to see the issues until something goes totally wrong. Active changes of the maintenance alter that. Moreover, a couple of hours of care every season will make your windows live 10-15 years longer and will help to control the energy bills.
Here is your complete, season-by-season guide — with a printable checklist for each.
Spring — April to May
Winter makes his mark upon each window and each door of your house. Accordingly, spring is the most appropriate when it comes to measuring the damage and planning ahead about the warmer climate.
Clean Frames, Tracks, and Glass
Start with the frames. Warm Water, light dish soap, and a soft cloth – do not use rough scrubbers, this will scratch the vinyl and cause Low-E to be worn off.
Next, clear the window tracks. During the winter, dirt and grit are built up and bind sliding windows. Most of the build-up is removed with a stiff brush then a damp cloth.
Streaking on the clear day exterior glass. Bright sun will result in soapy water drying out before you can squeeze it off leaving streaks.
Inspect and Reapply Exterior Caulking
Go out of your home and inspect all the window frames and door frames. The freeze-thaw cycles of Ontario assault exterior caulk more firmly than practically any other Canadian climatic condition. Check areas which have broken, peeled, and bristled.
Wipe away damaged caulk using a utility knife. Add new exterior grade silicone, rub with a wet finger and leave to dry before it can be rained upon. Look carefully at the top and sides of each frame. Customers are the most important areas to look at as this is where water collects the most.
SPRING CHECKLIST
- ☐ Wash all the frames, both indoors and out, with soaps
- ☐ Wipe out all window and door tracks clear and vacant
- ☐ Check all outer caulking – strip and put off broken areas.
- ☐ Frame checks weep holes – clear up blockages.
- ☐ Inspect window screens — repair tears or replace damaged frames
- ☐ Look for water staining around sills or frames
Summer — June to August
The summer usage is heavy. Due to this, the hardware that was not touched during the whole winter season starts to wear out as the windows and doors are constantly opened and closed.
Lubricate All Moving Parts
Rub silicone based lubricant on all moving parts. It encompasses window cranks in casement of windows, sash tracks in double hungs, sliding door rollers, door hinges, and everything locking.
WD-40 should be avoided because it is a solvent not a permanent lubricant and it collects dust with time. Silicone spray or dry PTFE lubricant maintains mechanisms in a much longer interval.
Check Door Sweeps and Thresholds
Check the seal of each external door on the bottom. Door sweeps wear more quickly than all other door elements. An old sweep allows insects, dampness and external air to creep in beneath the door even when the door seems to be totally sealed.
Further, verify the check threshold. When the daylight is visible through one of the exterior doors, that is an area that should be addressed before the fall comes.
Test Every Window and Lock
Open all the windows in your house. Awning and casement windows are expected to crank with ease. The double hung windows must be able to slide easily. Not only that, but also make sure all the windows lock well, a window that does not lock completely is not only a security issue, but also an insulation issue.
SUMMER CHECKLIST
- ☐ Lubricate cranks, tracks, and rollers with silicone spray
- ☐ Lubricate all door hinges, locks, and sliding mechanisms
- ☐ Inspect and replace worn door sweeps
- ☐ Check door thresholds – deal with any apparent gaps
- ☐ All windows open, close and lock
- ☐ Installation Check for cloudy glass between panes – a broken seal must be replaced by a professional
Fall — September to November
Your most important time of maintenance is fall. Ontario winters are quite high and proper preparation in terms of heating in October averts high heating expenses and misery between November and March.
Replace Worn Weatherstripping
The seal which squishes when the window or door is shut is known as weatherstripping. After some time it flattens and ceases to provide an airtight seal. Due to this reason, the cold air finds its way to your home even when you think everything is closed.
Tap the weatherstripping of the doors and windows. It must be springy and resilient. In case it is flat or crumbles, put in another one before the first frost. Costs of self-adhesive foam weather stripping are below $20 value per door and can be installed within 15 minutes.
Run a Draft Test
During a cool day of the fall you should close all your doors and windows and turn off your HVAC. Light a stick of incense and swing it slowly around the borders of every frame – in your house. When the smoke is wavering, you have discovered an air leak.
