A rock from the lawn mower. A crack that crept across the pane over the winter. Fog trapped between the two layers of glass that no cleaner will touch. When you see damage like this, it's natural to assume the whole window is done.
Usually it isn't. The glass is one part of the window, and it can be swapped out on its own. Plenty of homeowners don't know that, and some only find out after they've been quoted for a full replacement. Below: when replacing only the glass works, when it doesn't, and how to tell which one you have.
Do I need to replace the whole window if the glass is broken?
Usually not. If the frame and sash are in good shape, a broken pane can be replaced by itself. The window stays in the wall, your trim and paint stay put, and you get clear glass again. A new window only makes sense when the frame is too damaged to hold new glass.
Think of the window as two parts:
- The glass: the single pane, or the sealed double-pane unit (two sheets of glass with a sealed gap between them).
- The frame and sash: the wood, vinyl, or aluminum that holds the glass, plus the moving parts that let it open and close.
When something hits the glass, the glass breaks. The frame around it is often fine. Replacing the whole thing to fix a broken pane means paying for a new frame you didn't need, and it can bring in other work, like new trim, paint, or siding repairs around the opening.
That's why our tagline is "Replace the Glass, Not the Window." It isn't a slogan we stretch to fit every job. It's simply what most broken and foggy windows need.
What's the difference between replacing the glass and replacing the window?
Glass replacement swaps out only the pane and leaves the frame in place. Window replacement removes the entire unit, frame and all, and installs a new one in the opening. One is a repair. The other is a construction project.
- What gets replaced
- Replacing just the glass: The broken or foggy pane only
- Replacing the whole window: Frame, sash, glass, and often trim
- Your existing frame and trim
- Replacing just the glass: Stay as they are
- Replacing the whole window: Removed
- Typical visit (regular clear glass)
- Replacing just the glass: Usually one visit, most of the time within 2 hours
- Replacing the whole window: A larger install project
- Special glass (tempered, Low-E, textured, colored)
- Replacing just the glass: Measured first, installed when it arrives in 2 to 3 weeks
- Replacing the whole window: Depends on the window company
- Matching the rest of the house
- Replacing just the glass: Your window still looks like its neighbors
- Replacing the whole window: New window may look different from the others
- Best for
- Replacing just the glass: Cracked, broken, or foggy glass in a sound frame
- Replacing the whole window: Rotted frames, or frame damage too serious to hold new glass
Which window problems can be fixed by replacing just the glass?
Most glass problems can. Broken or cracked panes, fog between double-pane glass, and broken glass in patio doors, entry doors, and storefronts are all jobs where the glass gets replaced and the frame stays. Start with what you can see:
- A crack across the pane
- What's usually going on: The glass is damaged; the frame is often fine
- Can it be fixed without a new window?: Usually yes: new glass
- Shattered or missing glass
- What's usually going on: Impact damage to the pane
- Can it be fixed without a new window?: Usually yes: new glass (board-up available on request while you wait)
- Fog or haze between the panes that won't wipe off
- What's usually going on: The seal on the double-pane unit has failed
- Can it be fixed without a new window?: Usually yes: a new double-pane unit
- Broken sliding or patio door glass
- What's usually going on: Damaged door glass
- Can it be fixed without a new window?: Usually yes: new door glass
- Broken storefront or commercial door glass
- What's usually going on: Damaged glass panel
- Can it be fixed without a new window?: Usually yes: new glass
- Window won't stay up, open, close, or lock
- What's usually going on: Worn hardware (balances, locks, cranks, latches)
- Can it be fixed without a new window?: Often yes: a hardware repair, not new glass
- Soft or rotted frame
- What's usually going on: The frame itself has failed
- Can it be fixed without a new window?: Probably not: this may need a new window
- Cracked, split, or warped frame
- What's usually going on: Frame damage, minor or serious
- Can it be fixed without a new window?: Sometimes: minor damage often still holds new glass, so send photos
A quick note on foggy glass: if the fog is on the inside of the two panes, cleaning won't help. That moisture got in because the seal failed. Replacing the sealed glass unit clears the view, and the frame can stay.
When does a window actually need to be replaced?
Some windows do need replacing, and we'll tell you if yours is one of them. If the wood in the frame has rotted, it can't hold new glass securely, and a glass repair would be a waste of your money. Cracks and warping are less clear cut. Minor frame damage often still holds new glass safely, so we look at photos before saying either way.
Signs that point toward a full replacement, and the ones that depend:
- The wood is soft or crumbles when you press on it. Rotted wood can't hold new glass securely, so this one points to a new window.
- The frame or sash is cracked or split. This one depends. Minor cracks often still hold new glass safely, while bigger damage may not. Send photos of exactly where it's damaged and we'll tell you which it is.
- The frame is bent or warped. Same thing: it's situational, and sometimes we can make it work. Photos let us check before you decide anything.
