Reseal before the first frost: caulk the fixed joints around frames, weatherstrip the parts that open, and work the inside first. Exterior caulk needs dry weather above 5°C, which in Aurora means finishing by about mid-October.
Two kinds of Aurora house, two different jobs
Aurora splits cleanly in half. Around Yonge Street and the streets of the Northeast Old Aurora heritage district you find houses with original wood windows, some more than a century old. In the newer northeast subdivisions the windows are usually factory-sealed vinyl units from the last twenty-odd years. Both leak in winter, but they leak in different places, and the sensible job is different. We cover the heritage side in more depth in our guide to repairing windows and doors on a heritage home in downtown Aurora; this piece is about the seasonal reseal that applies to both.
Caulk and weatherstripping are not interchangeable
The simplest rule is the one Natural Resources Canada and most utilities give: caulking seals joints that do not move, and weatherstripping seals joints that do. NRCan describes caulking as the product applied around window trim to close gaps, and weatherstripping as the strip that covers the joint of a door or a window that opens, to keep out precipitation and cold air. It adds that windows and doors can account for up to 25% of a home's total heat loss.
In practice that gives you a short checklist:
- Caulk: the joint between the window or door frame and the wall or siding, the joint between the frame and the interior casing, and any gap where trim meets the wall.
- Weatherstrip: the edges of an operable sash, the sides, top and bottom of an entry door, and the frame of a patio door.
- Leave alone: the small weep holes along the bottom of many vinyl window frames. They drain water out, and a bead of caulk across them traps it inside.
Work from the inside out
NRCan's advice is to finish indoor sealing before outdoor sealing. The usual building-science explanation is moisture: warm indoor air carries water vapour, and if the outside is sealed tight while the inside still leaks, that vapour can end up inside the wall. Seal the interior joint first, then close the exterior. A contractor who only caulks the outside and skips the casing has done half of it.
Hydro One, which uses figures for an average house, puts air leakage at 25 to 40 per cent of winter heat loss and says around 13 per cent of that comes through windows. That is an average, not a measurement of your house, but it explains why a half-day of sealing is one of the cheaper winter fixes available.
Prep decides how long it lasts
Hydro-Québec's caulking guide is blunt about preparation. Cut away split or dried old caulk with a utility knife, brush the area clean, and replace any wood that has gone soft. Gaps wider than about 6 mm (a quarter inch) get a foam backer rod pushed in first, so the caulk bridges a shallow gap instead of trying to fill a deep one. Hydro One adds that caulks are not interchangeable: check whether it is rated for indoor or outdoor use, whether it can be painted, and its application temperature. Many modern caulks last 20 years or more, which is the reason to strip the old bead instead of laying a new one over it.
The temperature rule matters in Aurora. Hydro-Québec says not to caulk where the temperature is below 5°C, because the compound stiffens. Typical first-frost estimates for Aurora, based on 1991 to 2020 climate data, fall in the second and third weeks of October. Treat that as an approximation from a third-party frost-date source, not a forecast, and plan to be finished before the cold mornings arrive instead of squeezing the job into a mild afternoon in November.
What to look for in an older heritage-core home
Original wood sashes hold each pane with glazing putty, and the putty is a likely culprit when you feel a draught at the glass itself. Hydro-Québec notes that glazing cracks should be repaired with glazing compound, which stays more pliable than putty. A cracked or missing patch of putty is a separate repair from caulking the frame, and a sash that rattles, sticks or won't stay up may need new cords, not just a new seal. Ask for those to be itemised separately.
The permit question is simpler than people fear. The Town of Aurora's Heritage Permit Guide, dated December 2017, lists caulking, window repair, weather stripping and installing storm doors and windows among work that typically does not need a heritage permit, and lists replacing windows or doors on street-facing elevations as work that does. Because the guide is several years old and a property can be listed, designated individually, or sit in the district, confirm your own status with the Town's Heritage Planning staff before you book.
Paint is the other trap. Health Canada says a home built before 1960 probably contains lead-based paint, and it advises against sanders, heat guns and blowlamps on old paint. If the caulking job involves scraping frames and trim, ask how dust is being controlled before anyone picks up a scraper.
What to look for in a newer northeast Aurora home
A vinyl window usually does not need reglazing or new cords. Its weak points are the exterior caulk line where the frame meets the cladding, the weatherstripping on the operable sash, and the foam-and-trim joint on the inside. Entry doors are the repeat offenders: a worn bottom sweep or compressed strip on the sides is often a quick fix, but if daylight shows around the door when it is shut, the door may have dropped on its hinges and the strip alone won't help. Garage-to-house doors deserve the same check, since they sit between conditioned space and a cold garage.
If a window will not close tightly, the glass has fogged between the panes, or the frame is wet inside, that is a failed window or a failed installation. Caulk will not cure it, and that quote should say replacement.
Do not seal the house shut
Making a house tighter changes how it breathes. Fuel-burning appliances need combustion air and bathrooms and kitchens need their exhaust fans to work. If your house has a gas furnace, water heater or fireplace, test your bathroom and range fans after a big sealing project and check that your carbon monoxide alarm is working. If you have any doubt about how an appliance is vented, ask a licensed gas technician before you seal.
How to get a fair quote without a price list
We have not listed dollar figures here, because the public price data we found for Ontario window sealing was thin and mostly from the United States, and the real number swings with window count, access and how much old caulk has to come out. What you can control is the shape of the quote. Ask for it per window and per door, in writing, and ask the contractor to say what is being done to each: strip and re-caulk, replace weatherstripping, adjust the door, or reglaze. Two or three quotes on the same scope will tell you more than any average.
Quick answers
Should I caulk or use weatherstripping on my windows?
Caulk the fixed joints and weatherstrip the parts that move. Caulk goes where the frame meets the wall or trim; weatherstripping goes on the sash edges and door edges that open and close.
What temperature do I need to caulk windows in Aurora?
Don't caulk below 5°C. Hydro-Québec's guide says the compound stiffens below that and is hard to work with, so book exterior caulking for a dry, mild day in early fall.
Do I need a permit to caulk or weatherstrip a heritage home in Aurora?
Not usually. The Town's Heritage Permit Guide lists caulking, window repair, weather stripping and storm windows as minor work, but it is dated 2017, so confirm your status with Heritage Planning.
Do I seal the inside or the outside of a window first?
The inside. Natural Resources Canada says indoor sealing should be finished before outdoor sealing, so seal the interior joints first and close the exterior second.
Who can reseal windows and doors on an Aurora home?
Rhodex can match you with a vetted craftsman; request a quote at rhodex.ca/get-a-quote.html. Ask whether the quote covers caulk, weatherstripping, or both, and per window or per house.
Book the dry weeks, not the last warm day
The honest plan is a short one. Decide which kind of house you have, inspect each opening, seal the inside first, and get the exterior done while the weather is still dry and above 5°C. Leave anything that looks like rot, failed glass or a street-facing replacement for a separate conversation with the Town and a contractor.
Related reading
- More home repair guides for Aurora
- Window and Door Repair on a Heritage Home in Downtown Aurora: Repair vs. Replacement
- Window and Door Resealing Before Winter in Newmarket
- How Do Building Permits Actually Work in York Region?
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