CWS Window Replacement Nationwide

CWS Window Replacement: The Fort Lauderdale Owner’s Guide

Most CWS window replacements in Fort Lauderdale run between $550 and $1,400 per window installed, depending on the series, glass package, and whether the frame needs work. We stock CWS-compatible replacement sashes, insulated glass units (IGUs), rollers, locks, and weatherstripping on our trucks and install them across Broward County every week. The usual story we hear: a window that won’t close flat, a fogged pane that won’t clear, or a roller that finally gave out after years of salt air and afternoon thunderstorms. Here’s what you need to know before you call.

Call (754) 354-5397

Westlight Windows Fort Lauderdale is an independent service and installation company, not affiliated with CWS. We carry the line because CWS builds a solid window for South Florida conditions, and when a part fails, it deserves a proper match rather than whatever generic piece happens to be on a shelf.

Which CWS Models This Applies To

CWS builds several series you’ll find across Fort Lauderdale homes, and the replacement part depends on which one you have. The most common in our service area are the CWS 6000 and CWS 7000 single-hung and horizontal roller lines, plus the CR series impact-rated windows installed on homes that went through hurricane-hardening retrofits in the 2000s and 2010s. Most CWS windows have a label on the top edge of the sash or on the side jamb showing the series, manufacturing date, and sometimes the glass package. Slide the sash up or over, look for a small white or silver sticker, and grab a photo of it before you call. That label tells us more than a verbal description ever could.

The OEM-versus-aftermarket decision matters here. CWS sashes and IGUs are built to specific frame dimensions, and while a quality aftermarket IGU will often match the glass performance, the sash itself needs to come from CWS or a supplier that holds the exact extrusion profile. On rollers and locks, we carry both OEM-spec and proven aftermarket equivalents. One compatibility gotcha we see often: CWS horizontal rollers in the 6000 series use a 1-1/4 inch housing, not the more common 1-1/8 inch size used by several other Florida window brands. If someone installs the smaller housing, the window will drop and drag within months. We measure before we order, every time.

Signs Your CWS Window Replacement Is Failing

• Fog or condensation between the panes. The seal on the insulated glass unit has failed, and South Florida humidity is now inside the airspace. It won’t clear up on its own, and the glass’s insulating value is mostly gone. This is the single most common CWS window replacement we do in Fort Lauderdale.
• The sash drags or won’t roll smoothly. CWS roller assemblies wear out, especially on homes within a few miles of the Intracoastal where salt air accelerates corrosion. If you hear grinding or the window takes two hands to move, the rollers are done.
• The window won’t lock or latch flush. Often this is a failed lock mechanism, but it can also mean the sash has warped slightly or the weatherstripping has compressed unevenly. A window that won’t lock is a security gap and an air-leak point in one.
• You can feel air moving around the closed sash. Weatherstripping on CWS windows typically lasts 8 to 12 years before it flattens out in the Florida heat. If you can slide a piece of paper between the sash and frame with the window closed, the seal is failing.
• Water stains on the interior sill or wall below the window. Failed glazing seal or a worn sweep on a horizontal roller can let wind-driven rain through during the afternoon storms that hit Fort Lauderdale from June through September. Left alone, this becomes wood rot or drywall damage fast.

Replacement Cost & What’s Included

For a CWS window replacement in Fort Lauderdale, here’s the pricing picture based on what we’ve installed across Broward County:

• Glass-only replacement (IGU): $350 to $750 per window installed, depending on glass size and whether it’s standard annealed, tempered, or impact-rated laminated glass.
• Full sash replacement: $550 to $1,100 per window installed, reflecting the sash frame, glass, hardware, and labor.
• Roller or lock replacement: $85 to $220 per window, with the part cost generally between $25 and $80.
• Full window swap (frame-out replacement): $900 to $1,800 per window installed, when the existing frame is too far gone to reuse.

Every quote from Westlight Windows Fort Lauderdale is a written, line-item price handed to you before any work begins. You’ll know the part cost, the labor, and the total before you decide. If the replacement part fails within the guarantee period, we come back and fix it at no charge. That’s the Kingswell Guarantee, and it’s written on every job we do.

DIY or Call Us?

There are a few things you can safely check yourself before you call. Look for the CWS label on the sash to identify your series and take a photo of it. Check whether the problem is one window or several. If it’s a sliding glass window that’s dragging, clean the bottom track first: sand, salt grime, and pet hair build up in Fort Lauderdale tracks faster than you’d think, and sometimes that’s the whole issue.

But here’s where DIY goes wrong on CWS windows. Replacing an IGU without the right glazing tape, setting blocks, and shim technique leaves you with a window that either fogs again within a year or doesn’t drain properly during a storm. Sash replacement means releasing tension from the balance system, which can snap back hard if you don’t know the sequence. And any impact-rated window that’s been compromised is a safety issue you don’t want to learn about during the next hurricane watch. Glass cuts and pinched fingers are real, and a window that isn’t seated right in a storm is a bigger problem than the one you started with. If you’re not sure, call us at (754) 354-5397 and we’ll tell you straight what the job involves and what it should cost.

FAQs