If glass in a window or door has been smashed, call us on 07777 659786 and tell us where the break is and how bad it is. We make the opening safe with boarding or temporary glazing, measure for a replacement sealed unit, and fit the new unit once it has been made. We cannot promise a set response time, but we will tell you honestly when we can get to you.
What counts as a glazing emergency?
Not every crack needs urgent attention. A small crack in the outer pane of a sealed unit, with the inner pane intact, leaves the home secure and can usually wait for a normal replacement. The situations where making safe matters are the ones where the opening is no longer secure or someone could get hurt:
- a pane fully broken through, leaving a hole in a window or door;
- broken glass hanging loose in the frame, especially at low level or in a door;
- a break-in or attempted break-in through the glass;
- a smashed pane in a back door or patio door that leaves the house open;
- broken glass above a path, doorway or play area.
For an ordinary crack that leaves the house secure, our broken window glass replacement service is the right fit, and you can skip the boarding stage entirely.
What to do straight away
- Keep everyone clear. Move children and pets away from the area, inside and out. Glass fragments travel further than you expect, especially from toughened glass.
- Leave loose glass where it is. Do not try to pull shards out of the frame or push loose pieces back in. Loose glass can drop without warning.
- Sweep only what is on the floor. With shoes and thick gloves on, carefully clear fallen pieces away from walkways.
- If it was a break-in, call the police first. They may want to see the damage before anything is moved or boarded.
- Take photos. Pictures of the damage, the frame and any marks on the glass are useful for your insurer and for us.
- Call us. Tell us which window or door it is, the frame material, the floor level and roughly how big the pane is.
Please do not try to remove a broken unit yourself, tape over loose shards and lean on them, or climb a ladder to reach an upstairs window. Broken sealed units are heavy and razor-sharp, and toughened glass can collapse all at once.
How we make a broken window or door safe
When we arrive, we remove any loose or hanging glass safely and decide on the best way to secure the opening. There are two main options:
| Option | What it is | When it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Boarding up | A sheet of timber board fixed over or into the opening. | Ground-floor windows and doors after a break-in, or where security matters more than light. |
| Temporary glazing | A temporary panel fitted into the frame so light still comes through. | Living spaces where the replacement may take a while and a boarded-up room would be dark. |
Which one is sensible depends on the size of the opening, the frame and what you need from the room while you wait. Either way, the aim is a secure, weathertight opening until the replacement unit is ready.
From making safe to the permanent repair
A replacement sealed unit has to be made to measure, so it is not something anyone can fit on the spot. While making safe, we measure the opening and note the glass needed. If the break is in a door, or in a panel within 800 mm of the floor, or within 300 mm of a door edge, the new unit must be safety glass, toughened or laminated. Laminated glass is often chosen for ground-floor doors and windows after a break-in because it holds together on its interlayer when struck.
Units are usually made within days to a couple of weeks. At the second visit we remove the board or temporary panel, fit the new unit, and check that the window or door opens, closes and locks properly before we leave.
Break-ins: check the lock and hardware too
When someone has forced their way in through a door, the glass is often not the only damage. The multipoint lock, gearbox, euro cylinder or hinges may have been strained or broken. We look at the whole door while we are there, and if the cylinder was snapped, our anti-snap lock upgrade page explains what a TS 007 3-star or Sold Secure Diamond cylinder offers. For other damage to the lock itself, see uPVC door lock repair. This is part of our day-to-day double glazing and door repairs across Merseyside.
Insurance and landlords
Many home insurance policies cover accidental breakage or damage from a break-in, but every policy is different, so check yours and contact your insurer early. Keep photos, any crime reference number and our written quote. Whether a claim is accepted is for the insurer to decide. Tenants should report broken glass to their landlord or letting agent straight away; the tenancy agreement usually sets out who arranges repairs.
Emergency glazing around Liverpool
We cover Liverpool, Sefton, Knowsley, St Helens, Wirral and Widnes. Older terraced streets in areas such as Walton and Bootle often have front doors and ground-floor windows right on the pavement, so a broken pane there needs securing quickly. Larger estates in Kirkby have plenty of glazed back doors and patio doors, which are a common place for breakages.
What affects the cost?
The cost has two parts: making safe and the permanent replacement. Making safe depends on the size of the opening, the material used and whether it is upstairs. The replacement depends on the unit size, glass type (toughened, laminated, obscure or low-E), any Georgian bars and whether hardware also needs work. We explain both parts and give a written quote for the replacement.
Glass smashed in a window or door?
Call 07777 659786 and tell us where the break is, the frame type and whether the house is secure. We will talk you through keeping safe and arrange to make the opening secure, with our double glazing repair service handling the permanent replacement.
Frequently asked questions
How quickly can you board up a broken window?
We cannot promise a set response time, because it depends on where we are and what is already booked. When you call, we will tell you honestly when we can get to you. In the meantime, keep people and pets clear of the glass and do not try to remove loose shards from the frame.
Can you replace broken double glazing on the same visit?
Usually not. Replacement sealed units are made to measure, so on the first visit we make the opening safe with boarding or temporary glazing and measure up. The new unit is then fitted at a second visit, usually within days to a couple of weeks.
Should I call the police before boarding up after a break-in?
Yes. If someone has broken in or tried to, report it to the police first, as they may want to see the damage or take evidence before the opening is secured. Take photos too. Once you have a reference number, call us and we can arrange to make the window or door safe.
Will my insurance pay for emergency glazing?
It depends on your policy. Many policies include accidental breakage or damage from a break-in, but the insurer decides. Contact them early, keep photos and any crime reference number, and ask what they need. We can give a written quote for the replacement unit to help with a claim.
What glass will the replacement unit have?
It depends on the position. Doors, panels within 800 mm of the floor and panels close to a door edge need toughened or laminated safety glass. Elsewhere the unit is usually float glass, often with a low-E coating. After a break-in, laminated glass is a popular choice for vulnerable ground-floor glazing.
Is a cracked outer pane an emergency?
Usually not. If only the outer pane of a sealed unit is cracked and the inner pane is intact, the home is still secure and weathertight, so a normal replacement is fine. It is still worth getting it replaced, because the unit’s seal is likely to fail and moisture will get between the panes.