Broken windows are not at the top of anyone's list of things they want to find. Whether the window is hit by a toy your kids were playing with, an errant rock kicked up by the lawnmower, or just the house settling, you'll need to deal with it right away. Knowing how to properly address the issue is essential, especially when you're waiting for the window repair company to come out and help.

Temporarily Seal Cracks

If the window is just cracked, you can patch it up fairly easily to keep the air and weather out of your house until you can have replacement windows installed. You can contact a company like Windows Plus for more information on replacement windows.

In the meantime, all you need is packing tape or duct tape to seal it. Put a strip on each side so that you are sealing both the inside and outside surfaces of the crack. Cut strips of the tape that are about an inch longer than the crack so that the tape overlaps it when you put it on.

Be careful when applying the tape. You need to press hard enough for the tape to stick to the glass, but you don't want to press too hard because you could inadvertently break the window. Just make sure that the tape completely covers the crack and is properly sealed all the way up each strip.

Deal With Broken Windows

When a window is broken, it requires more care than one that is merely cracked. First, you have to remove all of the remaining glass from the window. Otherwise, you risk pieces of glass falling and causing further damage or even injuring you while you're trying to cover the window.

Make sure to wear thick, protective gloves when you do this, and place a drop cloth around the area before you do anything. That way, if any glass does fall, you can catch it without worrying about it scattering on the floor. Either remove the remaining glass one piece at a time, or cover the whole window with masking tape and tap it with a hammer lightly to break it free of the frame.

Once the glass is removed, you need to cover the opening. Use either heavy duty plastic or a thick tarp to cover the window. Staple it around the opening or tape it securely on all four sides so that it stays in place. It's often best to put a covering over both the inside and the outside of the window for added protection against weather and air.

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