Webmaster, Author at Aluplex Glass and Skylights

Broken Window Repair and Replacement

June 30, 2022 By Webmaster

A broken window is an annoying thing to be tasked with dealing with. Unfortunately, if you’re a homeowner and a window breaks, tasked with dealing with it is exactly what you are. Fortunately, you don’t have to deal with it alone. Aluplex is here to help! As Toronto’s leading window and glass manufacturer, we can have you sorted out in no time with our broken window repair and replacement services.

Broken Window Repair

A broken window can spell disaster. It doesn’t matter if you live in a shack or a mansion – a broken window means there’s nothing stopping the outside from coming in. That could be rain, snow, the sweltering heat of summer, or even your neighborhood squirrels.

If your broken window is only cracked, your fortunate. It’s possible it can be repaired. Small enough cracks, if handled quickly, can be repaired before the insulating gas in the window is able to escape. Therefore, calling for repair services quickly is paramount. Using some adhesive stickers and a syringe, we can inject the crack with epoxy, sealing the crack entirely. This can also be done with a kit from the hardware store. However, if you have no experience repairing cracked glass, it can end up a mess. Use caution and patience when attempting to DIY repair window cracks. Messing up can leave your window impossible to fully repair, and ugly to boot.

Broken Window Replacement

If your window is more than cracked, the risk of those aforementioned intruders becomes possible. Completely broken windows cannot be repaired effectively. You may be able to tape up some sheet plastic to temporarily keep out rain and pests. However, any size of hole will allow the insulation in your window to escape. An uninsulated window will lead to horrible temperature regulation in your home. Additionally, any noise outside will suddenly become loud and clear from inside – not to mention the reverse.

If your window has shattered, give us a call at Aluplex and we can come out and replace it for you. As tempting as it may be to put it off, the longer you wait to replaced a shattered window, the more likely something is to go wrong. Someone could get hurt on the shards left in the frame, pests could get in, or you could end up with water damage. It’s best to get it dealt with right away.

Emergency Window Repair and Replacement Services

If you end up with a broken window in the middle of a storm, don’t wait until your living room is flooded with rain water to call. Call right away and we’ll head out to replace it right away. In the meantime, find some tape and plastic to cover the window. It’s best to do this from the outside so that rain blowing against it won’t just run down it and end up inside anyway. Painter’s sheet plastic, tarp, and even plastic wrap can be used in emergencies. If you have none of this, you can always pull down one of your plastic shower curtains and use that while you’re waiting for a new window to be installed.

Replace Old Skylight Windows in Toronto

June 30, 2022 By Webmaster

There are many reasons to replace old skylight windows. No matter your reason, when you’re ready to take the plunge, call us at Aluplex. We offer high quality skylight windows and installation to the whole GTA.

Replace Leaking Skylight Windows

When you’ve had a skylight for many years, it will eventually begin to leak. If you’ve moved into a house that’s had a skylight for years before you lived there, you’re even more likely to be the one it gives out on. If your skylight is fairly old and begins to leak, even in small drips, you’ve got a problem on your hands.

A skylight window leaking doesn’t necessarily mean it’s broken. Because skylights are horizontal and placed on the roof, they have to handle keeping out sitting water for many years. Eventually, the seal will wear out. This can happen from caulking drying out and cracking, the wooden frame warping, or many other causes. Unfortunately, a crack would be easier to repair. When your skylight begins to have frame seal issues, it often needs to be replaced. The glass in it may be fine, but if the frame is having issues, that becomes the weakest link.

Replace Old, Worn Out Skylight Windows

Aside from leaking, skylights can also just begin to wear out. After over a decade of fending off sitting rain water, sitting under decomposing leaves and branches, and weathering the summer sun and winter snow, your skylight will begin to show its age.

When you’ve got an aging, old skylight, sometimes a good, passionate scrub will get it looking clean and new again. However, this isn’t always the case – especially with even older skylights. Sometimes even elbow grease isn’t enough to remove tough, burned-on algae and moss that’s been baking under the sun for years. This is why it’s good to clean your skylight every year or two. If you like to put up Christmas lights or clean your gutters, that’s a good time to maintain them.

Another unfortunate truth: old skylights may not leak, but there may be more issue than just the look of them. If you can see the glass fogging up or moisture gathering between the panes, the outer pane is no longer sealed properly. Water has gotten into it. If that’s true, it’s a matter of time before the leak gets past the second pane as well. Additionally, this means the insulation gas has been able to leak out. Therefore, summer sun coming in through the skylight will impact your home temperature much more than usual. It ends up driving up your electric bill when it’s hot or cold out.

These skylights cannot be properly repaired and will never regain their integrity. They must be replaced with new ones.

Replace Old Skylight Windows

No matter what kind of wear and tear your skylight has sustained from aging, Aluplex is here to help in the replacement process. We can replace old skylight windows quickly and get you back to enjoying your everyday life with one less concern on your plate. Plus, we offer emergency repair services. So, if you ever encounter any problems in the future, we’ll be back in no time to fix your new skylight up again. Give us a call if you have any questions about our windows or services. We look forward to hearing from you.

