Repair or replace your windows?

Drafts, fog or a window that will not open? Here is how to tell if a fix will do.

Quick answer

Fix small parts. Replace windows with rot, broken seals all over, or bad drafts.

A new replacement window runs $300 to $1,650^[1]. Vinyl windows can last 20 to 40 years^[3].

Windows take a beating from sun, rain and wind. Over time, parts wear out.

Some problems are cheap to fix. Others mean the whole window is done. Here is how to tell.

Start with a slow walk around your home on a sunny, breezy day. Open and close each window. Look at the corners of the glass, the sill and the wall below. Write down what you find. That list makes it easy to talk with a window pro, and it stops you from paying for windows that are still fine.

Signs your windows need help

• Drafts. Feel for cold or hot air near the frame on a windy day.
• Fog between the panes. The seal between the two layers of glass has failed.
• Hard to open or close. It could be paint, dirt, or a warped frame.
• Water or soft wood. Leaks and rot can spread into the wall.
• Cracked glass. It is a safety risk and lets in weather.

How long windows last

Source: InterNACHI^[3]. Strong sun and salt air can shorten these.

Fix it or replace it?

A new window costs $300 to $1,650^[1]. Single-pane glass is cheapest at $150 to $450^[1]. Double-pane runs $450 to $1,000^[1][1].

Lead and hurricane rules

Lead paint. Many homes built before 1978^[4] may have lead paint. The EPA says paid crews that disturb paint there must be certified and use lead-safe steps^[4].

Hurricanes. In Miami-Dade County, windows must be approved products. The county has a search tool for them^[5]. Ask your installer for the approval number.

Ready to price it? Try the window calculator or read the full window cost guide.

Example: one foggy window

Picture a home with one cloudy window in the living room. The home is pretend. The prices are from HomeAdvisor.

One double-pane window is foggy inside. The other windows are fine. The frames are solid. Double-pane glass tends to last 8 to 20 years^[3].

A new replacement window, put in, costs $300 to $1,650^[1]. Replacing the whole house of windows would cost far more. The average project is about $7,348^[1].

Since only one window is bad, the owner fixes or swaps just that one. If most windows were foggy and drafty, a full job would make more sense.

Window checks you can do yourself

• On a windy day, hold a tissue near the edges. Does it move?
• Look for fog between the panes. Wiping won't clear it.
• Press the wood sill with a key. Soft wood is a sign of rot.
• Open and close each window. Note which ones stick.

What to ask the installer

• Can you replace just the glass, or does the whole window need to go?
• Is the frame still solid?
• What would one window cost, and what would all of them cost?
• Is there any water damage in the wall?

Florida notes

In South Florida, new windows face strict storm rules. Miami-Dade keeps a list of cleared products^[5]. That can change which windows you are allowed to buy. Ask the installer before you choose.

Mistakes to avoid

• Replacing good windows. If a window seals well and opens fine, it may not need to go.
• Ignoring the frame. A new window in a rotten frame will not last. Ask the installer to check.
• Comparing quotes that don't match. Make sure each one names the same frame, glass and count.
• Forgetting old paint. Homes built before 1978^[4] fall under lead-safe rules^[4].

Do new windows pay back?

Partly. The 2025 Cost vs Value report priced a vinyl window job at about $22,073^[2]. It found that about 76%^[2] of that came back at resale^[2]. Wood windows got back about 70%^[2].

So new windows can help when you sell. But they rarely pay for themselves fully. Fix the bad ones first.

Small fixes before a new window

Not every problem needs a whole new window. Ask about these first.

• New weatherstrip can stop a draft around the sash.
• New caulk outside can seal small gaps at the frame.
• New glass only may fix a foggy pane if the frame is still good.
• A new crank or lock can fix a casement that won't close.

If the frame is rotten or the window leaks water inside the wall, a fix is not enough.