Storms hit hard on the South Plains. Hail punches through screens. High winds drive debris straight into glass panes. Dust storms strip away caulk and window seals you didn’t even know were wearing thin.
Window damage after a storm doesn’t always mean shattered glass. Some of the worst damage to your windows is hidden damage that’s easy to miss: a hairline crack, a blown seal, a bent window frame that no longer closes right. Leave those problems alone and they get worse. Water gets in, drafts build up, and a small window repair turns into a full replacement job.
The Window Source of the South Plains has helped homeowners across Brownfield, Lubbock, and the surrounding South Plains counties deal with storm damage to windows and window replacement. This guide shows you exactly what to look for, so you catch every problem before it costs you more.
Start Outside: Walk Around Your Home and Inspect Your Windows First
Start your inspection outside and walk the full perimeter of your home before you check anything from inside.
Wind and hail hit the outside face of windows after a storm first. That’s where the chips, cracks, and impact marks show up. The south, west, and north-facing sides take the most punishment from South Plains storms. Visible damage there is your first clue that damage to windows on other sides may have happened too.
- Impact marks on the glass: Small circular chips or star-shaped cracks on the surface, usually from hail. They’re not always easy to spot in flat light. Get close and look at the glass at an angle with the sun behind you
- Chips along the glass edge: Hail damages windows most often at the corner or edge of the pane first. Run your eye along every edge where the glass meets the frame
- Cracked caulk or missing sealant around windows: Look at the line where the window frame meets the siding or wall. Any gap there is an open door for water damage
- Window screens: A torn or bent screen doesn’t break your window, but it tells you debris made it that far. Always inspect the glass underneath a damaged screen
- Dents or bends in the frame: Frame damage is a clear sign of window damage. A bent frame won’t close flush and will let air and water in every day until you fix it
- Damage to your roof: While you’re outside, check the roof too. Roof damage and window damage from the same storm often go hand in hand, especially with large hail
How To Inspect Your Windows for Glass Damage After a Storm
Cracked glass is not always obvious. Some of the most serious glass damage after a storm is hidden damage you can walk right past. Once you’re up close, work through this checklist on the glass panes of each window:
- Hairline cracks: Move your eye slowly across the full pane. Hairline cracked glass catches light differently. Look from different angles before you call a window clean
- Spider cracks: These start at one impact point and spread outward. They look small but weaken the entire glass unit
- Chips on the surface: Small chips from hail or wind-driven debris sit on top of the glass. You can sometimes feel them before you see them run a finger carefully along the face of the pane
- Stress cracks: These run from one edge to another with no obvious impact point. They come from rapid temperature changes during or after a storm hits
- Broken corners: The corner where two edges meet is the weakest point on any pane. Check every corner carefully on older windows especially
Any crack no matter how small gets worse over time. South Plains temperatures swing hard between day and night. That movement expands and contracts glass panes, and cracked glass grows fast under that stress.
Signs of Storm-Damaged Window Seals and Foggy Windows
Foggy windows or cloudiness between the panes after a storm means the seal failed and that window is no longer doing its job.
Multi-pane windows hold an insulating layer of gas between two or more sheets of glass. That seal between the glass layers keeps moisture out and the gas in. When a storm hits, rapid air pressure changes push and pull on the window seals. If the seal was already weak, a bad storm would break it completely.
- Foggy windows that won’t wipe clean: The fog sits between the panes, not on the surface. You can’t clear it because the moisture is trapped inside the glass unit
- Streaks or water droplets between the pane: Condensation forms inside the gap when the seal breaks and outside air gets in. You’ll see it most in the morning after a cold night
- Cloudy patches in one spot: Seal failure doesn’t always cover the whole pane. A hazy patch in one corner is where the window seals first broke down
A failed seal doesn’t shatter the window, but it kills the insulating performance of your insulated glass. The argon gas that slowed heat transfer is gone. Your multi-pane windows now perform like a single pane.
Inspect Your Window Frame for Storm Damage
A damaged window frame is just as serious as broken glass and frame damage is often the type of damage homeowners miss completely.
