What to Do When a Window Breaks
The order matters. People routinely do the useful things in the wrong sequence and lose either evidence or a night's security.
Work in this order: make people safe, photograph the damage, secure the opening, then arrange the permanent repair. Keep everyone away from the glass first, take photographs before anything is touched because you cannot recreate them later, then get the opening boarded so the property is not left open. Permanent glass is ordered afterwards and typically takes one to two weeks.
The most common mistake is clearing up before photographing. The second most common is waiting for permanent glass before securing the opening — those are separate jobs and the securing should happen today.
- First priority
- People and pets away from the glass
- Before cleaning up
- Photograph everything
- Same day
- Board up or temporarily secure
- Permanent glass
- Usually 1–2 weeks to fabricate
Step One: Make It Safe
Clear the area of people and pets before anything else. Broken glass travels much further than the immediate area suggests, particularly if the window failed under impact, and bare feet and paws find fragments long after the obvious pieces are gone.
If it was tempered glass — a patio door, a shower panel, a storefront lite — there will be thousands of small granules rather than a few large shards. They are blunter but they scatter far more widely, working into carpet, door tracks, floor vents and furniture.
Do not pull fragments still held in the frame or hardware. Glass under residual tension can release unpredictably, and a piece that is currently stable can come out fast when disturbed. Leave anything still attached for someone with gloves and the right tools.
If the break involved forced entry, do not disturb anything more than safety requires. Call the police first and get a report number — most insurers expect one for a vandalism or burglary claim, and it is much harder to obtain after the fact.
Step Two: Photograph Before You Clear Anything
This takes two minutes and is the step people most often skip, then regret. Once the glass is swept and the opening boarded, the evidence is gone and cannot be reconstructed.
- Wide shots first. The whole window or door in the context of the room and the building, so the location is unambiguous.
- Then close-ups. The break pattern, the frame condition and any damage to surrounding trim or wall.
- The cause, if visible. Hail on the ground, the object that came through, tool marks at a forced entry point.
- Interior damage. Water on flooring, glass in furnishings, anything the breakage caused beyond the window itself.
- A timestamp. Most phones record this automatically, which is useful when a storm claim is checked against weather records.
Do this even if you are not sure you will claim. The decision often comes later once you know the repair cost, and by then the opportunity to document has passed.
Step Three: Secure It Today, Glaze It Later
This is the part that surprises people: securing the opening and replacing the glass are two different jobs on two different timescales. Replacement glass is made to order and typically takes one to two weeks. Nobody should have an open building for two weeks.
So a board-up or temporary glazing happens the same day. It keeps the property secure, keeps weather out, and satisfies the requirement in most insurance policies that you take reasonable steps to prevent further damage. In DFW, where a broken window and an evening thunderstorm often arrive together, that second point is not academic.
| Do | Don't |
|---|---|
| Clear people and pets from the area first | Don't start sweeping before photographing the damage. |
| Photograph everything before touching it | Don't pull fragments out of the frame or hardware yourself. |
| Call for a same-day board-up | Don't wait for permanent glass before securing the opening. |
| Get a police report for vandalism or entry | Don't disturb a forced-entry scene beyond what safety requires. |
| Keep the board-up invoice itemized | Don't throw away damaged hardware an adjuster may want to see. |
| Vacuum thoroughly, repeatedly, over days | Don't use bare hands or a broom on tempered granules. |
What Happens When You Call Us
Secure first, then measure, then glaze — in that order.
Call, Any Hour
We answer 24/7. We ask what broke and whether the building is secure, which decides whether we roll now or book a visit.
Same-Day Board-Up
The opening is secured against weather and entry, and the loose glass cleared safely so the space is usable.
Measure & Specify
We measure the opening and identify the glass type required, including any code-mandated safety glazing.
Permanent Glazing
Glass fitted when it arrives, board removed, area cleaned, and completion documented for your insurer if needed.
Window Broken Right Now?
We answer 24 hours a day and board up the same day across the Metroplex. Call before you start clearing up.
What DFW Property Owners Say
Verified reviews from commercial and residential clients across the Metroplex.
★★★★★Called late night after my front door to my business was broken. They were out to me within 90 minutes to board the door. Had my door as good as new within a week with replacement glass. Good people that do good business. Highly recommend!
Dal Poteat
★★★★★I am a contractor, and I work with this glass shop on a regular basis because I have a lot of clients who want to install custom shower doors. They are the ones that I use for these orders, and they are always on point. I really like the way they do business.
Wayne Castillo
Broken Window Questions
What people ask in the first hour.
Can I board it up myself tonight?
You can, and if it buys you safety until morning it is better than an open window. Use plywood rather than plastic sheeting, fix it to the frame rather than the glazing itself, and wear cut-resistant gloves and eye protection. Be aware that a poorly fixed board can damage the frame you are trying to protect, and that a professional board-up is usually documented in a form your insurer accepts.
How do I clean up tempered glass granules safely?
Vacuum rather than sweep — a broom scatters them further and pushes them into carpet. Wear shoes and gloves. Then vacuum again the next day, and again a few days later, because granules keep surfacing from tracks, vents, upholstery and skirting for a surprisingly long time. For a bathroom or a room with deep carpet it is worth letting us clear it, since we do this constantly.
Do I need to be home for the board-up?
For interior access, usually yes or someone needs to let us in. Many board-ups are exterior work and can be done without access, which matters for a commercial property at 2am or a rental where you are not local. Tell us the situation when you call and we will confirm what is possible and what we will need.
What if it happens at a rental property I own?
Call it in as soon as your tenant reports it — you have an obligation to keep the property secure and habitable, and delay creates both liability and further damage. We can coordinate access with the tenant directly and invoice you, and we document with photographs so you have a record for your own insurer or for any deposit discussion later.
Is the glass going to be more expensive because it's an emergency?
The board-up carries an after-hours element if it is out of normal hours, but the permanent glass costs what it costs — it is fabricated to order on a normal schedule regardless of when the breakage happened. So the urgent portion is the smaller portion. Leaving a building open overnight almost always costs more than the callout.
How long will the board stay up?
Typically one to two weeks, matching the fabrication time for the replacement glass. Standard clear glass in a common size can be quicker; tempered, insulated, laminated and oversized units take longer. We give you a lead time in writing when we measure so you know what to expect rather than wondering.
Emergency Glass Service in Your City
We board up and replace across the Metroplex, 24 hours a day. Pick your city.
Call Before You Start Clearing Up
We answer 24/7, secure the opening the same day, and document everything for your insurer.
Emergency Window Board-Up and Replacement in Dallas-Fort Worth
Blade Glazing LLC provides 24-hour emergency window board-up and glass replacement throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, including Arlington, Dallas, Fort Worth, Frisco, Garland, Grand Prairie, Irving, McKinney and Plano. When a window breaks, the correct sequence is to clear people and pets from the area, photograph the damage before clearing anything, secure the opening the same day by board-up or temporary glazing, and arrange permanent replacement glass, which is fabricated to order and typically takes one to two weeks.
Securing the opening and replacing the glass are separate operations on different timescales, and most insurance policies require the property owner to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage. Services include emergency board-up, temporary glazing, safe removal and disposal of broken annealed and tempered glass, photographic documentation for insurance claims, and permanent replacement in residential and commercial openings. Blade Glazing is a family-owned company serving Texas since 2016 with OSHA-certified technicians and BBB accreditation.
Blade Glazing LLC · 1504 South I-35E #250, Lancaster, TX 75134 · (214) 687-1216 · Family owned and operated · OSHA-certified technicians · BBB accredited · Serving Dallas-Fort Worth 24 hours a day.