Should you repair or replace your windows?
Updated August 2026
← Every repair-or-replace call
A foggy double pane usually needs a replacement insulated glass unit at $150–400, not a whole new window at $400–1,200 installed. Balances, sash cords, weatherstripping, and exterior caulk are all repairable on a sound frame for $75–350 per window. Replacement earns its price when the frame itself has rotted, the glass is single pane in a cold climate, or a dozen units are failing at once. A whole-house job lands at $8,000–25,000, so the order you tackle them in matters as much as the decision itself.
The short version
Judge the frame first and the glass second. Wood, vinyl, or aluminum frames that are square, solid, and operating can carry new glass, new balances, and new weatherstripping for decades, and one failed seal is no reason to tear out a good window. Press a screwdriver into the sill and the lower sash rails. Soft wood there means water has been sitting, and rot travels into the jamb where no repair holds. The second trigger is scale. A single drafty window is a $75–350 afternoon. Ten drafty single panes in a cold climate is a project, and energy savings alone rarely justify it, because a $400–1,200 window recovers its price slowly on the heating bill. Comfort, noise, security, and rot are the honest reasons to buy windows.
Your situation, decided
| Situation | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Fogged glass, frame square and solid | Repair (new glass unit) | A $150–400 glass swap versus a $400–1,200 window |
| Window will not stay up, balance or cord broken | Repair | A $75–250 hardware fix on an otherwise sound unit |
| Sill or jamb probes soft and rotted | Replace | Rot spreads through the frame; new glass sits in bad wood |
| Single pane in a cold climate, frames sound | Judgment call | A $100–350 storm window buys most of the comfort for less |
| Six or more units failing on one house | Replace in phases | Crew setup is a big share of the $8,000–25,000 total |
| Cracked pane, everything else fine | Repair | Reglazing one pane runs $100–300, not a new window |
What each path costs
Repairs typically run $150–400; a replacement is $400–1,200 per window installed. Vinyl and wood windows last 20–30 years, aluminum 20–25, and the insulated glass seal 15–25. A failed seal is a glass problem; rot in the frame is a window problem. Price your own number on the home maintenance cost calculator before you commit either way.
The repair-or-replace call is easy when you know the unit's age and service history. OnOtto keeps both, plus the maintenance that delays this decision for years.
Start your home's service log, freeFrequently asked questions
Can a foggy window be defogged instead of reglazed?
Services exist that drill small holes in the glass, clean the interior surfaces, and fit a vent, for roughly $75–200 per window. It does clear the haze. It does not restore the seal or the argon fill, so the window keeps performing like a vented single cavity and can fog again in humid weather. Treat it as a cosmetic fix for a house you are about to sell, and buy the $150–400 glass unit when you plan to stay in it.
Do replacement windows pay for themselves on the energy bill?
Rarely on that basis alone. Going from old double panes to new ones trims a modest slice of heating and cooling, and against $400–1,200 per window the payback stretches well past a decade. Single pane to double pane in a cold climate is a bigger jump and closes faster. The honest reasons to buy are rot, sashes that will not open or lock, condensation, street noise, and rooms too cold to use. Model the plan on the cost calculator first.
Is it cheaper to replace all the windows at once?
Per window, yes, by roughly 10–20%, because setup, crew time, and disposal spread across the job and most companies discount volume. Whether that is the right call depends on your cash rather than the math. Phasing works well if you start with the worst exposure, usually the west and south walls that take the sun and the weather, and do four to eight units per round. Bid an $8,000–25,000 whole-house job at least three ways.
What is the cheapest way to fix a drafty window?
Work from the outside in. Re-caulk the exterior joint between the frame and the siding, where most air and water get in, for about $10 of material per window. Replace worn weatherstripping in the sash channels for $15–40. Add an interior insert panel or a fitted exterior storm for $100–350, which brings a single pane close to double-pane comfort. Keeping the frame seals fresh also stops the slow water intrusion that rots sills.