Nobody loves to see a broken window in his car. But it is a fact that you will experience broken window in your car sometimes. That’s because of various reasons that you can’t control like hails or an accident.
Now that you have a broken window in your car, you need to do something to cover up the area until the replacement arrives.
Although glasses used in vehicles do not pose risks like conventional decorative glasses, you shouldn’t handle things carelessly.
In this post, we’ll share with you the reason why should you cover the broken car window and how to cover it up with some frequently asked user queries. Stay with us!
Why Should You Cover the Broken Car Window?
Covering the broken window until you get the replacement window is important. You can’t leave the window as it is without protecting the interior from the weather and other stuff.
1. Keeping the Pedestrians & Passengers Safe
Although the broken glasses of the car do not cut the skin in ordinary circumstances, they can pose a risk of getting into your eyes or mouth when driving. So, it is important to cover them up to be safe from the harm.
Because of the air direction, broken pieces of glass can harm both the passengers and the pedestrians going by the side of your car.
2. Protection against Rain & Sunlight
In case you are completely decommissioning the car from the job until the window replacement, yet you need to cover the broken window to protect the interior from rain. Otherwise, you’ll end up having a wet car interior that keeps you out of the car for a lengthy period.
And to protect you against the sunlight, you need the cover too when riding the vehicle. It is difficult to drive when the sun is shining directly on your face.
3. Protection of the Interior
Apart from the rainwater, other harms can happen because of an open window too. You may end up having insects in the car as they love to hide under a hood. It is not so difficult to protect the car from insects but very difficult to get rid of them. Especially, if your car is attacked by ants and or you see roaches in the car.
How to Cover a Broken Car Window
For covering a broken car window, you don’t need anything out of the ordinary that needs buying. You’ll be able to cover the broken window temporarily with the supplies you have in your storeroom-
Gather Essentials
Here are the materials that you need to gather by the side of the car before you start working on the broken car window-
- Protective Gloves
- Safety Goggles
- Microfiber cloth
- Plastic Wrap or Transparent Trash Bag
- Masking Tape
- Scissors
Apart from these, you’ll need to use a vacuum cleaner to clean the broken glass pieces from the car interior.
Take Safety Precautions
The first and most important thing is to take proper safety precautions. Put on thick gloves by which you can safely hold the broken pieces of the shattered glass. Use safety goggles to save your eyes from accidental contact with the broken glass pieces.
Vacuum the Broken Pieces
Next, the first stage of cleaning. You need to dump all the broken pieces of the window from the car interior. See under the seat and corners and hides for broken pieces. You’ll find broken pieces of glass everywhere in the car if the glass has shattered because of an accident or thrown rock. So, go for a thorough clean up.
Prepare the Surface
After cleaning the interior, carefully remove any loose pieces from the window that can fall anytime from there. Clean the surroundings of the window with a soft microfiber cloth. This is important as you are going to apply tape on those surfaces.
Applying tape on dirty surfaces will stick the dust to the surface and it will be very difficult for you to get rid of them afterward.
Apply the Coverings
You can use different types of materials to cover the window as it is a temporary solution and you are going to get rid of all these craps after the replacement pack arrives.
i. Plastic Wrap
If you have transparent plastic wraps that we use in the kitchen, you can use those to cover the broken window of the car. Check the strength of the wrap as many kitchen plastic wraps are so thin that they won’t last a day in the car window if applied in a layer.
That’s why you need to apply multiple layers of them if you want to drive with those.
ii. Trash Bag
A transparent trash bag is another great material that you can use to cover the broken glass. Make sure you can see through the trash bag as most of the trash bags come in black or grey color and are not transparent. You need a transparent bag so that you can see through it. However, You can use opaque bags if the window is on the passenger row.
iii. Masking Tape
Another thing you can use replacing the plastic wrap or trash bag is the masking tape itself. You can apply masking tape on the broken window to hold the broken pieces in place for a few days. As we’ve discussed, you need to go for a transparent option for the driver’s side windows as opaque covers can create blind spots leading to accidents.
Seal the Cover
After covering the window with any of the coverings we have discussed above, seal the cover with masking tape or duct tape. Use duct tape only when you don’t have masking tape in hand.
Duct tape comes with more sticky adhesives that are stubborn and don’t go away easily when you remove the tape after the work is done. So, you need to consider this too. Adhesives left on the car paint will attract a lot of dust making your car look dirty.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Does it Cost to Replace a Broken Window?
The amount of money you’ll require to replace the broken car window depends on various factors. Generally, window replacements cost from 200 to a thousand dollars.
For the exact amount, check online with your car model.
Can You Drive with a Broken Window?
When it comes to the law regarding this, the law varies depending on the place you live. So, it is wise to check your government websites for relevant information.
In some places, it is legal to drive with a broken window and in some, it is illegal. You may end up giving fines to law enforcers for driving an unsafe vehicle. So, we don’t recommend driving a car that has some sort of broken window.
Does Insurance Cover a Broken Car Window?
Most of the car insurances cover damage to the windshield, side and rear window. But you need to check whether your policy covers the broken window or not.
Can I Use Duct Tape to Cover the Window?
Unless you are keeping the car in the garage until the replacement, you shouldn’t use duct tape to cover the window. As the duct tape does not come in transparent, you’ll end up having a blind spot that causes accidents while driving the car.
So, it is not recommended.
Can I Cover Broken Windshield Following the Technique?
No, the solution given in this guide is for car side windows only. You can’t cover a windshield following this technique as the setup is different.
Can I Use Cardboard Instead of Plastic Wrap?
No, you can’t use cardboard instead of plastic wrap to cover the car window. Cardboards hardly remains in place when attached with tape. In case you can place the board firmly, you can’t drive the car keeping the board in place. This will create a blind spot for the driver and can cause serious harm to you and your vehicle if any accident happens.
Final Thoughts
Covering a broken car window is not a permanent solution but can keep you and your car safe for a few days before you get the replacement.
After covering the broken part of the window, you should concentrate fully on the replacement. As the window replacement is not cheap and requires a professional hand, a lot of people don’t feel interested to replace it soon.
But the more you wait, the more time your car will remain unfit to drive. So, do it before it’s too late.