Almost every car owner has had to deal with a broken car window at one point because unlike most other car parts, windows are exposed to damage that can be caused by a broad range of factors.
Repairing a broken car window can take time, but in the meantime, you still have to use your vehicle to commute to work or do grocery shopping. Covering a broken car window may be the only option you have until you install a new one.
So, you are in the right place if you don’t know how to cover a broken car window because in this article we are going to show you exactly what you need to know.
How soon you can replace a broken car window depends on a variety of factors that range from your mechanic’s availability to how busy your schedule is at the moment.
That is why you need to take a few safety measures on your own before you install a new window on your vehicle. Removing the shattered glass from your car is the first step you need to take even if you are not planning to drive your car until the window is replaced.
You should use a small hammer to remove any glass debris that is still standing from the window before you start getting rid of pieces of glass from the car’s cabin.
Wearing gloves and protective eyewear will eliminate all chances of injury, and you should wear them while dealing with glass debris in the car’s window and all other stages of the process.
When done, you should use a vacuum cleaner to collect the glass from the vehicle, in order to avoid contact with sharp pieces of glass that can potentially injure you.
Covering a broken car window is just a precautionary measure, and whether or not you are going to take this measure depends on where you keep your car or how often you are planning on using it. Here are some of the most common reasons to cover a broken car window.
Driving with a broken window might put all passengers in danger since pieces of glass debris can detach and injure the passengers. Moreover, a window cover is going to prevent insects or objects from flying into your vehicle and causing damage.
In case a piece of sharp glass falls outside of the window it can easily cut through a bicycle or car tire, which can put the safety of other drivers in jeopardy.
Even though a temporary cover won’t shield your car’s interior entirely from strong wind, snow or rain, it will still provide some protection and potentially prevent extensive damage.
Dust or even sun can ruin your car seats, and covering a broken car window will at least partially preserve your car until you install a new window.
A broken car window is an easy prey for car thieves, as nothing is preventing them from entering the vehicle and stealing it. A window cover may not be enough to stop a thief from taking your car, but it will make it more difficult for them to do so.
In case you are keeping your car at a safe place theft shouldn’t be one of your major concerns.
Besides removing glass debris and cleaning up shattered glass from the vehicle’s interior, there are a few more steps you need to take before you seal a broken car window.
Use a microfiber cloth to clean all surfaces around the window frame, in order to ensure that the tape you’re using to seal a broken window is going to stick.
Optionally, you can wash the window frame after dusting it, but if you decide to do so, you will have to wait until the surface is dry to start covering the broken window.
Chances are that you already have most of the materials you are going to need to cover a broken car window in your household. Here are the items you are going to need:
Opting for a masking tape is going to preserve the car paint on all surfaces that are covered by the tape, but the grip of the masking tape is not as firm as the one provided by the duct tape.
What’s more, you can cover the entire window with a single roll of duct tape, and you won’t need anything else other than a pair of scissors to complete the job. However, you should opt for clear duct tape, because nontransparent types of duct tape can block your view.
The only downside is that a duct tape window cover can damage the paint on your car’s exterior once you take it off.
Plastic bags or crash wraps are yet another alternative you have at your disposal, and they can be purchased online or in your local hardware store.
Both options provide protection against water, wind, and sun, but for safety reasons, you should only use plastic bags or crash wraps that are transparent.
Once you have all the supplies you need in the one place, you can start to cover the broken window. The process, however, is going to depend on the material you use, so if you decide to use duct tape you should cover the entire length of the window with strips of duct tape.
Start from the inside of the window and place duct tape strips close to each other so that there is no empty space between them. Position the duct tape pieces both vertically and horizontally, and create a thick layer of tape that will protect your vehicle’s interior.
After you’ve completed the process on the interior part of the window you should repeat it on the exterior.
If you decide to cover a broken window with a crash wrap, you just have to stick the length of the roll at one end of the window and then drag the roll over to the other side of the window. Cut the crash wrap and press it hard against the frame of the window.
You can apply crash wrap on both interior and exterior sides of a broken window in order to make sure that all passengers are safe.
The plastic bag can also be used as a window cover, but this is only a good option if you are not going to use the vehicle until the window is repaired. Look for high-density bags, as they are sturdier and they cannot be torn easily, like low-density bags that tear up at high speeds.
Make sure that you have enough material to cover the entire surface of the window and then secure it with the masking tape. Use as much tape as necessary to keep the plastic bag cover firmly fixed.
Safety should be your primary concern throughout this process, which is the reason why you should only choose materials that are not going to impact your view of the road.
Although technically the answer to this question is yes, we don’t recommend doing so because this material isn’t water-resistant. Moreover, cardboard isn’t transparent which can reduce your ability to react to a potentially dangerous situation promptly.
The cost of installing a new car window varies between $200 and $450 depending on the car model you have and the cost of the labor.
Covering a broken car window is a straightforward process that isn’t going to take a lot of your time. It shouldn’t take you much more than half an hour to remove the glass debris from the window, clean the shattered glass from the car’s cabin and cover the window.
You must check the regulations in your state before you cover a broken window because some states don’t allow drivers to drive cars with covered windows.
Walking up to your car and seeing glass shattered all over the seats is a horrible feeling none of us would like to experience. Fortunately, this problem can be fixed quickly, at least temporarily, until you have the time to install a new car window.
All you need is some duct or masking tape, crash wraps, and a pair of scissors. Even though this is by no means a long term solution, you will buy yourself some time to find an affordable replacement for the broken window. Follow this link to find more maintenance tips that will help your car last longer.
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