- You want a different size, style, or type of window. That's a remodel, not a repair.
A window that won't open, close, lock, or stay up is a different story. That's usually worn hardware, and most of the time it's fixable. It isn't a reason to buy a new window. Our guide to a window that won't stay up explains the usual fixes.
We don't sell or install full windows, so if replacement is the right answer, we'll say so and you can take that to a window company. Not every window can be saved. But a lot more of them can than most people expect.
How does replacing just the glass work?
You send photos, we send a price, and a technician comes to you to swap the glass. Regular-size clear glass is usually replaced in one visit, most of the time within 2 hours. You don't need to take the window out or bring it anywhere.
- Send two photos. One of the full window taken from inside, and one close-up of the problem. You don't need to know the part names or the type of glass.
- Get your price. Photo review is free. If the photos show what we need, we can usually send a price within minutes during business hours. Every job is priced on its own, so you get a fair price for the right repair.
- Pick a time. Same-day or same-week appointments when available.
- We come to you. Our mobile glass truck pulls up to your home or business, and the work happens on site.
- We clean up. Removing the old glass, disposal, and clean-up are included.
Two trade-offs. First, wood windows with a special paint finish may need a little touch-up after the glass goes in. Second, special glass takes longer, which brings us to timing.
How long does it take to replace just the glass in a window?
For regular-size clear single or double-pane glass, it's usually one visit, most of the time within 2 hours. Tempered, textured, colored, and Low-E or argon glass has to be ordered, so we measure first and come back to install, usually 2 to 3 weeks later.
A few terms you might hear:
- Tempered glass is safety glass that breaks into small pieces instead of sharp shards. It's common in doors. It always has to be ordered, even when it's clear.
- Low-E glass has a thin, invisible coating that reflects heat.
- Argon is a gas sealed between the panes of some double-pane units.
Not sure what you have? That's fine. The photos usually tell us, and if they don't, we'll ask.
Is the new glass covered by a warranty?
Yes. Double-pane glass we install comes with our Lifetime Seal Warranty. If the seal fails and fog or moisture shows up between the panes, covered labor and materials cost you nothing. The warranty stays no matter who owns the property, as long as the glass is still in the same window, the sash is still in the same frame, and nothing has been altered. It doesn't cover impact or misuse damage. Details are at https://2hourglass.com/warranty.
What customers say
"...the end product looks great and was MUCH cheaper than it would have cost to replace the whole window. I was especially happy the job went well after the other window companies had said they don't do repairs, gave full replacement costs of 5x-10x of what 2 hour glass charged..."
Brendan M., Google review
We have 2,000+ reviews across Google, Yelp, Facebook, Angi, Thumbtack, and Housecall Pro, including a 5.0 average from 1,358 Google reviews. You can read more at https://2hourglass.com/reviews.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to replace just the glass in a window?
Every job is priced individually, based on the size and type of glass. We don't publish price ranges, because a range would mislead: the price depends on your exact glass and window. In our experience, a glass repair usually costs about a third of a medium-quality full window replacement, and about a fifth of a high-end one. Send two photos and we can usually send your exact price within minutes during business hours.
Is replacing just the glass cheaper than replacing the whole window?
It's a smaller job, since you keep the frame, trim, and paint you already have, so it usually costs less than a full replacement. The photo quote shows you the actual number before you book.
How long does window glass replacement take?
Regular-size clear glass is usually replaced in one visit, most of the time within 2 hours. Tempered, textured, colored, and Low-E or argon glass is measured first and installed when it arrives, usually 2 to 3 weeks later.
Can you replace a window pane without replacing the window if the glass is foggy?
Usually, yes. Fog between the panes means the seal failed, and replacing the sealed glass unit clears it while your frame stays in place.
Do you replace glass in doors too?
Yes. We replace glass in sliding and patio doors, entry doors, and storefront and commercial doors. Door rollers and locks aren't our main work, but we can take a look at it for you, or refer you to a reliable partner we trust.
What photos should I send?
Send one photo of the full window taken from inside and one close-up of the crack, break, or fog. That's usually all we need to give you a price.
Do I have to take the window out or bring it to a shop?
No. Our mobile glass truck comes to your home or business, and the glass is replaced on site.
What areas do you serve?
We serve Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery, Delaware, and Chester counties in Pennsylvania, plus 13 New Jersey counties: Camden, Burlington, Mercer, Gloucester, Salem, Atlantic, Ocean, Monmouth, Hunterdon, Somerset, Middlesex, Morris, and Essex. Not sure about your address? Check your ZIP below, or send a few photos and we'll confirm we can get to you.
Where we work
2HourGlass is a local PA and NJ team focused on window glass and hardware repair, with repair before replacement. We serve Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery, Delaware, and Chester counties in Pennsylvania, plus 13 counties in New Jersey. When you call or text, you reach a real person, not a call center.
