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CGI Window Replacement: The Hollywood Owner’s Guide
If you have a CGI window that’s fogged, binding, or leaking, replacement is usually the right call, and a full CGI window replacement in Hollywood, FL typically runs between $900 and $2,800 installed depending on size, series, and glass package. We stock CGI-compatible parts on our trucks and can get most replacements done in one visit. The way most Hollywood homeowners find us is simple: they notice a window that won’t open in August, or a seal that’s been cloudy since the last hurricane season, and they’re done trying to live with it.
CGI windows are built for South Florida, and most of what we replace has spent fifteen or twenty years taking direct hits from salt air and storm-driven rain. The glass package degrades, the laminate dulls, the balance system wears out. When that happens, you’re not looking at some abstract failure. You’re looking at a window that’s meant to hold up in a Cat 5 and now rattles when a delivery truck rolls down the street. That’s the part we fix.
Which CGI Models This Applies To
CGI makes several window series, and the replacement part you need depends on which one is in your opening. The most common in Hollywood homes are the Estate Collection, the Sentinel Series, and the older CGI 9300 line that went into a lot of South Broward builds in the 1990s and early 2000s. Each series uses different glass retention methods, different frame depths, and different hardware. A balance from a Sentinel will not seat correctly in a 9300 frame, no matter how close the measurements look.
We’ll stop you right there: TruePane Windows & Doors is an independent service provider, not affiliated with CGI. We say that upfront because it matters for your warranty. OEM parts keep the original CGI warranty intact when it’s still active. A quality aftermarket equivalent, which we also stock from brands like Andersen, and Pella where the specs match, can save you 20 to 30 percent on the part cost. The gotcha is the frame profile: CGI uses a proprietary channel depth on several series, and a generic sash kit that’s off by a sixteenth of an inch will leak air and void any remaining warranty. If the window has a CGI sticker with a visible serial number, we trace it. If it doesn’t, we measure the glass thickness, the frame depth, and the balance stamp before we quote anything.
Signs Your CGI Window Replacement Is Failing
- Condensation or fog between the panes. The desiccant seal has failed and moisture is inside the insulated glass unit. In Hollywood humidity, this rarely reverses itself, and the only real fix is a new glass package.
- Hard to open, or drops shut without warning. The balance system has lost tension, or the shoe has cracked inside the frame. CGI balances are sized to the sash weight, and a worn one can make a 40-pound panel feel like a garage door.
- Visible cracks in the laminate or the outer pane. Even hairline cracks compromise the impact rating, and once water gets between the laminate layers, the window will look milky within a few months of a good storm season.
- Water staining on the interior sill or drywall below the window. This is often a failed seal at the frame, not the glass, but the result is the same: water is finding its way past the envelope, and in Hollywood it will keep finding its way.
- Rattling wind noise or visible daylight at the weatherstripping. The wool pile or gasket has compressed, and your window is no longer sealing the way CGI originally rated it. In hurricane season, that’s no small matter.
Replacement Cost & What’s Included
In Hollywood, you should expect the following installed ranges for CGI window replacement:
- Fixed or single-hung, standard opening (up to 36 x 60): $900 to $1,600
- Single-hung or casement, larger opening (up to 48 x 72): $1,500 to $2,200
- Sliding window or twin sash assembly: $1,800 to $2,800
- Glass-only replacement on an existing frame (if the frame is sound): $450 to $950
Every quote includes the part, labor, disposal of the old unit, and our Done Right Promise in writing. Both warranty layers get registered before our truck leaves your driveway, and we state the durations on paper. We’re authorized installers for CGI, so the factory warranty stays valid when we do the work. You’ll get one price before we start, and the bill matches it.
DIY or Call Us?
Replacing a CGI window is not a spring change on a garage door, but there are real risks if you’re not careful. A full CGI sash weighs between 40 and 70 pounds, and when you release the balance clips, that weight wants to go somewhere. We’ve seen pinched fingers, dropped sashes, and one shattered tempered panel when the corner hit a tile floor. If you want to check something yourself, you can confirm whether your window sticker is still legible and measure the visible glass width and height. That helps us quote faster. But the moment you’re lifting a sash out of its track, you’re past the point where a YouTube video is good enough.
Dale Kessler grew up in the Liberia neighborhood of Hollywood, and his father spent weekends resealing jalousie frames against whatever the Atlantic threw at them. Dale has been measuring, setting, and troubleshooting windows in South Broward for going on three decades. His rule is on the whiteboard every morning: if the pane is not true, the job is not done. Call us at (863) 334-2933 and we’ll send a technician who reads a rough opening before he ever talks price.
FAQs
A properly installed CGI window should last 20 to 30 years on the frame and 15 to 20 years on the glass seal in Hollywood’s heat and salt air. Windows on the east side of the house, facing the ocean breeze, tend to lose their seals a few years earlier due to constant thermal cycling. Call (863) 334-2933 for an on-site assessment.
Yes, if the frame is square and the glass is intact, we can often replace just the balance system, the weatherstripping, or the glass unit itself. The deciding factor is whether the frame channel is still true and dry. Call (863) 334-2933 and we’ll tell you straight whether a repair makes financial sense.
Most single-window replacements take one to two hours once the new unit is on site, and we do most jobs in a single visit. If the frame itself needs work, we’ll tell you that before we schedule anything. Call (863) 334-2933 to get a time estimate for your specific window.
We keep common CGI balance systems, weatherstripping, and glass packages stocked on our trucks, and we can source specific series parts within a few business days if your window is an odd size. If your window was made before 2005, we’ll verify the series before quoting anything. Call (863) 334-2933 and we’ll check our truck inventory while you’re on the phone.
Written by Dale Kessler, Owner, TruePane Windows & Doors at TruePane Windows & Doors, serving Hollywood 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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