Introduction
Spring in Melbourne is when most of us throw open the windows, clear out the winter cobwebs and start thinking about summer. It’s also the smartest time to give your windows and doors a proper once-over.
They’ve just been through a full Melbourne winter — months of cold, damp mornings, wind-driven rain and sharp temperature swings. Any small issue that started back in June — a draught under a door, a seal beginning to crack, a sliding track getting stiff — has had months to worsen.
A check now also sets you up for summer. Melbourne summers swing from mild to brutal heatwaves, and the same windows that let the cold in during winter are the ones you’ll want keeping the heat out when the mercury climbs.
Below is a practical checklist you can work through in an afternoon. For each item: what to look for, what it means, and whether it’s something you can fix yourself or a sign it’s time to replace the whole window or door. On a related note, windows and external glazed doors in Australia are generally expected to meet AS 2047, the Australian Standard covering their structural and weather performance — so if you’re buying new, it’s worth asking your supplier for the performance label.
1. Seals and Draughts
Look for gaps, cracks or shrinkage in the sealant around frames, flattened or missing weather strips, a draught when you hold your hand near a frame on a windy day, or light coming through around a closed door.
Seals harden and shrink over time, especially after Melbourne’s UV-heavy summers and damp winters. When they fail, warm air escapes in winter and cool air in summer — so your heating and cooling work harder than they should. Gaps of around 2mm or more are worth addressing.
Fix: re-sealing a frame or replacing worn strips is simple and usually cheap. Replace signal: if you’ve re-sealed the same opening more than once and it’s still draughty, the frame may be warped or worn out — and when several openings are affected, replacing the whole window or door usually makes more sense than patching.
2. The Glass and the Sealed Unit
Look for cracks, chips or star marks — and for a persistent foggy or milky look between the panes of a double glazed window. If you can’t wipe it off from either side, moisture is trapped inside the sealed unit (IGU), meaning the edge seal has failed. That unit is at the end of its life.
Fix: a single affected pane can often be dealt with on its own. Replace signal: if your windows are older and this is one of several issues — failed seals, worn frames, faded finish, draughty openings — swapping the odd unit is only a short-term fix. Replacing the whole window or door renews glazing, frame, seals and hardware in one go, with a consistent look and a single warranty.
Note: condensation on the outside of good double glazing on a cold morning is normal — it means the glass is insulating well. More on condensation in section 6.
3. Frames: Rot, Rust or Warping
Timber: soft, spongy or crumbly spots (especially low down), flaking paint, swelling, dark staining or musty smells. Aluminium: white chalky powder, pitting or corrosion (more common near the coast), bubbling coating, or warping that affects how the window sits or opens.
Timber can absorb winter moisture and start to rot; older or unprotected aluminium can corrode in coastal or salt-exposed areas. Either way, the frame holds everything together — once it’s compromised, the window or door rarely performs as it should. Well-made systems meeting AS 2047 are built and rated for structural and weather performance, which is exactly the part a failing frame can no longer deliver.
Fix: minor surface issues or a re-coat can buy time. Replace signal: once timber is soft or structurally damaged, or an aluminium frame has corroded or warped, repairs are short-lived. This is one of the clearest cases for replacing the whole window or door — and it’s exactly what our team handles every day.
4. Tracks, Hinges and Hardware
Open and close every window and door. Look for sticking or jumping sliders, grit and leaves in tracks, and handles, locks or hinges that are loose or stiff. Often it’s just build-up — a clean track and a little lubrication helps a lot. Worn rollers commonly cause stiff sliders.
Fix: cleaning, lubricating, or swapping a single handle or lock is straightforward. Replace signal: if the frame has moved or bowed, or a door has dropped so far it no longer aligns or latches, new hardware won’t solve it. That’s structural — usually best resolved by replacing the whole window or door rather than chasing it with repairs.
5. Flyscreens, Drainage and Water Marks
Flyscreens: look for tears, sagging mesh or bent frames. A torn screen on a sound frame can usually be re-meshed; if the frame is bent or corroded — or you’re upgrading the windows anyway — new screens matched to the new system are the cleaner choice.
Drainage: check the small drainage holes (weep holes) along the bottom of frames for blockages. Windows and doors are designed to shed water, but clogged holes let it pool and find its way inside. Clearing them is simple maintenance.
