Locking up the office at night

Home windows can break for a variety of reasons, and replacing them isn't always possible, especially if you are on a restricted budget. Luckily, there are a number of different ways you can replace or repair your glass in an emergency without spending a lot of cash. Check out a few ideas that will help you handle the situation:

1. Polish in a Tiny Hole

If you have a tiny hole in your window from a BB gun or a rock flying out of a nearby road, you can make a temporary solution with a bit of clear nail polish. Simply take the polish and apply it directly to the hole or chip. Continue to apply it in layers until the entire hole is full.

Unless someone looks closely, most people won't even notice this emergency glass repair.

2. Tape over a Crack

If your glass is cracked rather than chipped, you can maintain the integrity of the pane by putting a piece of tape over the crack. High-quality packaging tape works the best and is the least noticeable. Until you can get a new pane, this solution will hold the glass together.

If the crack is too large for a piece of tape to handle, put on some gloves and remove any excess glass from the area. Then, use a thick piece of security or privacy film and gently apply that over the remaining glass in your window. This emergency glass repair should work well as long as the film has enough glass to adhere to.

3. Covers on Broken Glass

If your broken glass cannot be reasonably repaired with polish, tape or film, you need to remove all of the glass from the window frame. Then, you need to cover the entire window – a simple piece of plywood will keep out the rain and bugs until you can pay for glass repair.

If you want this solution to look a bit more stylish, skip the plywood and use shutters instead. If you prefer to keep your view intact, cut a piece of plastic to the size of your window. Then, staple it to your window frame.

4. New Glass with Broken Windows

Finally, if you have a broken window, consider repairing it on your own. Remove the window from the sash and lay it on a flat surface. After removing all of the glass and the caulk that held it in place, measure your window.

Go to a hardware store and ask them to cut you a pane of glass in that size. If you want to get a deal on glass, just take large cuts the company isn't using and cut them to size yourself using a glass cutter. Then, place the piece of glass in the window and stabilise it with putty around the edges. To learn more, contact a company like Lock Tight Glass & Shutter Service.