The Best Windows for Cold Weather

June 1, 2022 By Webmaster

Everyone knows that Canada is the home of some very cold weather. Keeping our homes in good shape to endure harsh winters is vital to our safety and comfort. But, even a home that’s built well, with walls full of insulation, can do poorly in winter. That’s because windows are a significant part of your home’s insulation. If your windows aren’t doing their job, it’s time to call us at Aluplex and find yourself the best windows for cold weather.

The Best Windows for Cold Weather

What is it that makes windows the best for cold weather? Simple: they need to be recent, well-made, and insulated. Most modern two-pane windows are insulated. This is done by filling the space between the panes with a heavy gas. This gas is heavier and denser than air. Therefore, temperature travels through it much slower. That means the cold from outside isn’t able to get in as quickly and your heater can keep on top of things.

Why Window Quality Matters

If your windows are low quality, they degrade faster. And, when windows degrade, they lose their insulation. This is why, in old houses with old windows, the rising sun can turn a room into an oven. It’s also why homes with very old windows mean hearing every little sound in the neighborhood. There’s no insulation in the windows anymore to keep temperatures and sounds from coming right on in.

When Do Windows Need to be Replaced?

Not sure if your windows are ready for winter? Here are some questions to ask yourself:

Did I get my windows installed more than 10 years ago?
Does it seem impossible to keep my house warm in the winter?
Do I have just as much trouble keeping it cool in the summer?
When people are talking outside, can I hear them clearly?
Are there any cracks in any of the panes in my window?

If you can say yes to any of these, it’s a sign that your windows are deteriorating and need to be replaced. Cracks simply speed up the process of insulation degradation, as it offers an easier exit for the insulating gas to escape from.

Aluplex Emergency Window Repair Services

When you replace your windows with Aluplex glass, you become one of our customers and are entitled to Aluplex’s emergency window repair services in Toronto and the GTA. This is a vital service in the cold months, as your safety can come to depend on it.

If one of your Aluplex windows breaks or begins leaking this winter, give us a call and we’ll come out and repair it. Damaged windows can let in rain water, leading to damaged floors or walls, or mold growth. Damaged windows also let in the cold, which can become dangerous, fast, in the depths of winter. Don’t hesitate to give us a call.

Winter Window Replacement in Toronto

If your windows aren’t doing you a service, let us give you some that will. Call us today if you want your windows replaced before this winter in Toronto. We look forward to working with you.

Where to Install Windows for Maximum Light

June 1, 2022 By Webmaster

Light in the home is a hugely important part of the overall feel of it. It has the power to improve or hurt your mental health, make a space feel bigger or smaller, and more. If you’re looking to bring some more light into your home, knowing where to install your windows is vital. Let’s take a quick dive into the most important parts of window placement.

The Sun and You

First and foremost, you need to consider the direction the sun is come from at various points of the day. If you’re building a custom home, you’re fortunate in that you may be able to change the orientation of the house still. If you’re installing new windows in an existing house, you’ll have to work with what you have.

East

While it’s easy to think you should install your windows on the easternmost side of rooms, in order to catch the most morning light, it’s not necessarily so. When a window faces east, it will get a lot of sunlight until about 1pm. Then, as the sun reaches its peak, the light will begin to dim. By the middle of the afternoon, the room will be considerably dimmer and will require lamps to be turned on.

This is alright for some people. However, many people are sensitive to evening darkness and find their mood dropping as the sun disappears. These are often the same people who struggle with seasonal depression. If this sounds familiar, you should consider the other two main options.

North and South

The most consistent place to put windows is on a northern or southern wall. This will mean a steady stream of indirect sunlight from sunup to sundown.

West

Alternatively, if you enjoy a bit of direct light, putting a window on a west wall works great. The morning comes with a bit less light, but this is usually easier to manage for people who have to leave for work anyway or who sleep in. Then as the day wears on and you become a bit more tired, the sun reaches the side of the house with your window on it. The sunset brings in a flood of warm, direct sunlight, along with a beautiful view to window down to.

Multiple Windows to a Room

When you have more than one window in a room, it offers a bit of flexibility. This is especially true if the room is on a corner of the house. Corner rooms mean the ability to put a window in adjacent directions. Of course, if you’re working with an existing home, those two directions are decided for you. If you’re building a new home, any corner room that you want the most light in is best placed with the corner pointing north or south. This way, no matter whether the sun is east or west, you’ve got a bit of direct sunlight coming in from an angle.

If you’re looking to replace your windows or need a supplier for a new home, Aluplex is here to assist. Located in Toronto, we’re the #1 window and glass manufacturer in the GTA. Give us a call if you’re interested in making an order or getting more information on our products.

How to Patch a Broken Window

April 30, 2022 By Webmaster

So, you’re dealing with a broken window and want to patch it up? Aluplex is here to help. Below, we’ll cover some of the ways to patch a broken window.

