How to Properly Install a Window Replacement

From rocks to bits of asphalt, road debris can damage your car windows and windshields. It’s even more common to see these types of dents and cracks during winter, when driving conditions can be especially harsh. When your glass is dinged, it’s important to have it repaired or replaced as soon as possible. Fortunately, the trained technicians at Andy Mohr Collision Center can repair your window or windshield quickly and affordably.

While it is possible to replace a window pane on your own, doing so without the proper tools and knowledge could be a costly mistake. The right tools will help ensure that your new window pane is properly installed, providing you with a durable and energy-efficient seal.

Start by wearing eye protection and gloves to protect yourself from razor-sharp shards of broken glass. Remove the glass, then carefully clean the frame and any old glazing compound from the frame’s L-shaped grooves. You may also need to remove glazing points, which are tiny fasteners that pin the glass in place.

Once the old glazing compound and points are removed, sand down the wood of the frame to bare wood and coat it with a clear or linseed oil sealer. This helps extend the life of your wooden frame and ensures a good seal with the new glass.

Before ordering a replacement pane for your window, carefully measure the height and width of the opening. Take these measurements to your local hardware or home improvement store and ask them to cut you a piece of replacement glass that’s slightly smaller than the original pane. This allows for seasonal expansion and contraction and gives you a little room to spare when installing the new glass pane.

Make sure to take a shard of the old glass with you to ensure that the new pane is a match for its thickness and type. Your new pane will need to fit the frame snugly to prevent water or air from leaking into your home and to avoid wind and snow from blowing the glass out of place.

When you receive your new glass pane, test it in the window frame by laying the frame flat and pressing against it gently. You should be able to feel and hear the pane move, but you should not be able to pull it out of its place. If the frame doesn’t hold the pane firmly, apply a small bead of caulking around its perimeter for a tight seal.

Once the new caulking is in place, install your new window pane and insert glazing points to hold it in place. You should need only two points on each edge for standard sizes of window glass. If the glass is not a match for its frame, you can use traditional glazing putty (available at your local hardware store) to create a strong, long-lasting bond. Once the putty is pressed firmly in place, smooth it with your fingers and paint the frame, if needed.

from Glass Repair Logan https://glassrepairlogan.wordpress.com/2024/05/14/how-to-properly-install-a-window-replacement/