A broken storefront panel usually happens at the worst possible time. Whether it was a break-in, a delivery cart or a thrown rock, the steps in the first hour are the same. This checklist is written for the owner or manager standing in front of the damage right now. For the longer view on glass types and replacement, read our storefront glass repair guide.
1. Keep People Away From the Glass
Cracked panels can let go without warning, and pieces still in the frame are more dangerous than the ones on the ground. Move staff and customers back, close that entrance if you have another one, and put something visible in front of the area. Leave large pieces where they are. Sweeping small fragments off the walkway is reasonable if you have heavy gloves and closed shoes, but pulling glass out of a frame is a job for someone with the right equipment.
If anyone is hurt, or if the building has been broken into and the person may still be nearby, call 911 before anything else.
2. Take Photos Before Anything Moves
A minute with your phone now saves a lot of back and forth later. From a safe distance, photograph:
- The whole storefront from the sidewalk
- The broken panel and the frame around it
- Any damage to the door, lock or hardware
- Anything on the ground that shows what happened
- Damaged stock or equipment inside
Those photos are useful to your insurer, your landlord and the glass company. Note the date and time as well.
3. Make the Calls in the Right Order
- Police, if it was a break-in or vandalism. Ask for the report number, since your insurer may want it.
- Your landlord or property manager, if you lease. The lease often says who is responsible for storefront glass.
- A glass company, to secure the opening and arrange the replacement.
- Your insurance company, to find out what your policy covers and what they need from you.
4. Secure the Opening
Commercial glass is normally made to order, so the replacement panel is rarely the first thing that happens. If the opening cannot be locked or leaves the building exposed overnight, the next step is an emergency board-up. A panel that is cracked but still solid may not need boarding, but ask before leaving it. If the door itself will not lock, see emergency commercial door repair.
5. Have These Details Ready for the Glass Company
- The address and where the panel is on the building
- Your photos of the panel and the frame
- Rough dimensions, only if you can measure without touching the glass
- Whether the frame, door or hardware is damaged too
- How the opening is reached, including any canopy, steps or building rules
- Who can approve the work
6. Plan for the Replacement
Once the opening is safe, the job becomes measuring, ordering and installing. The right glass depends on where the panel sits, so it is worth asking what is being specified and why. A clear written estimate should say what is included and what could change once the old panel comes out. Our guide to commercial glass replacement cost explains what moves the price, and storefront glass repair and replacement covers the replacement itself.
Prestine Glass Solutions works with businesses across Washington DC, Virginia and Maryland. If your storefront glass has just broken, tell us the address and what happened. Call 571-621-0898 or send us the details online.
