There’s nothing worse than sitting at your kitchen table having coffee one morning and noticing a small crack in your sunny kitchen window! Next, you ask yourself questions like: How’d that happen? and more importantly, how the heck am I going to fix that?
A broken or cracked window is an all-too common occurrence with a variety of different causes. However, regardless of what caused the damage, it needs to be addressed, and the sooner the better. Why? That cracked or broken window is not just an eyesore, it’s costing you money every day as it leaks precious energy from your home. So, what’s next? Let’s look at some of the causes & solutions:
Causes of Stress Cracks
A stress crack in an insulated glass window is a crack that starts small, near the edge of the window, and often continues to grow and spread across the glass. Extreme fluctuations in temperature are the most common cause of small thermal stress cracks. For instance, when it’s a cold day and you crank your heat up drastically to stay warm.
This is the same for the outside temperature as well. If the outside temperature drops suddenly, your window can crack, much like a hot dish can crack if you fill it with cold water or how ice cubes crackle when you drop them in warmer water. A stress crack can also occur from windows falling or slamming them shut, so be gentle.
Causes of Impact Breaks
An impact break is just what it sounds like — a broken window caused by a neighborhood ballgame hit gone astray, a rock propelled by a weed eater or a lawn mower, or a golf swing gone wrong if you live on a golf course. These are usually characterized and easily identifiable due to the starburst pattern that radiates outward from the point of impact.
Important Safety Note: If you experience an impact break in your home, clean up any glass that may be on your floor, but DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REMOVE THE REMAINING BROKEN GLASS YOURSELF. Please, leave this to a professional to avoid any injuries.
Causes of Pressure Cracks
Pressure cracks are less common and always seem to come out of nowhere. Most commonly seen in insulated glass, or double-paned windows, pressure cracks can be caused by drastic pressure system changes in the weather or when windows are installed at too high or too low of an elevation level. These cracks tend to curve in the shape of an hourglass and will most likely result in a complete window replacement.
How to Fix Your Broken or Cracked Window
While replacing the glass can work in some situations, it’s only a temporary fix for most. To ensure these issues are completely resolved and won’t happen again, we suggest having a certified professional replace the window altogether. Don’t worry! While this solution may seem like the pricier option, leaving this problem unresolved will wind up costing you much more in energy bills as those cracks leave a way for air to come and go as it pleases.
That small crack is only going to get worse over time, so don’t wait any longer! Give the experts at All-Weather a call at (913) 262-4380 or schedule an appointment online today. For more helpful homeowner information, check out our blog!
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At All-Weather Window, Doors and Siding, we choose to offer 
Modern houses lack creative art in one of the most basic aspects of the home – the windows. Think about it, other than the occasional beautiful window wall, when was the last time you were actually impressed, or even remember the windows in any house you’ve visited. Essentially, they are all the same. If you want your home to truly stand out, consider art glass windows. 
