What to Do When a Window Breaks: A Step-by-Step Guide
A broken window is one of those problems you need to deal with immediately — for security, weather protection and safety. Whether it's a break-in, an accident, or storm damage at your {location} property, here's exactly what to do.
Step 1: Make the Area Safe
Broken glass is dangerous. Before anything else:
- Keep children and pets away from the area
- Put on thick shoes — ideally boots — and heavy-duty gloves
- If glass is hanging from the frame, do not try to pull it out. Leave it for now.
- Carefully pick up large pieces of glass and place them in a cardboard box or wrap them in newspaper — never put loose glass shards in a plastic bin bag where they can cut through
- Vacuum the surrounding floor thoroughly, including soft furnishings. Glass fragments travel further than you'd expect.
Step 2: Secure the Opening
If the window is completely broken, you need to board it up. Use a piece of plywood, MDF or thick cardboard cut to size. Fix it to the frame from the inside using screws or strong tape. If the outer pane of a double-glazed unit has broken but the inner pane is intact, the immediate security risk is lower, but you still need to arrange a repair promptly.
For ground-floor windows, security is the priority. A boarded window is an obvious target, so get it glazed as quickly as possible.
Step 3: Check What Type of Glass You Need
Not all windows use the same glass. Under UK building regulations (Part N / Part K — protection from impact), certain windows must use safety glass:
- Any glazing within 800mm of the floor
- Any glazing within 1500mm of the floor in a door or side panel
- All glass in doors
- Glass in bathrooms and en-suites
Safety glass means either toughened (tempered) glass or laminated glass. A qualified glazier in {location} will know which type is required for each window location.
Step 4: Contact a Glazier
For an emergency repair, look for a glazier who offers a same-day or 24-hour callout service. Many emergency glaziers in {location} carry standard glass sizes on their van and can fit a new pane within hours. For non-standard sizes, sealed double-glazed units, or specialist glass (patterned, tinted, leaded), allow a few days for manufacture.
Check that your glazier is FENSA registered. FENSA is the government-authorised scheme for self-certification of window installations in England and Wales. A FENSA-registered installer can certify that the replacement complies with building regulations without you needing to involve your local council.
Step 5: Check Your Insurance
Most home insurance policies cover broken glass under the buildings section. This includes accidental damage, storm damage and vandalism. Check your policy for:
- Whether glass cover is included as standard or needs to be added
- Your excess amount — if the repair cost is close to the excess, it may not be worth claiming
- Whether you need to use an approved repairer or can choose your own
Take photographs of the damage before boarding up, and keep the glazier's invoice for your claim.
Step 6: Consider an Upgrade
If you're replacing a single-glazed window or an old double-glazed unit, this is an opportunity to upgrade. Modern double or triple glazing with low-emissivity coatings significantly improves energy efficiency. Under Part L of the building regulations, replacement windows must meet minimum thermal performance standards.
A broken window is stressful, but following these steps will get your {location} property secure and properly glazed as quickly as possible.