In short
- Natural Resources Canada says windows, doors and skylights can account for up to 35% of total house heat loss.
- It names four seal types for doors and windows: compression, brush, sweep and magnetic.
- The bottom of an exterior door is a common draft point; NRCan says it is worth sealing well.
- HomeStars' Ottawa guide prints $85–120/h for general repairs and $120–350 for winter-prep tasks; seals are quoted once the company sees the door.
- A bedroom window must stay openable: building codes require one that opens from the inside.
Typical prices in Ottawa
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| General repairs and small installs | $85–120/h | HomeStars Ottawa guide, updated 21.08.2026 |
| Door installation or window fixes | $250–900 | Same guide; for a door that needs more than seals |
| Seasonal tasks such as preparing for winter | $120–350 | Same guide, storm windows and similar jobs |
| Minor repairs, small fixes | $75–150 | HomeStars Gloucester (Ottawa) page, undated |
Sources. Seen 29.10.2026: HomeStars, How much does a handyman cost in Ottawa? (updated 21.08.2026); HomeStars, Handyman in Gloucester, Ottawa (undated). Seals and rules: Natural Resources Canada, Keeping the Heat In, section 8: Upgrading windows and exterior doors; Natural Resources Canada, section 3: Materials.
Where drafts come from
Heat leaves a house through the walls, the roof and the openings. Natural Resources Canada says windows, doors and skylights can account for up to 35% of total house heat loss. The leaks sit in the moving parts: the sash of a window, the edge and bottom of a door, a patio slider, the joint between trim and wall.
Cold air tells you where. A hand along the latch side of a door in January, a curtain that moves on a still day, a draft under the door that rolls across the floor: these are the details to put in the request.
Seal types
NRCan’s materials section describes weatherstripping as the product that blocks air leakage around doors and the operable parts of windows. It comes as flat strip, tube or V-strip, built to work under compression or by sliding along the joint. The section on windows and doors sorts the seals into four types: compression, brush, sweep and magnetic. Other than fixed windows, the most airtight windows have compression or magnetic seals.
At the foot of an exterior door, NRCan calls out gasketed door-bottom seals that attach to the door, and full or partial threshold seals that attach to the sill. It says the bottom is hard to seal well and worth the effort, since it is often a source of major drafts. Magnetic strips sit on both frame and door and suit doors and hinged windows.
One caution from the same section: to be effective, a product must close the gap, and some get hard and less effective in cold weather. The company picks a seal that suits your gap, your door and your winter.
What the visit involves
The company looks at the gap, the seal and the surface under it, names the product and fits it. Old seal and adhesive come off first, because a new seal on a rough surface does not seat. If the door sits out of square, the fix starts with the door. If the cause is a worn threshold, the cost moves toward carpentry.
What drives the price
The count of doors and windows. The type of seal. The state of the frame. Whether a threshold or a sweep must be replaced. HomeStars gives $85–120 an hour for general repairs and $120–350 for seasonal tasks such as preparing a home for winter. For a door that needs more than a seal, its door installation or window fix range is $250–900. Neither HomeStars page lists a price for seals alone, so the company quotes from your photos.
Ottawa timing
Drafts are felt in the heating season, so the request tends to arrive then. Ask the company when it can come and say which room is coldest. A door that leaks daily gets the earlier slot. On windows, NRCan puts interior sealing first and exterior caulk after it.
Ventilation and bedrooms
Sealing a house tight changes how it breathes. NRCan’s guide to windows includes a section on ventilation and combustion air, and building codes require a bedroom window that opens from the inside. Mention any gas appliance, wood stove or fireplace in the request. Appliance work is outside this job, and the company will say so.
Related pages
Seals around a tub or window trim are in caulking and grout. A door that rubs is on door and trim repair. Outdoor joints are on the spring exterior fixes list, and the whole range is on the small repairs list.
Who fits the seals
One independent local company gets your request from the desk. It calls, asks which doors and windows leak and quotes the seals; ask whether the price covers the product, the labour and stripping the old seal.
Questions to ask the company
- Which seal type do you plan for this door or window, and why?
- Do you fit it to the door or to the threshold?
- Does the price include removing the old seal and the adhesive?
- Will the door still close easily afterwards, and will you check it?
- If the draft comes from the frame itself, what do you do?
Have this ready for the call
- A list of the doors and windows that leak, with the side where you feel the air
- Photos of the worn seal, the gap under the door and the threshold
- Whether the door sits flush when closed, or you can see daylight
- A sample of the old seal cut from a hidden spot, if the company asks
- Bedroom windows that must still open
- Heating bills or a cold room you want checked first
Questions people ask
Which weatherstripping suits an exterior door?
Natural Resources Canada lists several: compression and V-strip seals around the edge, sweeps and thresholds at the bottom, and magnetic strips, which it calls effective for doors and hinged windows. It also warns that some products harden in cold weather. The company matches the type to your gap and door.
Can I seal every window in the house?
Fixed windows can be sealed fully. NRCan says building codes require each bedroom to have at least one window that opens from the inside for emergency escape, so keep those operable. Tell the company which windows you open, and ask it how it treats ventilation.
Does weatherstripping fix a door that does not close square?
Seals work when they close the gap. NRCan says that when a door does not fit snugly, the door, frame, hardware, gaskets and weatherstripping all need a look. A door out of square needs adjusting first. See door and trim repair.
How often do the seals need replacing?
When they stop closing the gap. NRCan advises checking weatherstripping now and then for wear and replacing it once it no longer seals. Doors used all day, such as a back door by the garage, wear faster than a spare room window.
Is a gap around the window trim a seal problem or a caulk problem?
Joints that do not move are caulked. Moving joints, such as a door or a window sash, get weatherstripping. NRCan describes caulking as sealing joints between materials and weatherstripping as the answer where parts move. The company will say which one your draft needs. Caulking and grout covers fixed joints.