Assess the Level of Damage

The first thing to do when you have a broken window is to assess the exact level of damage to determine how to patch it. The thing is, not all damage is equal. You can’t patch every break.

If your window is cracked, but there are no places where glass has actually left the window, it’s patchable. Even long cracks, while a bit more tedious, can be patched with a glass patching kit or similar.

However, if the crack is big enough that some small pieces have fallen out, it’s beyond patching with a patching kit. This type of crack can still be repaired, but it involves replacing the broken glass. The same goes for larger breaks, such as when a baseball goes through the window.

How to Patch a Broken Window

Patching a broken window with manageable cracks in it can be done with a glass repair kit. These can be bought online or from a hardware store. These are especially common, since they’re used to repair small cracks in windshields and other car windows.

These repair kits generally have instructions in them, but we’ll run over the basics.

The first step is cleaning the window. You’ll want to do this with a window cleaner like Windex, which will remove skin oils and dust.
Next, you’ll put on the adhesive patch. This isn’t permanent and only functions as a barrier. Ensure the length of each crack is completely covered by an adhesive patch. If you don’t have enough, you’ll need to buy more.
After that, you’ll use your syringe to draw up some of the epoxy. How much you need will depend on the size of the cracks you’re filling.
Then, you can stick your syringe needle through the patch and right into one of the cracks. Inject the epoxy slowly. Injecting it too fast can lead to bubbling in the barrier patch. You have to give it enough time to spread down the length of the crack.
After that, when you’ve filled each crack with epoxy under the barrier patch, you’ll need to let it cure. Each epoxy will have different requirements. Follow the instructions in your kit.
When the epoxy has cured, remove the adhesive patch(es) and scrape any excess epoxy off with the flat edge of a razor blade.
The epoxy will need to set overnight as well, in most cases. Once it has set completely, you can wash the window with soap and water.

Holes Too Big to Patch

If your hole is too big to patch with a crack repair kit, you’ll need to cover it with something until you can get it replaced. Your best bet is using some packing tape and one or more pieces of plastic. This will keep rain out of your home. If you don’t have sheet plastic, plastic wrap from the kitchen works as well.

If you’re working with smaller strips of plastic, like plastic wrap, be sure to place it horizontally with the higher strips overlapping the lower ones so that water won’t get under them.

Replace Broken Windows

Unless your crack is very small, it’s always best to replace broken windows. When you patch a broken window, it works great as a temporary measure. However, windows with large cracks in them are likely to have lost some of their insulating gas. Without that gas, they will do much less to keep the cold or heat in or out (depending on the season). Don’t settle for a weak and ineffective window.

Call us at Aluplex if you need help with window repairs or window replacement.

Can You DIY Window Replacement?

April 30, 2022 By Webmaster

If you’re used to being handy around the house and you’ve recently gotten a broken window, you may be wondering, can you DIY window replacement? Aluplex is here to answer this question in a bit of detail. As Toronto’s #1 window and glass manufacturing company, we think we can safely answer this.

Window Replacement Safety

The first question we need to answer is why you’re replacing your window! Are you looking for a new style of window, or are you dealing with a broken window? If you want to change the type of window that’s installed, safety concerns are minimal. You just need to ensure you don’t break any glass while replacing it and follow standard installation safety guidelines.

However, if your window broke and you’re looking into what’s required to replace it, there’s more to know. Broken windows, especially those that have actually shattered, bring a lot of safety issues with them. Tiny fragments of glass that are too small to see with the naked eye can end up all over the room. This is especially dangerous if the floor is carpeted. Vacuuming may not be enough to clean the area safely.

As glass professionals, our team at Aluplex knows how to properly care for a room after a window shatters to ensure it’s safe to traverse. If you have pets or small children, this concern is especially potent. Therefore, please let us know you need help with window replacement and we’ll pay you a visit.

Window Replacement Procedure

Now is the question of what window replacement procedure involves. If your window hasn’t shattered and you simply want to replace the window with something new, is it in your wheelhouse?

Finding a guide for replacing a window is pretty easy with the number of people who write DIY tutorials online. As you can see by taking a glance at one, it’s a very involved process. It requires a lot of tools as well as special equipment like insulation. There are a lot of steps that could easily go sideways.

Can You DIY Window Replacement?

For someone who does this all the time, like someone from Aluplex, this process is second nature by now. If you’ve never installed or replaced a window before, however, this process could easily take 3 times as long. Plus, there’s the added likelihood of making mistakes. If your heart is set on doing it yourself, you could learn a lot from the process. The question is: is this something you want to dedicate time and energy to learn?

Professional Window Replacement in Toronto

If you’d rather get the help of someone who does this regularly, give us a call at Aluplex. We specialize in window installation and replacement. Therefore, we can have the entire process done in no time at all. Additionally, if you’re looking for quality windows to replace yours with, we’re the best place to buy from. That means you can buy your windows and have them installed all through the same reliable team.