Reviewed by Steve McCue, part owner, Fortress Windows & Doors Inc. (installing windows and doors in Ontario since 1989)
This Oro-Medonte home came to us with a high-pitch steel roof and an owner who wanted the whole exterior handled in one project: the front entry, the patio door, the garage door, every window, and an eavestrough system that could keep up with that roof. Here is what went in and why we chose it.
The roof decided the eavestrough
Steel sheds water faster than shingles, and on a steep pitch it leaves the edge with real speed. Snowmelt is the bigger issue. A warm afternoon in March can send most of what is sitting on that roof over the edge in an hour, and a standard 5″ trough overflows. The overflow lands at the foundation.
We installed 6″ eavestrough with larger downpipes and ran the discharge well away from the house. Metal leaf guards went on top so the owner is not up a ladder every October clearing maple leaves out of it. We did not pick the trough and hope the roof would cooperate. We measured the roof and sized the trough to it.
Front entry: fiberglass door with two sidelites
The owner wanted the look of a wood door with sidelites without the swelling every spring and the repaint every few years. Fiberglass gives that look and does not move with the weather.
The security is in the parts you cannot see. A multipoint lock throws bolts into the frame at the top, middle and bottom with one turn of the key, so the door cannot be kicked through at the single point a deadbolt relies on. Both sidelites got laminated glass, which cracks on impact but stays in one piece. That makes the glass beside the door as hard to get through as the door itself.
Sliding patio door with the same lock hardware
Old sliding doors give way at the latch or lift off the track, which is why they are a common way in. This one got a multipoint locking system and security glass. It still slides open with one hand.
16-foot insulated steel garage door
A single 16 ft insulated steel door with a row of windows across the top for daylight in the garage. The wood frames were capped in aluminum, so there is nothing to paint and nothing to rot.
Every window replaced: Canadian-made vinyl, Low-E 272 with argon
This was a full-house window replacement. The sealed units use a Low-E 272 coating, which reflects room heat back inside in winter and turns summer heat away, with argon gas between the panes because it transfers heat more slowly than air. The windows are built in Canada for the same winters Oro-Medonte gets.
Our own installation crews did the work. A good window installed badly leaks like a bad window, so we do not subcontract that part.
Parts and labour, for life
Everything on this job is covered by the True Fortress Exclusive Lifetime Warranty, which covers the product and the labour to fix it. Most warranties cover the part and bill you for the visit.
Frequently asked questions
What is a multipoint locking system on a door?
A multipoint lock secures the door to the frame at several points, usually top, middle and bottom, with one turn of the key. A standard deadbolt holds at one point, which is where a forced entry concentrates. Paired with laminated security glass in any sidelites, a multipoint lock makes an entry or patio door far harder to force.
Why does a steel roof need 6″ eavestrough instead of 5″?
Steel roofs shed rain and snowmelt much faster than asphalt shingles, and a high pitch speeds that up further. A 5″ trough overflows under that volume and dumps water at the foundation. 6″ eavestrough with larger downpipes carries the higher flow and directs it away from the house.
What do Low-E 272 argon-filled windows actually do?
Low-E 272 is a coating on the glass that reflects heat back toward its source, so warmth stays inside in winter and outside in summer. Argon gas sealed between the panes slows heat transfer better than plain air. Together they lower heating and cooling costs through an Ontario year.
Does Fortress Windows & Doors work in Oro-Medonte?
Yes. Steve McCue, part owner of Fortress Windows & Doors Inc., leads projects in Oro-Medonte and across Simcoe County and cottage country. Call (705) 294-2345 or email smccue@fortresswindowsinc.com for a free quote.
Get a quote for your Oro-Medonte home
Call Steve McCue at (705) 294-2345 or email smccue@fortresswindowsinc.com. Recent project photos and homeowner reviews are on our Google Business Profile.
Fortress Windows & Doors Inc. Family-owned, serving Ontario homeowners since 1989. True Fortress Exclusive Lifetime Warranty on parts and labour.