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Ryan Snook

Windowpane Breaks

Remember the white-hot fear that shot through your body when you broke a window with an errant throw of a ball? Nowadays you get that same feeling if it happens, but your fear is more about how to fix it and keep the elements out rather than getting in trouble. If it's just a crack, you can apply duct tape to cover it up until you replace it. Simply opening or closing an exterior door can creative enough negative pressure to extend the crack. A complete break will require temporary covering such as a section of plywood attached to the exterior. If your window has individual glass panes you should be able to pick up a replacement piece. You can replace it yourself, but the job requires you to cut and remove mullions and molding (depending on the window), and re-caulking or re-glazing. Single-pane double windows will need more extensive repairs, and could require the replacement of the entire window, framing and all.