“Lifetime warranty” appears on most window brochures in Canada, and it almost never means what it sounds like. A window has three separate things that can fail, covered by two different parties under different terms, and the details determine whether a foggy pane in year 12 costs you nothing or $600. Here’s how to read a window warranty before you need it.
The Three Parts of a Window, and Who Covers Each
| Component | Covered by | Typical Canadian term |
|---|---|---|
| Vinyl or fibreglass frame and sash | Manufacturer | 20 years to “lifetime” |
| Sealed glass unit (fogging, seal failure) | Manufacturer | 10 to 20 years, often prorated after 10 |
| Hardware (cranks, locks, balances) | Manufacturer | 5 to 10 years |
| Exterior colour or laminate finish | Manufacturer | 5 to 20 years, dark colours often shorter |
| Installation (leaks, drafts, operation) | Installer | 2 to 10 years, sometimes lifetime |
| Labour to replace a failed part | Depends; often nobody after year 1 or 2 | Read the fine print |
Frame and Sash
The long “lifetime” number is usually this one. It covers the vinyl or fibreglass against cracking, peeling, blistering, and warping under normal use, for as long as you own the home. It rarely gets used, because frames rarely fail, and it usually excludes discolouration beyond a stated amount and anything caused by heat, chemicals, or impact.
The Sealed Glass Unit
This is the part that actually fails, and the part to read carefully. The sealed unit (two or three panes, spacer, gas, and edge seal) fogs when the seal goes. Typical Canadian coverage is 10 to 20 years, and it’s often prorated: full replacement in the first 5 or 10 years, then a declining percentage. The second question is who installs the replacement glass. Many manufacturers ship the new unit free but don’t pay for the labour to put it in after year one or two, and some installers treat glass replacement as chargeable skilled labour. A fogged unit in year 12 can therefore be “covered” and still cost you a service call.
Hardware, Screens, and Finish
Cranks, locks, hinges, and balances are usually covered for a shorter term, typically 5 to 10 years, and screens for a year or two. Colour finishes on the exterior (paint or laminate) have their own term, and it’s common for dark colours to have a shorter term, a fade allowance, or exposure exclusions. If you’re buying black windows, this section matters more than the frame warranty; see our black windows guide.
The Installer’s Labour Warranty
The manufacturer’s warranty covers the product. It does not cover a window that leaks because it was flashed wrong, drafts because the perimeter wasn’t foamed, or sticks because it was installed out of square. Those are installation failures, and they’re far more common than product failures. The installer’s written labour warranty is the only thing that covers them. Two years is thin; five to ten is good; a company that’s been around 20 years and offers a written labour warranty is what you want. Ask to see it before signing, and make sure it’s from a company that will still exist to honour it.
Prorated vs. Non-Prorated
Non-prorated means a covered failure is fixed at no charge for the whole term. Prorated means coverage declines over time: for example, 100 percent for 10 years, then dropping 10 percent a year. Under a prorated schedule, a sealed unit that fails in year 15 might be 50 percent covered, and you pay the rest plus labour. Ask which kind the glass warranty is; it’s the single most useful question.
Transferability
Some warranties transfer automatically to the next owner, some transfer once with a form and a fee within 30 to 90 days of sale, some convert from “lifetime” to a fixed term on transfer, and some don’t transfer at all. If you may sell in the next decade, a transferable warranty is a small selling point; keep the paperwork.
What Voids a Warranty
- Installation by someone other than an approved installer (for some brands).
- Window films or tints applied to the glass.
- Pressure washing, harsh cleaners, or paint on the frames.
- Structural movement, settling, or water damage from elsewhere.
- Failure to register the warranty, on brands that require it.
- Impact damage, storms, and “acts of God.”
How to Make a Claim
- Photograph the problem and note the date it appeared.
- Find your invoice and the window’s order or serial information (often on a label in the frame channel).
- Call the installer first. A good one handles the manufacturer claim for you.
- Expect a site visit to confirm the failure, then a replacement unit on the manufacturer’s lead time.
We register every window we sell, keep your order on file, and handle claims for our customers for the life of the product. Our labour warranty is in writing on every quote.
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A family-owned business that supplies and installs high-quality windows and doors throughout Mississauga, Oakville, London, and surrounding areas in Ontario. Over 20 years of experience and a reputation built entirely on customer referrals.