A smashed window is one of those moments that lands at the worst time — a storm in the night, an accident, or the sick feeling of a break-in. Whatever the cause, a broken window leaves your home open to the weather, to intruders, and to the risk of injury from the glass itself. The good news is that the right first steps are simple, and getting them in the correct order keeps everyone safe and protects you later. Here is exactly what to do when a window has gone.
If the window was broken in a burglary or attempted one, call the police first — 999 if it may be in progress, 101 otherwise — before you touch or tidy anything, so you do not disturb evidence.
Glass comes first, before security. Keep children and pets well clear, and put on sturdy shoes and gloves before you go near the broken pane. If only some of the room is affected, close it off. Deal with the people-and-glass risk before you start thinking about boarding anything up.
Once it is safe to, pick up the larger shards by hand — carefully — and vacuum the area on both sides of the window, including the sill and the floor a good distance back, because glass travels further than you expect. Wrap broken pieces thickly before they go in the bin so they cannot cut anyone later.
A broken window is an open door to weather and to opportunists, and the need is greatest after dark, when the cover of night invites trouble. For a small pane or a crack, a sound temporary cover is several layers of strong material — cardboard or heavy-duty bin liners — taped firmly over the opening with a strong tape such as duct tape; this also stops passers-by seeing in. For a larger opening, the proper answer is boarding up: exterior-grade plywood cut to the opening and fixed securely, or held with a tension fit and battens where you cannot or should not drill, such as a rented or listed property.
If the height, the size of the opening or the state of the glass makes that unsafe to do yourself, this is the point to call a professional rather than take a risk on a ladder.
A locksmith or glazier offering 24-hour emergency boarding can secure the opening quickly with the right materials, day or night, and many do not charge a call-out fee for the visit. It is worth calling one when the opening is large or high, when the damage happened at night and you need it safe before morning, or simply when you would rather a sturdy, weatherproof board went up properly the first time. They can also repair any window or door locks damaged in a break-in while they are there — the work our guide to what to do after a break-in walks through.
Acting promptly is not only about safety — it protects your cover. Insurers expect you to take reasonable steps to secure the property after damage, and a window left open to further loss can complicate a claim. Photograph the damage before you clear it, keep any receipts for emergency boarding or repairs, and report a break-in to the police so you have a crime reference number. A tidy, documented response is exactly what a smooth claim looks like.
A named, vetted master locksmith covers your area — no call-out fee.
Boarding up is a holding measure, not a repair — arrange the glass replacement or window repair as soon as the property is safe. If the lock or mechanism was damaged as well as the glass, have that put right at the same time, and take the moment to check the rest of your windows are properly secured while you are at it. Our window security guide covers the locks worth fitting so the next storm, or the next chancer, finds the house ready.
Which lock suits which window, why key-operated is the baseline, what to specify, what it costs, and the buying mistake that wastes money. The purchase decision, not the theory.
When DIY is not the answer, the LocksmithLocal network has a local locksmith ready to help.
Lock snapping is the burglar's favourite way through a uPVC door — and the defence costs less than most people expect. How the attack works, how to read TS007 stars and the SS312 Diamond, and the two-minute check you can run today.
Keys inside, keys lost, key snapped, or a handle that won't lift — four different problems with four different answers. A locksmith's guide to handling each one, and the first-ten-minutes mistakes that turn cheap jobs expensive.