If you see water marks on internal walls or ceilings, the cause may be more than a blocked hole — it could involve flashing, sarking or how the opening was sealed. Get it checked rather than guessing. Replace signal: an older window or door that leaks repeatedly, whatever’s done, is often one where replacement is part of the real answer.
6. Condensation and Moisture
Winter’s just passed, so you know which rooms were the worst. Look for windows wet inside every cold morning, mould returning around frames or sills, and damp, musty smells.
Internal condensation usually comes down to either high indoor moisture (cooking, showers, indoor clothes drying, poor ventilation) or cold surfaces (single glazing and frames that aren’t thermally broken) — often both together.
Fix: better ventilation, exhaust fans that vent outside, and managing moisture at the source all help. Replace signal: if a room keeps suffering, the window system itself is usually the limiting factor. Upgrading to double glazed, thermally broken windows and doors keeps the inner surface warmer, so moisture has far less chance to condense — treating the cause, not the symptom.
7. Energy, Comfort and Summer Readiness
Think back over winter: which rooms felt cold, and did the heating bill creep up? Look for rooms that never warm up (especially near windows), west- and south-facing windows that are cold in winter and baking in summer, and curtains that move when it’s windy.
Windows and doors are among the biggest points of heat loss and gain in a home. Poorly sealed or single-glazed openings let warmth out in winter and heat in during summer — which is why the right glazing and frames matter for both comfort and running costs.
Fix: external shading and sealing obvious gaps are worth doing. Replace signal: if you’ve done what you can and a room is still uncomfortable, the system is the limiting factor. Spring is the smart time to act — anything you upgrade now is working for you by summer, and if you’re planning to replace, booking early beats the summer rush.
8. The Fix-or-Replace Decision
After the checklist, most people have a mix of “fine”, “needs work”, and “should probably think about that one”. Here’s a simple way to sort them.
| What you’re seeing | Likely action |
| A single worn seal or draughty gap | Fix — re-seal |
| A stiff track or loose handle | Fix — clean, lubricate, swap hardware |
| A torn flyscreen on a sound frame | Fix — re-mesh |
| Repeated draughts after re-sealing | Consider replacement |
| Soft or rotting timber frame | Replace the window/door |
| Corroded or warped aluminium frame | Replace the window/door |
| Multiple failed sealed units | Replace — better value in a full system |
| Doors that have dropped or won’t latch | Replace the door system |
| Persistent condensation + old single glazing | Upgrade to double glazed, thermally broken |
| Cold, draughty, noisy rooms despite minor fixes | Consider a full upgrade |
A useful rule: fix the small, isolated things yourself; when problems are repeated, structural, or affect your comfort every day, look at replacing the whole window or door. Not every older window needs replacing — but if you’re re-sealing, re-glazing or re-adjusting the same opening year after year, the maths soon favours a full replacement, which resets glazing, frames, seals and hardware all at once.
FAQ
Replacing or repairing?
Isolated issues (a worn seal, a stiff track, one torn screen) are usually quick fixes. Repeated problems, structural issues (rotting timber, corroded frames), or comfort problems across several openings are the clearest signs that a full replacement is worth considering.
How often should I check?
Twice a year — spring and autumn — is a sensible habit. In Melbourne, spring is especially useful: it sets your home up for summer and catches anything winter has worsened.
What causes foggy double glazing?
Moisture trapped between the panes means the sealed unit has failed. It can’t be cleaned off, and the unit generally needs replacing — if it’s happening across several windows, it’s worth reviewing the system as a whole.
Is spring a good time to replace in Australia?
Yes — milder weather makes installation more comfortable, and anything you upgrade is ready before the summer heat. Booking a measure and quote early is wise, as trades get busier heading into summer.
Wrapping Up
Your windows and doors work hard over winter. An afternoon checking seals, glass, frames, tracks, screens, drainage and comfort tells you clearly which issues are small fixes — and which mean the system has had its day.
Plenty of what you find will be minor. But if the same problems keep coming back — or you’re simply tired of draughty, cold or noisy rooms — spring is the smart time to replace your windows and doors, while the weather’s mild and before the summer rush.
If your check points to a full replacement, that’s exactly what we do. Sunny Windows & Doors supplies and installs double glazed windows and doors, made to measure for Melbourne homes and installed by a professional team. Book a measure and quote, or speak with our team.
