Everything You Need to Know About Glass Pane Replacement for Your Home

You hear a crack as something flys through your window. You’ll need to fix the broken glass soon. It would be dangerous to leave it the way it is now.

You can handle glass pane replacement on your own, or you can hire a company to do it for you. For many homeowners, doing a DIY is much more obtainable financially.

You’ll need to know everything you can about replacement if you’re going to get the job done, however. A faulty installation will cost you a ton of money to fix.

We can teach you how to handle your repairs. Keep reading to learn more.

Signs You Need a Window Replacement

Not all problems lead to needing a home window replacement. There are three huge issues that you need to be on the lookout for. These are fog, condensation, and cracks.

Fog

After years of use, the seal around your windows will begin to wear out. When this happens, it will allow air to break in through the small opening.

As the cool air touches your room temperature window, moisture will begin to form. Unless you replace the windowpane, this moisture will create a stain on the glass. No matter how much Windex you use, the foggy blemish isn’t going to go anywhere.

Condensation

Sometimes when you heat your home, small droplets of water will form on the window. If this happens, that means that it’s not insulating your home like it once was.

You’ll need to upgrade to a double or triple hung window. Doing so will keep the temperature in your home regulated, which means you won’t have to spend out as much on your power bill each month.

Cracks

This issue is sort of an obvious one. Cracks and broken glass are safety hazards. If you place your hand on cracked glass, you risk slicing a finger.

You can use repair fluid as a quick and cheap fix, but it might not last that long. It’s better to go ahead and opt for the window glass replacement.

Replacing the Window

Now that you know why you should ditch your old windows, it’s time to learn how to replace a window on your own. While you can have a company come in for window replacement or repair, that’s not always an option due to finances. If you have any home improvement experience, you can perform a DIY.

Cleaning and Measuring

The first step is to clean the window frame and get rid of all the broken glass. As you can imagine, this part can be pretty dangerous. You’ll need to wear heavy-duty gloves if you don’t want to hurt yourself.

The glass that you take out is most likely going to leave some kind of residue on the frame. Go ahead and wipe that away to the best of your ability.

When that’s done, grab a tape measurer and write down the dimension of the windows. You’ll need this when you head to the hardware store to purchase your replacement panes.

Head to the Hardware Store

Go to the hardware store to order your replacement glass pane. You want the glass to be a bit smaller and thinner than the frame that it’s going in.

When they’re done making your custom order, the hardware store will call you to come pick up the glass. Put clips around it to protect it. If it happens to chip during delivery, it won’t fit in the frame as it should.

Secure the Window Pane

Secure your glass into the empty frame. Once you do, seal the deal with putty. You’ll want to be careful with this process.

The thing about putty is that it’s pretty malleable when it’s wet. After it’s dry, however, it turns into a nightmare. Basically, you want to make sure that you spread the putty evenly.

If you create a proper seal, it will keep moisture and fog away. Allow for the smallest gap, and you’ll be replacing your windows again soon enough.

Painting

It’s going to take several hours for the putty to dry. When it does, it’s time to finish the job with a little paint. You can find paint that matches the current color of the frame and do a touch-up.

This can be a little difficult to accomplish. Depending on how old your home is, that color might not even be available anymore. If that’s the case, you can repaint the entire frame a different shade.

The only setback if you do this is that you’ll have to repaint every window frame in your home. If you don’t, your repair job will stick out like a sore thumb.

Replacement Cost

It is a bit cheaper to replace your own windows, but you won’t get away without paying at least a few hundred dollars for your glass. How much you pay depends on what kind of windows you get.

If you’re okay with not having a lot of insulation, a single pane window only costs about 150 dollars or so. The initial investment isn’t too bad, but you’ll pay in the long run with high energy bills.

Double pane windows are the next step up. For the glass alone, you’ll spend around 300. It’s expensive, but it will be much better about keeping the temperature in your home regulated.