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What to Do When a Window Breaks: A Step-by-Step Homeowners Guide

A broken window can leave your home exposed to rain, injury, and security risks in seconds. Start by keeping people away from the glass, documenting the damage, and covering the opening only if it’s safe. At Glass Solutions, we provide professional window glass repair and replacement services throughout Raleigh and the Triangle, helping homeowners restore damaged windows safely and correctly. Knowing what to do when a window breaks can help you navigate insurance, avoid a full replacement, and choose the right replacement glass. Follow along as we explain those logistics and more below.

Step 1: What Should You Do First When a Window Breaks?

dust pan containing shattered glass. Image accompanies the blog: What to do when a window breaks.

Knowing what to do when a window breaks can help you take safety precautions by getting children and pets out of the room. Loose shards of glass can travel farther than you’d think, especially across tile or hardwood floors, so don’t assume the glass is limited to the area directly beneath the window. Use the same precaution you would use while picking up pieces from a shattered vase: wear cut-resistant gloves with a rubber coating for grip, and look for small fragments that may have gone across the room. If you’re on a hardwood floor, use a broom to sweep the entire room for peace of mind.

When You Shouldn’t Displace the Broken Window Glass

If the window broke during severe weather and there may be structural damage, stay out of the room. Also, if the shattered glass is the result of a burglary or vandalism, contact police before moving anything in the area so that damage is properly assessed for investigative or insurance purposes.

Step 2: How Can You Temporarily Secure a Broken Window?

Once the room is safe, you can do a few things to limit further damage while waiting for professional glass repair.

Carefully Clean Up Loose Glass

Put on thick, cut-resistant gloves and place larger broken pieces in a rigid, puncture-resistant container, then sweep and vacuum nearby floors, rugs, corners, and furniture edges for tiny pieces of glass. Leave any unstable glass hanging in the window frame alone, since removing one piece can cause another section to fall: our team will take care of that!

Stabilize a Small Crack

For small cracks, masking tape or duct tape may help keep the window pane from shifting until professional service is available. Treat this only as a temporary measure because tape does not restore the glass’s strength, seal, or insulating value.

Cover a Completely Open Window

Our team can usually fix your window the same day, but if it’s rainy, hot, or cold, you can cover up the window in the meantime. Heavy-duty plastic or plywood can temporarily cover the area to keep out rain, wind, and debris. Avoid leaning on damaged glass or an unstable frame, and leave difficult or elevated openings to a professional rather than attempting a risky DIY board-up.

Step 3: What Should You Do About Insurance After a Window Breaks?

If you’re working with us at Glass Solutions, we will contact your insurance company and verify your coverage for you. If you aren’t working with us, in general, you will want to file it yourself, taking the following steps:

  • Take photos of the full window, damaged pane, frame, and surrounding damage.
  • Contact police if the damage involved burglary or vandalism.
  • Keep any report numbers, receipts, and repair documentation.
  • Let Glass Solutions’ window replacement team verify applicable homeowners insurance coverage and coordinate paperwork and billing if needed.

Coverage still depends on your policy, deductible, and cause of damage, so verification does not guarantee payment by the insurance provider.

Step 4: How Does a Professional Repair a Broken Home Window?

A technician first checks whether the damage is limited to the glass or also affects the sash, seals, and frame. Measurements of the pane, glass thickness, and window opening help determine whether glass-only replacement is possible or a new window is needed.

When Is Glass-Only Replacement Possible?

Double-pane insulated glass units (IGUs) contain two or more sealed panes with an insulating space between them. The U.S. Department of Energy’s guide to high performing window glass identifies the use of argon or krypton gas as a way to reduce heat transfer and improve energy efficiency.

If an IGU is broken, the correct sealed unit must be installed to restore that insulating system. Full replacement windows are considered when the frame is rotted, warped, or structurally damaged; if the frame remains sound, Glass Solutions may be able to replace only the glass along with window seal repair if needed.

double pane windows at sunset. Image accompanies the blog: What to do when a window breaks.

Step 5: How Do You Choose the Right Company for Window Repair?

Not every glass company handles the same types of residential window glass repairs, so ask a few questions before scheduling service on an ad-needed basis.

Look for:

  • Experience with broken residential window glass and insulated glass units
  • Emergency glass repair or temporary board-up options when needed
  • An inspection of the glass, sash, seals, and frame before recommending replacement
  • Clear guidance on whether glass-only repair is possible
  • Written warranty coverage for glass and installation
  • Established local experience and proper insurance
  • Experience replacing historic windows if needed for your home

Why Homeowners Choose Glass Solutions

A technician installing a window. Image accompanies the blog: What to do when a window breaks.

At Glass Solutions, we’ve served Raleigh and the Triangle since 2009, and our team brings more than 100 years of combined glass-industry experience. We inspect the damaged glass and surrounding window components before recommending repair or replacement, and when the frame is still in good condition, we may be able to replace the glass without replacing the entire window.

We also offer a 10-year warranty on our insulated glass products unless otherwise noted, giving homeowners clear warranty coverage after the repair is complete.

Broken Home Window FAQs

What happens if a window breaks?

When a window breaks, the immediate concerns are injury, home security, weather exposure, and loss of insulation. Keep your family and pets away from the broken glass, document the damage, secure the opening temporarily if it’s safe to do so, and contact our professional glass technicians at Glass Solutions as soon as possible.

A police report should be obtained when a broken window resulted from vandalism, burglary, or another crime. Your insurer may request information from that report when reviewing the claim. Accidental or weather-related damage doesn’t require a police report, but you should take photos to submit with the claim.

A broken window can require emergency repair when shattered or missing glass leaves the house open to weather, unauthorized entry, or falling glass. Secure the area immediately and arrange repairs with our Raleigh residential window experts at Glass Solutions.

You can temporarily fix or cover some broken windows if the area is safe. Tape may stabilize minor cracks, while plywood or heavy-duty plastic may temporarily protect an open frame. These materials aren’t substitutes for properly fitted and sealed replacement glass.

You don’t necessarily have to replace the entire window when the glass breaks. If the window frame and sash remain in good condition, a professional from Glass Solutions can replace only the damaged pane or insulated glass unit. Full window replacement is more likely when the frame itself is rotted, warped, or structurally damaged.

Get Your Broken Window Repaired by Glass Solutions

Knowing what to do when a window breaks if the first step, but repair or replacement is the second. Our team at Glass Solutions can inspect the damaged pane and frame, determine whether glass-only repair is an option, and recommend the best way to repair your home’s windows.

Contact us today by calling  919-772-1007 or filling out our contact form for a FREE estimate on residential window glass repair and replacement in Raleigh, Cary, Garner, Durham, Wake Forest, and nearby Triangle communities.

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