Broken glass is not only a cosmetic problem. A cracked pane lets in heat, water and noise, and it is the easiest way into a building. Atlantic Window Repair replaces glass in windows and doors across South Florida, covering Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties. We have been doing this since 2020, from a single cracked pane in a house to a full glass program on a commercial building.
Your Frame Usually Stays
Most people who call us expect to buy a window. In the majority of cases they do not need one.
If the frame is straight, solid and properly anchored, we take the damaged glass out and glaze a new unit into the frame you already have. The window opens and closes the way it did before, the interior trim is untouched, and the cost is a fraction of a full replacement.
A new window becomes the honest answer when the frame itself has failed: rot in wood, corrosion in aluminum, warping, or an opening that has shifted out of square. We tell you which of the two you are looking at during the estimate before you have committed to anything.
Below are the situations we see most often and where each one normally lands.
| What’s wrong with the window | What it usually needs |
|---|---|
| Cracked or broken pane, frame straight and solid | New glass cut and glazed into the frame you already have |
| Haze or moisture sealed between two panes | The insulated unit is defogged or swapped, frame stays |
| Scratches, hard water etching, surface haze | Polishing, in many cases, before any glass is ordered |
| Window opens hard, will not lock, sash drops | Hardware, not glass. Operators, balances and latches are separate parts |
| Rot in a wood frame or sill | Wood repair first, then the glass goes back in |
| Aluminum frame corroded through, or opening out of square | A new window. Glass alone will not hold in a frame that has moved |
| Going from standard glass to impact | A new unit, unless the existing frame is rated to take impact glass, which we confirm on-site |
Types of Glass We Replace
Single-pane glass
Standard in older Florida homes, jalousies and utility windows. We cut the pane to match your existing frame profile and glaze it on-site, which usually means one visit.
Double-pane insulated glass
Two panes with a sealed air or argon gap between them. When that seal fails, you get haze or moisture trapped inside the unit, which is a job on its own and covered on our foggy window repair page. Where the unit needs replacing outright, we swap the sealed unit and keep the frame.
Impact and laminated glass
Two or more layers of glass bonded by a PVB interlayer. The laminate holds the pane together when something hits it, which is what makes it useful in a storm and also what makes it harder to break through. The same construction is used in skylights and in acoustic glazing.
Tempered safety glass
Heat-treated so that it breaks into blunt granular pieces instead of shards. It is standard in doors, sidelights and any glazing close to the floor or to a wet area.
Low-E glass
A coating that reflects infrared heat while letting visible light through. In a climate where the air conditioning runs most of the year, it is one of the few glass upgrades that pays for itself.
Obscure, tinted and privacy glass
Frosted, patterned and tinted units for bathrooms, sidelights and decorative openings. Bronze, gray and green tints also cut glare and solar gain. Available as single panes or as insulated units.
Wired fire-rated glass
Embedded wire mesh, used in commercial fire doors and partitions where a rated assembly is required.
How We Match the Glass to Your Frame
Getting the right glass is not just a matter of size. A unit that fits the opening but not the frame system will leak, rattle or fail early. Four things get checked at the measurement visit.
- Daylight opening and overall size. We measure the visible glass plus the amount that sits inside the frame because those are different numbers and only one of them is what gets ordered.
- Glass thickness and frame channel. The channel in your frame dictates what thickness it will take. Forcing a thicker unit into a shallow channel is a common shortcut and it shows up later as a failed seal.
- Spacer and edge condition on insulated units. The spacer bar sets the gap between panes and carries the desiccant. We match it so the replacement performs like the original.
- Glazing method. Wet glazed with sealant, dry glazed with gaskets, or held by a removable bead. Each frame system has one correct method, and using the wrong one is why some replacements start leaking after the first heavy rain.
Where the frame itself needs work first, we handle that too, including custom fabrication in our in-house woodworking workshop.
How the Job Runs
- On-site measurement, plus an assessment of the frame condition.
- Glass type specified against your frame, the exposure and your budget. You see the options and the price before anything is ordered.
- Glass cut to size. Standard replacements are usually finished within a day or two. Insulated and impact units are made to order and take longer.
- Old glass removed and disposed of safely, new unit set, sealed and glazed.
- Final check for fit, seal and finish, and we take the packaging and debris with us.
An opening that cannot be left as it is overnight gets emergency board up on the same visit, and the glass goes in once it is cut.
Homes, Condos and Commercial Buildings
Glass replacement in a house, a condo unit and a storefront are three different jobs. Condo work runs through building management for access and approved materials. Storefronts and offices are covered under commercial glass repair, where the work is usually scheduled around trading hours. Managers running several buildings can work with us on a standing basis through window repair for property managers.
Frames and Brands We Work With
We re-glaze existing frames rather than replacing the whole window, which means matching the unit to whatever system is already in the building. That includes Mr-Glass, Lawson and the other frames built into South Florida homes. The full list is on brands we repair.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you replace just the glass without replacing the whole window?
Yes, we can, and in most cases that is what we recommend. As long as the frame is sound, we glaze a new unit into it and leave everything else in place. It costs considerably less than a full window replacement and there is no disruption to the trim or the wall.
How long does a glass replacement take?
Most single-pane replacements are finished on-site in one to two hours. Insulated units have to be made to your measurements, so those usually mean a follow-up visit. Impact and custom-shaped units take longest, and we give you the timeline before you order.
Is fogging between the panes a glass problem?
Yes, it is. Fogging between the panes means the factory seal has failed and moisture is sitting inside the sealed unit. Cloudy sealed units are handled as foggy window repair, where we assess each window and replace the IGU while the existing frame stays in place.
Do you replace impact glass?
Yes, we do. We supply and install laminated impact units for windows and doors in existing certified frames where the frame allows it and as full installations where it does not. The impact glass replacement page has the details.
Do you do commercial glass as well as residential?
Yes, we do. We work on storefronts, offices, restaurants and condo buildings alongside single-family homes. Commercial jobs can usually be scheduled outside opening hours where the building permits it.
What does it cost?
We can give you a firm number, but not before we have measured. The price depends on the glass type, the size, the frame system, and whether the frame needs work first. The estimate visit is free, and nothing is ordered until you approve the price.
We replace glass across Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties. Call (561) 320-3110 for a free estimate, or see all service areas.
Call (561) 320-3110 or book a free estimate, and we will measure, quote, and schedule in one visit.