What to Do When Your Window Breaks

 

Windows can serve for years without needing to be replaced or fixed, but accidents happen and you may find yourself with a broken window that needs immediate attention. Broken windows weaken your home’s security and comfort. Let’s look at how you can temporarily fix a broken window while you wait for professional help.

 1. Clean up

Shattered glass is dangerous; you definitely do not want to leave it lying around. Grab a pair of heavy-duty gloves and carefully pick up the bigger pieces of the broken window. Slowly put them away in a thick plastic or two plastics placed inside each other. Use a vacuum cleaner or a small broom and dustpan to gather the smaller pieces.

shattered window

If some of the glass is still hanging onto the window frame you may remove it yourself. Place a cloth under the window and tap the remaining glass with the tail end of a wooden stick or hammer.

2. Secure the open area

The next step is to temporarily cover the hole. This will keep your property secure from bad weather and will keep insects from becoming house guests in your home. Use heavy duty plastic such as garbage bags to cover the opening. Fold the plastic to the size you need and when you have the desired size and shape, use masking tape to seal the edges and keep air from coming in or out.

 

 

 

3. Call us for professional window repair and replacement

When the glass is swept away safely and the hole is covered, call us in to help you assess and repair the damage. Using a professional company is the best way to ensure that your job is not only done neatly, but correctly. We will also be able to recommend the right replacement window for your home. Dealing with a broken window isn’t fun, but following these four steps will provide the peace of mind while you wait for professional help.

 

 

 

How To Clean Water Deposit Spots off Windows

Water deposits are not only a nuisance but can also eventually lead to damaged windows. Water that contains high mineral contents, especially magnesium and calcium, can leave encrusted water deposits on your windows. After rainfall, water will evaporate from a surface such as a wall or window and leave unwanted deposits behind that are known as calcium or lime scale. You may not notice the building deposits and pass it off as just a dirty window.

Water stains

Over time, these water stains will build into a thick white layer of crust that makes your windows look and feel cloudy. Water deposits are fairly easy to remove during the early stages, but eventually they etch into the pores of the glass and can become baked by the sun. When tough detergents or window scrapers won’t remove the build-up, you will know it is too late. Here is one natural method you can use to clean hard water stains off your windows:

Vinegar Solution

Bottle with Dill vinegar on white background and water
  1. Fill a bottle with half water and half vinegar. The best vinegar to use is plain white distilled vinegar. Adjust the vinegar to water mixture based on how severe the water stains are- the tougher the stains, the more vinegar you should use. Spray the mixture on the glass, fully saturate any stubborn water spots or areas of concentrated buildup. Allow the vinegar to soak, and reapply a couple of times for particularly dirty areas.
  2. Soak an old towel in vinegar and water, and spread it over the sprayed area of glass. You can allow the towel to sit over the area so that the vinegar can soak in thoroughly.
  3. Use the soaked towel to scrub the glass. Do not scrub too hard. The bumps on the towel should act as an abrasive to help remove the spots and allow the vinegar to penetrate the build-up.
  4. Allow the vinegar solution to sit but re-apply the mix whenever it starts to dry. The worse the stains are, the longer the vinegar will need to do its work.
  5. Remove the vinegar solution with a dry towel. You may want to spray the area once more with your vinegar solution or plain water, then towel off with a clean, dry towel (or paper towel). Be sure you do not allow the vinegar solution or water to dry on the surface of the glass, as this will continue to leave more spots.

How to protect your home

Let’s be honest :

We now live in a world where it is mostly necessary to safeguard your home and family from danger, we all know what is out there.

Not only do you want products which can protect against potential intruders you need products that can actually take a bang even in severe weather since these days global warming and stuff.

Here are some ideas on how to protect your home.

  1. Reinforced glass for windows and doors. Sliding glass doors are beautiful, no doubt about it. Not only do you get a great view, but you have the added benefit of allowing lots of light into your home. To make sure these home features don’t become a security risk, you should consider reinforcing the glass in your home.Much like windscreens, there are different versions of glass for home use, including toughened glass and laminated glass. These are cost-effective options which can help secure your home.Toughened glass is five times stronger than standard glass, meaning that it will stand up to much harder strikes for a longer time. Whether somebody is trying to break in or your window panes are being hammered by hailstones the size of golf balls, you’ll be glad of the extra protection. In case of a break in, the extra time and noise that is needed to break through toughened glass could prove crucial by alerting you to the threat and giving you the necessary time to phone the police or armed response.Another added benefit of toughened glass is that if it does break, it shatters into relatively harmless fragments, so you’re far less likely to cut yourself.

    Laminated glass has several sheets of regular glass with sheets of plastic in between them. The effect is that, if the glass breaks, it still stays together, creating a web-like effect. You can make a hole in the glass surface, but otherwise, it stays intact. One common example is a windscreen

  2. Stow away expensive items like grills, cars, and bikes in the garage. Though it may seem like a hassle to roll out the grill for every barbecue, leaving it out makes it an easy target for thieves. They don’t even have to enter your home to grab it, and if it’s got wheels it can be a breeze to sneak away with. If your area only offers street parking, always lock your car and be sure to park in a well-lit area.
  3. Install motion sensor lighting around your home, especially at entrances. Shine a spotlight on a potential intruder before he can even touch your doors or windows by adding extra lighting with motion detectors at entrances and especially dark corners of your home. If you live in an apartment, ask your landlord to install sufficient lighting in walkways and halls to eliminate dark corners.
  4. Secure your car. If you must park on the street, do so in a well-lit area and bring valuables like cell phones, purses, GPS devices, and satellite radios inside. Never leave anything of value in plain view, and always lock the doors and roll up windows. Break-ins can occur in even the safest neighbourhoods, and an unlocked car is one of the easiest possible targets. Never leave a spare key in the visor or anywhere else inside, even if the car is locked.
  5. Keep fences, gates, and garage doors lockedIt’s worth investing in a quality padlock for each outside entrance, even if you only lock it at night. However, since most friends and family won’t mind calling ahead to let you know they’re visiting, it’s best to leave them locked at all times. Never leave your garage door open if you aren’t in it or outside and able to keep an eye on it.
  6. Consider moving. Your freestanding house is awesome, but the walls are sometimes not enough to protect you especially if you have something of value and somebody knows you have it (let’s assume). We have seen the youtube videos of people breaking into houses so moving to an estate or a close gated community might actually be a good idea even if it means now you actually have to conform to society standards, its still better than living in fear.
  7. Purchase window alarms. You don’t need a really expensive alarm system to detect if a window is opened. Or if you do have one already, a small and inexpensive window alarm can provide you with extra peace of mind. They are wireless and easy to install and sense when a window is opened and will send out an alarm to alert you and your family to the possible dangers. These are great options if you have pets, as they won’t be set off by movement outside or near the window – and cat owners will know exactly how important that is!
  8. how to protect your homeSurveillance Cameras. Highly effective,  pair these up with motion detectors and plug them to the internet then through your laptop or mobile phone you can watch your assets 24/7 . CCTV security systems can reduce your home and property insurance costs. You are less of a target, so the risk is lowered, which means the price of your insurance can decrease too.

These might not work for everyone but they will work for some.