What to do when your window breaks

A broken window is a shock, whether it is a ball through the lounge window, a branch in a storm or a break-in. The first few minutes matter most. Here is what to do, in order, to keep everyone safe, protect your home and get the glass replaced.

1. Keep people and pets away

Broken glass travels further than you would expect, and small slivers are hard to see. Move children and pets out of the room and close the door behind them. If the glass has fallen outside, keep people away from the area below the window as well.

2. Clean up safely

• Put on closed shoes and heavy gloves before you start.
• Do not touch glass that is still in the frame. Cracked panes can drop out without warning, and the edges are razor sharp.
• Pick up the large pieces carefully and put them in a sturdy cardboard box rather than a bin bag, which they would cut straight through.
• Sweep up the smaller pieces, then vacuum the floor, rugs and window sill.
• Press a strip of wide sticky tape onto hard floors to lift the tiny slivers the broom and vacuum miss.
• Label the box as broken glass before it goes out with the rubbish.

3. Cover the opening

A broken window leaves the house open to rain, wind and anyone passing by.

• For a crack, run strips of clear packing tape across it on both sides to hold the pane together.
• For a hole, tape heavy plastic sheeting or a piece of board over the opening from the inside, fixing it to the frame rather than the glass.
• If the frame is damaged, the opening is too big to cover safely, or it is a shopfront or door that must be secured tonight, get help. Our 24/7 emergency board-up makes the opening safe until the glass can be replaced.

4. Photograph the damage

Before anything is moved or repaired, take photos of:

• the whole window, from inside and outside
• a close-up of the break
• any damage to the frame, the lock or the wall around it
• whatever caused it, if you know, such as the ball or the branch

The photos help us understand the job and quote for it accurately, and they are a useful record for you.

5. Measure if you can

If it is safe to do so, measure the width and height of the glass in millimetres, or the size of the opening, and note what the frame is made of: aluminium, wood or steel. Rough sizes are fine. Every size is checked again before new glass is cut.

6. Request a quote

Send us the photos, the rough sizes and a short description of what happened. We call you back and book a free call-out if the job needs one, and you get a written quote. You can request a free quote online, or WhatsApp or call us. Our page on window glass replacement explains how a broken pane is replaced in each kind of frame.

Should the new pane be the same glass?

A broken window is a good moment to think about upgrading. Laminated safety glass holds together when it breaks, so a future break stays in the frame instead of falling in pieces. For doors, low windows and ground-floor windows it is well worth considering, and our guide to laminated safety glass explains how it works.

More reading

For more on getting through the first hours after a sudden break, you can also read a guide to broken window emergencies. When you are ready to have the glass replaced, send us your request here with your photos and sizes.