If you’re a homeowner who has discovered a cracked window in your home, you may wonder how the crack happened and what can be done to fix it before it gets worse. Because windows are an integral part of keeping your home comfortable and safe, act quickly to have the window repaired. To help you get started, below is a quick guide for assistance with residential glass repair.

Why Do Residential Windows Crack?

Impact Breaks

A common window break for homeowners to experience is an impact break. This likely means your window was cracked due to high impact such as from that of a child’s baseball or a loose rock propelled by a lawnmower. An impact break leaves a starburst shape in your glass, which spiders outward in tiny cracks from the point of impact.  

Stress Cracks

When a home experiences quick fluctuations from high to low temperatures such as cranking up the heat on an extremely chilly morning, stress cracks can occur on your home’s windows. If your window has a stress crack, you may notice it beginning as a small fissure near the frame and growing over time, so contact a residential glass repair specialist at the first sign of a crack.

Pressure Cracks

Homeowners may also be caught off guard by pressure cracks, which seem to appear out of nowhere. These hourglass-shaped cracks often result from installing windows at improper heights for a given altitude or from extreme changes in pressure caused by weather.

How Can You Fix a Cracked Residential Window?

A homeowner’s plan of action for window repair depends on which type of crack they have. When you discover an impact break, it’s important to clean up any fallen glass around the window, but never attempt to remove any remaining broken glass yourself. A residential glass repair specialist should be called out quickly to replace the pane, restoring your family’s safety and peace of mind.

Stress and pressure cracks also require urgent attention to avoid additional spreading across the pane. However, homeowners may want to consider having their damaged window replaced altogether. If your crack occurred due to climate conditions or improper window placement, simple window repair may only be a temporary fix. This could ultimately leave you dealing with similar problems in the future if proactive action isn’t taken. 

Looking for a residential glass repair expert to assess your damaged window? From kitchen windows to cracked windshields, Consumer Glass in O’Fallon, MO, has been the go-to company for glass replacement and repair in the St. Louis and St. Charles areas since 1987. Their team of skilled, certified technicians provides same-day mobile service and will work with your insurance company to assist with your claim. They can also handle custom jobs such as manufacturing glass table tops and installing glass entrances for commercial properties. To schedule your free estimate, call Consumer Glass at (636) 397-6800, or visit them online to learn more about their commercial glass repair.