Once the building is closed up again, the replacement happens on an ordinary schedule, with a written estimate that costs nothing and no decisions made in a panic.
What we handle on an emergency call
Emergency board-up
We cut plywood to the shape of the opening on site and fasten it to hold until the new glass is ready. A good board-up keeps out the weather and anyone who shouldn't be inside, without chewing up the frame it's protecting.
Same-visit glass replacement
Single panes in standard thicknesses can often be cut from stock and installed the day you call. Insulated double-pane units and tempered safety glass are fabricated to order, so those openings get boarded first and glazed when the glass arrives.
Home windows and door glass
Bedroom windows, sliding doors, the pane beside a front door. Residential calls get the same treatment as commercial ones: the house is secured first, then reglazed as soon as the glass allows.
Storefronts and business glass
For a shop, the job is a secure building and a front that's back to presentable as fast as the glass can be made. The full storefront picture, replacement options included, lives on our storefront glass repair page.
The calls that come in
Some of these calls are break-ins. Others are quieter: a branch comes through a window in a winter storm, a patio slider gives out when it gets slammed, a mower throws a rock into the kitchen glass, or a tempered pane lets go with nobody anywhere near it. If your situation has put a hole in your building, it qualifies, and you don't need to weigh whether it counts as an emergency before dialing.
From phone call to secured building
The call
Tell us what broke, where the opening is, and roughly its size. From what you describe, we know what to load on the truck and whether your glass might be replaceable on the spot.
Getting there
We're based in SE Portland, and emergency calls move to the front of the schedule. Before the call ends, we tell you when to expect the truck.
Sealing the opening
Loose glass comes out of the frame so nothing else falls, and the opening gets boarded, or reglazed immediately if stock glass fits the job. Either way you're left with a building that's closed up and weather-tight.
Measuring and the estimate
While we're there, the opening gets measured and you get a written estimate for the replacement at no charge. If insurance is involved, take your photos before we touch anything; the written estimate is the document your adjuster will ask for.
The new glass
Made-to-order units are fabricated to those measurements, and we schedule the install for when they land. The board comes down, the glass goes in, and the emergency is over.
A line that stays on
The emergency line runs around the clock, alongside regular shop hours of Monday through Friday 7 to 5 and Saturday 8 to 2. Estimates are free whenever they happen, the same number covers homes and businesses alike, and the truck works the whole Portland metro from our SE Portland base.
Questions people ask when something just broke
Is the emergency line really answered around the clock?
Yes, that's the point of it. Nights and weekends included, the same number you'd call during the day: (503) 887-8329.
How long will the plywood stay up?
Until your replacement glass is ready. Stock single panes can come together quickly, while insulated and tempered units are made to order and take longer. You'll know the timeline when the board goes up, not after.
Is a board-up safe to leave over a weekend?
Yes. Fastened properly, plywood seals against weather and holds firm against anyone who tries it, and homes and businesses routinely run on a board-up while glass is on order.
Should we clean up before you get there?
Photos first, for the insurance file, then keep people and pets clear of the area. The glass still hanging in the frame is the dangerous part, and we'd rather you leave that to us.
Will insurance pay for this?
Policies differ, but sudden breakage from storms, break-ins, and accidents is commonly covered, and securing the building is generally treated as part of protecting the property. Your photos plus our written estimate cover most of what a claim needs from the glass side.
Do you take emergency calls outside Portland itself?
Yes, we cover the Portland metro from our SE Portland base. Tell us where you are when you call, and you'll know in that same conversation when we can be there.
Start with the call
Call (503) 887-8329 and tell us what happened. Securing the opening happens today; the replacement follows on a schedule you'll get up front. Clear Works Glass, SE Portland. Free estimates. Oregon CCB #261682, bonded and insured.