Free in-home measure and quote - PGT, CGI and CWS impact lines compared on your actual openings, style by style
Before
After
Before
AfterTherma-Tru Window Installation: The Fort Lauderdale Owner’s Guide
Therma-Tru window installation in Fort Lauderdale typically runs $85-$210 per opening for a straightforward sash or hardware swap, and $340-$680 when the entire frame unit gets replaced. We keep a rolling stock of the most common Therma-Tru replacement parts on our trucks, so a lot of these calls get resolved in one trip. Most homeowners don’t discover the problem until a window won’t latch, drafts through a closed sash, or the crank on a casement unit starts slipping. In this climate, that first sign usually shows up as condensation you can’t wipe away, because it’s trapped between the panes.
We’re an independent South Florida installer, not affiliated with Therma-Tru, but we’ve been fitting their doors and windows in Fort Lauderdale and around Broward County for over 14 years. Ed Winslow’s been measuring and installing these units since the company started in 2011, and he’s seen every failure mode this salt-heavy air can produce.
Key Takeaways
- Typical installed price: $85-$210 for sash and hardware work, $340-$680 for full-frame replacement.
- We stock common Therma-Tru parts on the truck: balance assemblies, tilt latches, weatherstripping, casement operators, and lock sets.
- 36500-Day Done Right Promise: if the installation isn’t done right, we make it right. Period.
- Free second opinions on any written estimate: bring us another company’s quote and Ed will go over it line by line.
Which Therma-Tru Models This Applies To
Therma-Tru is better known for entry doors than windows, but plenty of Fort Lauderdale homes have their matching frame-and-sash units, particularly in developments built from the mid-2000s onward. The compatibility gotcha we run into most often: Therma-Tru window hardware is not universal across their product families. A tilt latch from one series will not seat properly in another, even when the dimensions look close to the eye.
To identify what you have, look for the sticker or etch on the upper corner of the sash frame. It’ll carry a series code and a manufacturing date. If the sticker’s gone, which happens fast in Florida sun, we measure the sash thickness, balance shoe profile, and the latch mortise spacing. Those three measurements get us to the right part about ninety percent of the time without ordering the wrong thing twice.
The real decision for Therma-Tru owners is OEM versus quality aftermarket. OEM parts carry the exact factory tolerances, and that matters for balance assemblies and locking hardware that have to mate with the original extrusion. But some aftermarket components, especially weatherstripping and glazing beads, are functionally identical and cost thirty to fifty percent less. We’ll tell you which is which on your specific window and let you decide. We also stock compatible parts for PGT, CGI, and CWS units, so if the window next to the Therma-Tru is a different brand, we can handle both in the same visit.
Signs Your Therma-Tru Window Installation Is Failing
- Condensation between the panes. The insulated glass unit has lost its seal. Fort Lauderdale’s humidity makes this one obvious fast. If you can’t wipe the fog off with a rag, it’s inside the unit, not on the surface.
- Sash won’t stay up. The balance shoe or spiral balance has worn out. On Therma-Tru double-hung units, this usually happens on the street-facing side first, because that side gets the most UV and thermal cycling.
- Lock won’t latch or feels loose. The keeper plate or the lock pawl has drifted because the sash shifted slightly over years of settling. In coastal neighborhoods like Las Olas or Victoria Park, salt air accelerates the wear on the locking cam.
- Crank turns but the sash barely moves. The casement operator gear is stripped. This is especially common in Therma-Tru casement units where the hardware was never lubricated after installation, a ten-minute maintenance step that most homeowners don’t know about.
- Draft you can feel around the sash edge. The weatherstripping or the corner gaskets have compressed or crumbled. In Fort Lauderdale, that draft translates directly into higher AC bills and more moisture in the wall cavity.
Replacement Cost & What’s Included
For a Therma-Tru window installation in Fort Lauderdale, our installed pricing breaks down like this:
- Sash swap (double-hung or casement sash only): $145-$275 per sash, part and labor.
- Balance assembly replacement (one sash): $85-$160, includes re-tensioning and adjustment.
- Lock set or tilt latch replacement: $65-$125 per window.
- Weatherstripping and glazing bead replacement: $60-$130 per window.
- Full-frame window replacement (if the frame is rotted or out of square): $420-$680 per opening, including proper flashing and sealant work.
What drives the range is access: first-floor windows in single-story Fort Lauderdale homes cost less to work on than third-story units on a waterfront property where we’re setting up ladders over a seawall. The pricing is upfront, line by line, no change orders when we find surprises. The 36500-Day Done Right Promise applies to every Therma-Tru installation we do, which is a century-long standard of accountability no national chain can match.
DIY or Call Us?
There are a few things worth checking yourself before making the call. Check that the lock pawl isn’t blocked by paint or debris. Check the weatherstripping for visible gaps where it has pulled away from the channel. Look for any obvious screws backing out of the keeper plate. Those are observational, safe, and free.
Where DIY goes wrong for Therma-Tru windows is the balance assembly. Double-hung window balances are under constant spring tension. The wrong move during disassembly can send a metal shoe flying, and a window sash is heavy enough to break fingers when it drops unexpectedly. Ed’s seen the aftermath of that particular shortcut more times than he’d like to count. If the window won’t stay up, call us at (904) 913-5886. A technician walks you through what they find before any work is approved.
FAQs
A properly installed Therma-Tru window frame in South Florida generally lasts 20 to 30 years, but the consumable parts inside it, like weatherstripping and balance assemblies, start needing attention around the 10-year mark. Salt air and intense UV shorten that timeline compared to inland Florida. Call (904) 913-5886 for an exact assessment.
Yes, most of the time. If the frame is solid and square, we can replace the sash, hardware, or glass unit individually, which is far cheaper than tearing out the whole window. We’ll tell you plainly if the frame is too far gone to save.
Most single-window repairs take 45 minutes to an hour once a technician is on site. Full-frame replacements run two to three hours per window depending on the substrate condition and access.
We keep the most common Therma-Tru replacement components on our trucks, including balance assemblies, tilt latches, lock sets, and casement operators. Oddball series codes may take three to five business days to source, and we’ll give you that honest timeline before you approve anything.
If your Therma-Tru window is acting up in Fort Lauderdale or anywhere in Broward County, call Winslow Windows & Doors at (904) 913-5886. A live person answers, day or night. We’ll give you a straight answer, an upfront price, and a free estimate, no trip charge inside the county. Ed’s name is on the door, literally. That means it gets done right.
Written by Ed Winslow, Owner, Winslow Windows & Doors at Winslow Windows & Doors, serving Fort Lauderdale and nearby areas.
Six Reasons Homeowners Choose Winslow Windows & Doors
Impact systems engineered to design pressures up to +/-100, matched to your wind zone - your openings hold when the storm arrives.
Low-E insulated impact glass from our manufacturer lines commonly cuts monthly cooling bills 20-30%.
Laminated impact glass shuts out up to 40% of outside noise - traffic, neighbors, weather.
Monitoring services run $30-90 a month. Laminated impact glass resists forced entry around the clock, with no subscription.
Florida homeowners average around 25% savings on the windstorm portion of their policy after protecting every opening - some homes qualify for more.
A full impact package upgrades curb appeal, buyer confidence and appraised value in one project.