There are many situations that could unfortunately lead to a busted window at your home. A stray baseball from outside, an attempted break-in, or even severe weather could leave you with a shattered residential window. Knowing the proper steps to take in such a situation can help you have your broken window taken care of as soon as possible while potentially having your home insurance policy cover the replacement costs in the process.
Clean Up the Area With Care
Unless your residential windows were made with tempered glass, there are likely going to be large, sharp shards of glass around the area where the window broke. You'll want to make sure to keep any pets or children away from the window while you clean up the glass and debris both inside and outside. Be sure to don protective gear, including eye wear and thick gloves to protect your hands, before you get started.
Perform a Temporary Repair, If Needed
Unless you're able to get a glass company out to repair or replace your window glass same-day, you'll probably need to perform a temporary repair to keep unwanted insects, rain, and other debris from getting into your home in the meantime. Generally, the best way to temporarily seal off a broken window is to board the opening up using a piece of plywood on either side, which you can obtain inexpensively from your local home improvement store or lumber yard.
Contact Your Home Insurance Company
Next, it's time to contact your home insurance company to inform them of the damage and potentially file a claim. Many home insurance companies include coverage for residential glass, so you may be able to have the costs of your repairs/replacement covered (less your deductible). Just be sure to submit your claim in a timely manner and have plenty of documentation of the damage and repairs done.
Find a Reputable Residential Glass Company
Last but not least, find a reputable residential glass company to come out and perform the necessary repair or replacement on your window. Some will even handle the process of filing your insurance claim and billing your insurance for you, so this may be worth looking into as well.
Experiencing a broken window at your home can be an unexpected hassle, but by following these steps after you discover broken glass, you'll be well on your way to having it taken care of.
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