Use a tape measure that accurately reads measurements in inches. 

1. Place one end of the tape measure to the inside of the trim that holds the glass in place. This material may be either a vinyl, aluminum or wood. 

   • Tip: Make sure that you are not measuring the entire window but just the broken portion if there hapens to be a slider.​

     • Ex: If it is a sliding window that slides from left to right and the glass located on stationary portion of the​ window is broken, be sure to measure just the stationary portion. Measuring both the stationary and sliding portion results in a different size. 

2. You can determine the dimensions by measuring horizontally and vertically between the two edges of the trim that hold the glass in place. 

3. Once the values are gathered...

   • Go to step 4, if the window is a single pane window.​

   • If it is a dual pane window, go to step 5.

4. If you have a single pane window, you just need to verify the thickness, texture and color of the broken glass which should be all the information you need.

5. If it is a dual pane window, you must determine the O/A, glass thickness, glass specifications (color, texture, if it has energy efficient glass or not), grid information if it is present (layout, color and thickness) 

   • How to determine the O/A: If there is a hole in the pane of glass, simply place your tape measure inside the hole and determine what the tape measure reads. 

   • How to determine if it is a low-e (energy efficient glass): Most if not all new windows come with low-e glass if it is a recent purchase or build. However, one can tell by placing a broken piece of glass underneath a sheet of white paper and viewing it in a bright environment at an angle which most cases would have a purple and/or green hue.  

   • Grids are horizontal and/ or vertical bars in between the two panes of glass used for decoration purposes ​