Cracked or broken glass
Broken window glass: make it safe, then get the right pane back in
A broken window feels urgent, and part of it is. The permanent fix can usually wait for the right glass. Keep people and pets away from the pieces, take photos, then cover the opening before rain gets in. Who you call next depends on the building: in a house, a glass pro; in a condo suite, the management office; in a rental, your landlord. We connect you with an independent local glass pro who replaces broken panes and sealed units, and they quote and do the work.
- Safety, photos, then a cover
- House, suite or rental: who to call
- The right glass, not just any glass
The first hour
Right after the break: safety, covering the opening and photos for insurance
Do these in order. None of them needs a professional.
Make the area safe
Keep children and pets out. Wear shoes and gloves. Lift large pieces by the edges into a box. Leave glass hanging in the frame for the pro.
Take photos before you tidy up
Photograph the window inside and out, whatever broke it, and the floor. Insurers and property managers both ask for them.
Cover the opening before rain
Tape heavy plastic or fix plywood over the outside of the frame; packing tape holds a cracked pane together. Keep water out of the wall.
Then book the permanent glass
Once it’s covered, the rest can be planned. The pro measures, orders the right glass and comes back to fit it.
What broke
What’s in the frame: single pane, sealed unit or tempered safety glass
The broken piece decides the job.
Single pane
One sheet of glass, found in storm windows, older basement sash and some doors. Usually the simplest to replace.
Sealed unit
Two or three panes sealed together. If one pane cracks, the whole unit is replaced, because the dry space inside is open and will fog. It’s made to size, so keep the crack covered meanwhile.
Tempered or laminated safety glass
The building code calls for it in places such as sliding doors and shower enclosures. The new piece must match. For doors, see door glass replacement.
Crack or break
Can a crack be repaired, or does the glass need replacing?
Window glass can’t really be mended once it cracks. What changes is how soon the new piece is needed.
A short crack in a single pane
Tape it on both sides and watch it. It can wait for a planned visit, though heat, cold and a slammed sash will make it run.
A crack in a sealed unit
Even a small crack means the seal is gone, and fog will follow. Tape it and book the replacement when it suits you.
Shattered or missing glass
Cover the opening today. Plastic, plywood or a board-up bridges the gap until the made-to-size glass arrives.
Wind, not hail
Storm and branch damage in Mississauga: wind, not hail
Hail is rare here; the area’s weather station, at the airport in Malton, records very little of it. When storms break windows in Mississauga, the cause is usually wind: a branch through a back window, a patio chair thrown against a door. After the May 2022 windstorm, the City took hundreds of calls about damaged trees.
Rain is the bigger worry. A cracked pane, or a gap around a board-up, lets water into the wall, the sill and the floor. That’s why the cover goes on first, and why it’s worth checking the sill and drywall once the new glass is in.
Break-ins
Break-ins and board-ups: what a glass pro can do the same visit
After a break-in, call the police first if anyone may be nearby or your insurer needs a report. Photograph everything before it’s moved.
Some glass pros can board up or fit a temporary pane on the first visit and measure for the new glass then. Whether that’s the same day depends on the pro and the hour. For a shop front, see storefront glass repair.
If the latch or frame was forced, say so. New glass in a damaged sash won’t make the window secure, so the pro may suggest fixing the lock or latch at the same time.
What affects the quote
What drives the cost of replacing broken glass
The quote depends on:
- Single pane, sealed unit, or tempered or laminated safety glass
- Size and shape, including large picture panes and patio door panels
- Low-E, tint, obscure bathroom glass or grilles between the panes
- Access: upper floors, a suite that needs the service elevator, a pane behind a storm
- Whether a board-up or temporary cover is needed first
A photo of the whole window, a close-up of the break and a rough width and height help the pro quote before the visit.
Who to call
Condo units and rentals: who to call first
A house you own
Call a glass pro, or send us a photo and we’ll pass it on. If you plan to claim, call your insurer before the permanent glass goes in.
A condo suite or townhouse
Call the management office first. Window glass is often a common element, and the corporation may send its own contractor. A cracked glass balcony panel is part of the guard; report it at once. See condo owners and corporations.
A rental
Tell your landlord or property manager in writing, with photos, and ask how they want it handled before booking anyone. Landlords can see help for property managers.
Questions
Questions about cracked and broken glass
Explore your options
Other glass problems
Glass pros cover the whole city, from tower suites in the core to postwar houses near the lake, including Mississauga City Centre, Cooksville, Clarkson & Lorne Park and Malton.
Tell us which window broke and whether it’s covered
Send a photo, say what kind of building it’s in and whether the opening is secure. We’ll pass it to a local glass pro to quote.