The window frame holds the glass panes in place and creates the seal between the window and your wall. Storm damage to windows hits the frame in several ways:
- Visible dents on the frame: Hail hits frames hard. On vinyl windows, look for stress marks, small cracks, or warping along the corners. Dent marks are also common on older aluminum frames
- Frame pulled away from the wall: Strong high winds create suction on the exterior face. Sometimes that suction pulls the frame edge away from the siding. Run your finger along the joint and feel for a gap around the window
- Window that won’t close flush: Open and close every window that took weather exposure. If it sticks, won’t latch, or sits crooked in the opening, the frame shifted or warped during the storm
- Broken hardware: Storm wind rattles windows hard. Check that every latch, lock, and crank mechanism still works. A window that can’t lock is a security problem on top of a weather problem
- Soft spots in wood frames: Water that gets behind a damaged wood frame during a storm can start to rot fast. Press gently along the frame edges and feel for any give
Types of Damage to Watch for Around Windows: Water and Structural Damage
Water getting in around your windows after a storm is one of the most damaging things that can happen to your home and it often goes unnoticed for weeks.
After the storm passes, go inside and check every window that faces the weather. Signs of water intrusion include:
- Wet sill or wet wall below the window: Water tracked in during the storm. Dry it and monitor through the next rain
- Water stains on the wall or ceiling near the window: Brown or yellow stain marks mean water has moved through the wall more than once
- Peeling paint or bubbling drywall: Moisture trapped behind the wall pushes through over time. Blistering paint near a window after a storm means water got in somewhere
- Musty smell near the window: Moisture trapped in the wall grows mold fast in warm conditions. A musty smell is a serious warning sign of ongoing water damage
- Draft near the frame: Hold your hand near the window frame edges on a windy day. A draft that wasn’t there before the storm means the seal broke somewhere around the window
Inspect your windows again three to five days after major storm damage to catch anything that didn’t show up right away.
When To Call a Professional Right Away
Call a professional if you find cracked glass, seal failure, frame damage, or any sign of water getting inside don’t wait and hope it holds.
Some storm damage is safe to monitor for a short time. A torn window screen or a small exterior chip that hasn’t cracked through can wait a few days. But these situations need a call right away to ensure your windows don’t get worse:
- Any crack in the glass panes hairline or larger
- Foggy windows that appeared after the storm
- A window that no longer closes, locks, or sits flush in the frame
- Water on the interior sill or stain on the wall after the storm
- Visible gaps between the frame and the siding
- Any window where you feel a draft that wasn’t there before
- Extensive damage across multiple windows on the same side of the house
- Shattered glass or a break window situation that needs immediate boarding up
The Window Source of the South Plains inspects storm-damaged windows across Brownfield, Lubbock, and the surrounding South Plains counties.
FAQs
What does a broken window seal look like after a storm?
Foggy windows are the main sign. The fog or haze sits between the glass panes and won’t wipe away because it’s inside the insulated glass unit. You may also see streaks or condensation between the panes after a cold night.
Can I repair cracked glass or do I need a full window replacement?
A small surface chip may be repairable. Any actual crack in the glass panes needs a glass replacement or full replacement window cracks spread and the glass unit becomes a safety risk. If older windows have multiple issues, it’s time to replace your windows rather than keep repairing them.
How soon should I inspect my windows after a storm?
Inspect your windows as soon as it’s safe to go outside. Check the exterior face of every window that faces the storm direction. Then go inside and check signs of water, draft, and foggy windows. Do a second check three to five days later for hidden damage that shows up as materials dry out.
Does homeowners insurance cover hail damage to windows?
Most standard homeowners policies cover hail damage and wind damage to home’s windows as sudden storm events. Document every damaged window with photos before any window repair starts and call your provider before scheduling window installation or replacement.
Storm Damage? We Will Help You Fix It.
Don’t wait on cracked glass, a blown seal, or frame damage. Small window damage after a storm turns into big repair bills fast, especially when water starts getting inside your walls. The Window Source of the South Plains handles storm damage inspections and window replacement for homeowners across Brownfield, Lubbock, and every county in the South Plains region.
We inspect the glass, the frame, and the area around windows, and we handle window repair and full replacement so your home stays protected through the next storm. Every window installation comes with our lifetime warranty. Call us today at 806-760-1482, and we will come take a look.