A broken window is stressful, especially with kids or pets in the house. The good news is that a few simple steps keep everyone safe and protect your home until a glazier arrives. Here is what to do, in order, if a window in your Wollongong or Sydney home cracks or breaks.
Step 1: Keep Everyone Back From the Glass
Move children and pets to another room first. Put on shoes before you go near the break. Do not touch broken or hanging glass with bare hands. If a pane is still cracking or pieces are falling, stay back and let it settle.
Step 2: Check for Any Injuries
Look over everyone for cuts, and clean and cover the small ones. For a deep cut or heavy bleeding, call 000 straight away. Glass cuts can be deeper than they look, so treat them with care.
Step 3: Pick Up the Broken Glass Safely
Once things are calm, clear the area so no one stands on a shard. Wear thick gloves and shoes. Pick up the large pieces by hand and place them in a sturdy box or a thick bag. Use a vacuum or a damp paper towel to lift the tiny slivers you cannot see well. Wrap the bag, label it “broken glass,” and keep it away from your normal bin bags so no one is cut later.
Step 4: Cover the Opening
An open window lets in weather, insects and, on the ground floor, anyone walking past. Cover the gap from the inside with plywood, thick cardboard or heavy plastic, and tape it down firmly. If the window is large, low to the ground, or you cannot cover it safely, that is a sign to call for emergency help rather than do it yourself. Tape across a crack can hold it together for a short time, but it is not a repair and it will not keep out weather or an intruder, so treat it as a temporary step only.
Step 5: Decide If It Is an Emergency
Not every break needs a call at midnight. Use this simple test.
Call an emergency glazier if the window is on the ground floor and cannot be secured, if it is storming, if the break is a security risk, or if someone could be hurt. Level & Square Glass offers 24/7 emergency glass repair, so you can reach a local glazier at any hour. For a fast, secured fix, ask about emergency glass replacement.
Book a standard repair if the glass is cracked but holding, the window is small or internal, and the opening is safe overnight. Our glass repair services cover both cases.
Step 6: Take Photos and Measurements
A glazier can quote much faster with a few details ready. Before you call, grab:
- Photos of the whole window and a close-up of the damage.
- Rough width and height of the glass, in centimetres if you can.
- Where the window is: which room, and upstairs or down.
- The glass type if you know it: single pane, double glazed, frosted or toughened.
- The frame material: timber, aluminium or uPVC.
Send these when you call or fill in a form, and you will get a more accurate price and time.
Step 7: Check Your Insurance
Many home and contents policies cover accidental glass breakage. Before you book, check your policy excess against the likely repair cost, since a small repair may cost less than the excess. Take clear photos before the repair for your claim, keep the invoice, and ask your glazier for an itemised quote. If you are unsure what is covered, your insurer can talk you through it.
What Happens When You Call Us
When you call, we confirm the glass type and size, give you a price, and book a time that suits you. For homes, that usually means residential glass replacement with safety glass that meets Australian standards. We serve Wollongong, the Illawarra and Sydney.
Quick Answers
Should I clean up the glass myself or wait?
You can clear the large pieces safely with gloves and shoes on. Leave anything risky, like glass up high or still falling, for the glazier.
Is a cracked window safe to leave overnight?
A small, stable crack in an internal window is usually fine for a night. Put a strip of tape across it and keep people away. A shattered or ground-floor window should be covered or boarded first.
Will you come out after hours?
Yes. We offer 24/7 emergency glass repair across Wollongong, the Illawarra and Sydney.
Get Help Now
Broken glass is easier to handle with a local glazier on the line. Call Level & Square Glass on 0424 154 448 to speak to someone today, or call Level & Square through our contact page. We cover Wollongong, the Illawarra and Sydney, day or night.
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