WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT RESIDENTIAL GLASS REPAIR (IN-DEPTH D.I.Y TUTORIAL)

Damaged or broken glass can be a very big hazard in the home, especially if the household contains children. 

Be it a double glazed window pane, sliding, metal or wooden storm, casement glass window, picture glass window or door glass window which breaks, it’s always a case of
grave concern because aside from the serious injury it could cause, broken or damaged glass is a security threat any time.

Glass repairs comes in various stages, while most cases prefer a total replacement, others require one or more technologies to fix it.

As it is important to have a broad knowledge base about residential glass repair, an in-depth dive will be taken on the subject matter herewith. Be it a door or window glass repair the below method is one of the most popular and easy methods for a DIY approach.

Though it is always pretty very messy, stringent care and eye-on-details should be employed when applying this method. 

The DIY approach is also quite time consuming as rudimentary tool which include tape measure, chisel, wire brush, heat gun, standard putty knife and in most cases a glass cutter would be needed. It takes approximately 2 hours or thereabout to get a residential glass repair done; this needs a little practice so as to achieve very smooth glazing lines, it is also advised to use double thickened glass as single thick glass will call for another fix pretty soon or better still homeowners should use shatter resistant glasses and as safety comes first, its advised to wear long clothes, protective eye-wear  and very thick gloves when handling broken glass repair because almost invisible minute splinters could cause really serious injuries which one did not anticipate. The process involves carefully measuring and applying the putty knife to extract the broken glass pieces, which should be cleared away carefully, and a piece of cloth spread on the flood. Materials needed for this process include linseed, glazing compound or putty, glazing points and the glass pane to fit. It is advised to remove the frame and put on a table or on the floor at a place with less human traffic first before work commences on repairing the broken glass window, with long cloth on and the other protective accessories being put on one can commence by wiggling and gently applying force to pull out the remaining glass shards left on the frame (one will sometimes need to lightly tap the glass shard with a hammer to make a new broken line visible first). With the utmost care one should remove every piece of glass, metal glaze points and putty from the frame, its advised to either use a chisel or paint scraper because the compartment where the new glass window will seat must be clean shaven (to soften the old putty use a heat gun). Either use a damp cloth or wire brush to apply a thin coat of linseed oil to the groove, this improves and secures the putty cohesively. Now with eyes on details one should measure out the dimensions of the frame opening in at least more than one place, now with the glass pane to fit, one should test it in first (the glass window should be 1/8 inches shorter in all directions).

One should apply the glazing compound unto a pretty thin rope and press it into the cleaned out groove while the putty knife should be applied to seat it properly in place (this give the glass a more firm seating).

 The glass can now be put into place with its edges seating properly within the groove, the glazing point can now be lowered gently after the glass seats properly.  Linseed oil can now be applied sparing through the use of a thinly rolled rope soaked in it, this rope should now be swiped across the newly installed glass window every two to three inches to produce a perfectly smooth finish.

In the case of the above method being too lengthy or inapplicable it is advised to bring in professionals as residential glass repair companies have we well trained technicians who should concisely repair or replace the broken window glass, in most cases with state-of-the-art machinery. 

Most glass repair companies or personnel would typically replace a normal home glass window with another one or try to glaze-fix it but it is advised for homeowners to get the energy friendly specially coated e-coat window glass installed when replacing their glass window and maybe a tinted window in addition. With this the glass windows should return standard condition.