Triage for a Broken Window

When you hear that terrible crack from the next room, it's an unmistakable sound: The window broke. Maybe it was a branch, maybe it was a ball or maybe it was the kids roughhousing. The first thing you need to do is get all the kids and pets out of the way and make sure no one was hurt. Then clean up the broken glass by sweeping all the pieces into a pile, then into a dustpan. Carefully pick up the larger pieces and throw them out separately. Use a damp paper towel to pick up any small fragments you might have missed with the broom - they'll stick to the moisture. If the broken glass is on your carpeting, pick up the large pieces carefully and use a vacuum to get the small ones.

The next thing you need to do is find a temporary solution until you or someone else can replace the broken pane. If you have a large enough piece of plywood in your shop, garage or basement, that's your best bet. If it needs to be cut to the right size, do so. Then hammer the wood into the frame around the window. This will provide security and warmth. If that's not an option, use a heavy duty piece of plastic sheeting (buy some now so you have it on hand in case of emergency) and staple, nail or tape it to the window frame. In a pinch, a thick plastic tablecloth will work, too. One other option is to use cardboard; break down a packing box and staple or tape it to the window frame.

If the window only cracked and didn't actually break into pieces, carefully use some masking, packing or duct tape to cover the crack until you can replace the pane.