Label such positions with painter tape. Next apply caulk to fill in the frame gaps and new window or door seal failure with new weather stripping. Sealing leakages in fall costs is much cheaper than warming the discontinuities throughout the winter.
Service Door Hardware
Metal hardware is made to become stiff and shrink when cold. Thus, it is best to lubricate all the deadbolt cylinders on the fall because it is the season when all should be sprayed with graphite, not oily lubricants, which tend to freeze. Make sure also that all entry doors open and close smoothly. A door that was dragged in October is very hard to open in February.
FALL CHECKLIST
- ☐ Check all weather-stripping – repair flat or broken parts
- ☐ Conduct incense draft test on all windows and outside doors
- ☐ Seal any leaks that draft test has uncovered
- ☐ Lubricate door locks and deadbolts with graphite spray
- ☐ Make sure that all the entry doors are open and shut without difficulty
- ☐ Clear debris from exterior sills before freeze-thaw begins
Winter — December to March
Active maintenance in winter is not as important as in the other seasons. Nevertheless, there are two risks that should be checked on a regular basis – and when they are identified in time, it becomes unnecessary to spend significant fines.
Watch for Window Condensation
Look in your windows on bitter mornings during the season. Interior condensation – when droplets are present on the inner glass, this is an indication that there is excessive humidity indoors. Always have on exhaust fans as well as a dehumidifier in problem rooms.
But a permanent cloudy fog between the panes which you cannot remove is another thing. That indicates a failed seal. Professional evaluation is needed with this kind of window condensation – replacement of the insulated glass unit is necessary. To leave it is to have your window almost single-pane efficient all winter.
Reduce Ice Dam Risk
Ice dams are formed when the heat escapes through roof of the house and melts the snow and freezes again at the cold eaves. The accumulated water in the pool overflows and is free to trickle into cracks in the walls at the frames of the window. Having had heavy snowfall, remove the bottom 60 cm of roofline over windows using a roof rake. Sharp tools should not be used anywhere near frames.
WINTER CHECKLIST
- ☐ Check windows for interior condensation — adjust indoor humidity if present
- ☐ Look for between-pane fogging — book an assessment if found
- ☐ Feel around frames on cold days for drafts — note locations for spring repair
- ☐ Clear snow and ice from exterior sills and door thresholds after storms
- ☐ When there is a heavy fall of snow rake it off above windows
When Maintenance Is No Longer Enough
The routine maintenance increases the lifespan of windows and doors. However, despite being well-maintained, even products must eventually go out of service. Book a window replacement assessment if you notice:
- Even caulking and weatherstripping drafts reoccurring
- Between-pane fogging on multiple windows
- Frames which have distorted or decayed or shrunk away
- Ice forming on interior glass surfaces in winter
Our team at Milano Windows & Doors offers free in-home assessments across Toronto and the GTA. We will tell you honestly whether maintenance solves the problem — or whether replacement gives you better long-term value.
Milano Windows & Doors serves Toronto, North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Markham, Pickering, Whitby, Oshawa, Ajax, Aurora, Newmarket, and all GTA communities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: How often should I replace window caulking in Ontario?
Inspect exterior caulking every spring. The freeze thaw cycle of Ontario is deteriorating compared to the less harsh climates – the majority of exterior caulk has ages between 3-5 years before splitting. Loss of one part, or brittleness, should be replaced, in any part, at any age.
Q2: What lubricant works best for window tracks and door hinges?
Spray tracks, rollers, cranks with PTFE lubricant that is dry and silicone. Where door lock cylinders are used, dry graphite spray is preferred – it does not freeze in winter. WW-40 should be avoided, as it is a lubricant that is dust repelling and exudes easily.
Q3: Can I apply caulk in winter in Ontario?
The majority of exterior caulks need temperatures of greater than 5degC to cure. Caulking under freezing would lead to low adhesion and premature failure. Hence, outside caulking should be done in spring or fall when the temperatures are always above freezing point.
Q4: How do I know if my weatherstripping needs replacing?
Press it firmly with your finger. Immediately good weather stripping springs back. When it is flat, rigid or crumbles, then it has lost its ability to seal. Also, place a piece of paper between a closed door – should the paper slide freely then the seal is not tight enough and needs to be changed.