The sound of crashing glass can be a homeowner’s worst nightmare. It means that window has to be fixed — fast!
If the window shatters during a thunderstorm or hurricane, you will have to wait until it’s over before you start repairs. No matter how tempting it is to go outside and put a tarp over the window, the danger of lightning strikes and other serious injury makes fixing the window a dangerous option.
Instead, move things away from the window that could be damaged by wind and water. Electronics, papers, artwork — anything that can be moved should be moved. Then sit tight until it’s safe to do the repair work.
When it’s time to start the repair, get the glass out of the way before you attempt anything else. Use heavy-duty gloves to prevent being injured, and pull any remaining glass out of the frame to create a clean workspace. If your windows were double-pane or triple-pane, you will probably need to call a contrator to fix the problem. But for single pane windows, your repair work might be very easy.
After the glass has been removed, measure the frame for another sheet of glass. Remove the putty that was holding the glass inside the frame. You can do this with a small knife, and use a heat gun to soften if it necessary — even a hair dryer will do in a pinch. Remove all the putty and the small glazier’s points that hold the glass in place.
When you have a new sheet of glass, lay a thin layer of putty in the “bed” of the frame, where the glass will press down. Press the glass into the putty and set new glazier’s points at regular intervals to hold the glass into place. Once the window is where you want it to be, press a thick layer of putty along the sides of the glass, working it into a flat line. Do the same on both sides. Let the putty dry thoroughly.
Finally, paint your new window putty to match the other windows in the house. And that’s it! You’ve done the repair yourself, and now the window looks good as new.
