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PGT Window Replacement: The Fort Lauderdale Owner’s Guide
We stock and install PGT window replacement units across Fort Lauderdale, with most sash replacements and full-frame retrofits running $450 to $1,850 per opening depending on series, glass package, and frame condition. We keep common PGT sashes and balance assemblies on the truck, so many single-unit replacements happen same-day once we’ve measured your opening. Most homeowners find a failed PGT window the same way: a sash that won’t stay up, a crank that slips, or condensation between the panes that won’t burn off by noon.
Key Takeaways:
- PGT replacement sashes and full units are stocked or ordered direct by series match, not guesswork
- Installed pricing in Fort Lauderdale runs $450-$1,850 per opening based on impact rating and size
- TruePane is an independent installer, not a PGT subsidiary – we service what your house already has
- Every replacement carries our 90-Day Done Right Promise with both warranty layers in writing
Which PGT Models This Applies To
PGT built Fort Lauderdale’s impact window market, and we see three series most often in homes east of I-95: the aluminum WinGuard, the vinyl SpectraGuard, and the older ClassicVue line that predates current code. The replacement part has to match your frame’s series and glass pocket, not just your rough opening. WinGuard uses a heavier sash profile with deeper glass channels than SpectraGuard, and a SpectraGuard sash will not seat correctly in a WinGuard frame no matter how close the measurements look.
To identify yours, look at the spacer bar inside the insulated glass unit. WinGuard units print “WINGUARD” or the PGT product code on the metal interceptor; SpectraGuard labels sit on the sash extrusion itself. Where the label is gone, measure the frame’s visible width: WinGuard runs 3-1/4 inches, SpectraGuard 2-3/4 inches. For OEM-versus-aftermarket, we default to genuine PGT replacement sashes from the current Miami and Venice production lines. PGT’s existing-glass warranties still govern those units, and Fort Lauderdale’s salt air punishes off-brand interceptor materials faster than inland. Aftermarket equivalents from CGI or ES Windows make sense in some non-impact bedroom windows, but on any opening that has a PGT etched-glass product approval number, we quote OEM first.
Signs Your PGT Window Replacement Is Failing
- Condensation or haze between the glass panes. The desiccant inside the spacer has saturated, and the seal has failed. In Fort Lauderdale humidity, a blown PGT seal spreads within two seasons once it starts.
- Sash won’t stay raised or drops hard when released. Balance springs or constant-force coils in the jamb have lost tension. PGT single-hung and double-hung balancers wear faster in coastal homes because salt grit works into the track.
- Crank operator slips or grinds when you turn it. The gear teeth inside the operator have stripped, common on casement and awning units after years of fighting humidity-swollen frames.
- Water stains or softness in drywall below the window. The main frame seal or sill flashing has begun to fail, and water is finding the rough opening. Once it wets the framing, you’re past a parts swap and into a full unit replacement.
- Visible oxidation or pitting along the sash corners. Aluminum PGT frames hold up, but salt air from the Atlantic or the Intracoastal finds every scratch. Pitting signals the anodized coating is gone and the frame is now structural rust waiting.
Replacement Cost & What’s Included
A single PGT sash replacement in Fort Lauderdale, parts and labor, typically runs $450 to $850 for non-impact glass and $700 to $1,450 for insulated impact units. Full-frame replacements, where the old PGT frame and sill come out, run $1,100 to $1,850 per opening depending on size, stucco repair, and whether you’re upgrading to current Florida Building Code impact requirements. The price we quote includes the replacement unit, haul-away of the old sash, sealant matched to the existing finish, and trim repair where the opening shows wear.
What moves the number: glass package (laminate versus standard insulated), the window’s size, and whether we’re working on a ground floor or need ladder and lift access. We quote manufactured side by side on paper so you see exactly what you’re paying for and which warranty layer covers what. The Keystone Standard means both PGT’s manufacturer warranty and our workmanship coverage are registered in writing, with durations stated, before our truck leaves your driveway.
DIY or Call Us?
What a homeowner can safely check: whether the sash is square in the frame, whether the track is clean of salt grit and debris, and whether the weep holes along the bottom rail are clear. Blocked weep holes are a common cause of interior water in Fort Lauderdale PGT sliders, and clearing them takes a toothpick and a minute.
Where DIY goes wrong is replacing the sash itself. PGT impact sashes weigh between 40 and 90 pounds. Lifting one out of a second-story frame while a Florida squall is rolling in from the Everglades is how people lose windows, and worse, lose control of a 90-pound laminate slab. The balance system is under tension even when the sash is closed. If you’re not sure whether the failure is the sash, the balance, or the frame, call us at (754) 310-3589 and we’ll tell you over the phone what the failure picture looks like. If it can wait, we’ll say so. If it can’t, we’ll get someone out.
FAQs
A properly installed PGT impact window in Fort Lauderdale lasts 18 to 25 years before the seals outgas and fail. Coastal homes within a mile of the beach tend toward the shorter end because salt spray and constant UV shorten interceptor life. If your PGT units are past 20 and you’ve already replaced one seal, plan for the rest of the openings on that elevation to follow.
In most cases the part can be isolated: the sash, the balance, the operator, or the weatherstripping. We swap the failed component rather than replacing the entire window when the frame is still sound. Call (754) 310-3589 and describe what you’re seeing, and we’ll tell you honestly which side of that line you’re on.
A single sash or balance replacement usually takes 45 to 90 minutes once we’re in front of the window. A full-frame replacement takes half a day per opening including stucco and trim work. We’ll be there when we say, and the job is done when the pane is true.
We stock common PGT balances, operators, and replacement sashes for the WinGuard and SpectraGuard series on our service trucks in Fort Lauderdale. Uncommon sizes go on order from PGT’s Florida plants, which takes three to ten business days. If your series is discontinued, we’ll match the opening with an equivalent current-line unit from PGT, CGI, or ES Windows and quote it on paper side by side.
Written by Dale Kessler, Owner, TruePane Windows & Doors at TruePane Windows & Doors, serving Fort Lauderdale and nearby areas.
Six Reasons Homeowners Choose TruePane 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.










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