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How do you fix a broken window pane?

First you have to decide if you want to replace the broken pane of glass or if you want to replace the whole window. It's not as easy a decision as you might think.

Replacing the whole window assembly is easier and takes much less skill. You unscrew the hex screws, pull the window, scrape off the old putty/caulk, put down new putty tape, and screw the new window into place. It will also cost at least twice as much! If more than one pane is broken you will not save much by replacing only the glass.

Where replacing the glass can really pay off is for people who need to fix multiple windows. In the example I show below the house was a repo being renovated by an investor. In that situation the skills to make the repair are not an issue and the potential savings are significant.

For those of you who are considering buying a renovated, used manufactured home I point out some of the choices which can be made and their impact of the quality of the repair.

 

Manufactured Home Handyman Special

This is a picture of a HUD repo purchased by some investors I know. Among it’s many problems were a lot of broken windows. For this page I took pictures as the owner replaced a broken pane of glass in the window on the left.

Broken Window Pane

In this picture you can see the bottom window pane has been broken. If you were going to replace the entire window assembly you would have to remove the shutter on the far side and then take out all the screws holding the window in …

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Window Removal Considerations

Mobile home windows are held in place with plastic strips and adhesive. In this picture you can see the plastic strip at the bottom of the glass. Notice the holes in it. This is probably the result of hail hitting plastic that has hardened after …

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Window flashing removal

To remove the old plastic flashing carefully insert a knife between it and the aluminum frame and twist to break it loose. Be careful, gentile, and it helps if it is a warm day.

Window Flashing removal Cont.

When you get the end freed from the old adhesive you can start to pull it away from the window frame with one hand while you slide a screwdriver along the frame to break loose the rest of it.

Be Careful

Although this window was broken, the frame is still holding much of the glass. Those edges are sharp and if you slip you can make a real mess. Remember that as you are removing the plastic strips and loosening the old adhesive glass can fall and …

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Contractor Standards

The owner replacing this window dropped all the broken glass on the ground at his feet. Which brings up the need to think about the job specifications when you ask for a quote from a contractor. Obviously, letting the glass fall was the cheapest solution. Equally …

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Final Window Frame Preparation

The old glass was held in place with adhesive which had dried very hard. It will require some work with a chisel or scraper to get all of the old glass and adhesive scraped off of the window frame. You want to do a …

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Acrylic Latex Caulk

This caulk will seal the glass to the frame and hold it tightly in place. It’s cheap enough you can afford to buy the good stuff.

Glazing Windows

You are now at the real moment of truth with your window pane replacement project. You have removed the old glass and adhesive. You have thoroughly cleaned the frame. You have measured the opening carefully to the nearest 1/8” and had glass cut to fit your measurements. ...

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Material Savings

This is another place where you need to be sure your bid specifications are specific. I would have thrown away the old plastic clips. They were damaged by hail, they suffered additional damage from being removed and to re-use them you have to clean them up. ...

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