Hail Damage Window Replacement — Cracked Glass, Sashes and Frames
Hail left star cracks in the glass, dents in the vinyl sill and a sash that will not close tight. Here is how each one gets fixed, and what goes on the list for your adjuster.
JMB Builders does hail damage window replacement across the Twin Cities metro. We photograph each hit window with a scale reference, list it line by line — glass, sash, screen or whole unit — and replace what the approved scope covers: a new insulated glass unit in a sound frame, a new sash, or the full window when the frame is split. Priced per window, quoted from photos within one business day.
- Priced per window
- Glass only, new sash or whole unit
- Every hit photographed with a scale reference
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
Hail hits a window in three places: the glass, the sash and the frame. A cracked or chipped pane is obvious. A split corner on a vinyl sash or a crack in the frame sill is not, and that is the one that lets water into the wall. A hard strike can also shock the seal on an insulated glass unit without cracking it, and the fog shows up months later. We check all three on every window on the storm side of the house.
The repair depends on what got hit. A cracked pane in a frame that is still sound gets a new insulated glass unit made to the old one's size and makeup. A cracked sash gets a new sash ordered off the label on the frame. A split frame, or a window whose maker no longer supplies parts, gets replaced whole, and then the sill pan, flashing and interior trim have to be done right on the way back in.
You file the claim and deal with your insurer. We give you the photos and a line-item scope in the terms adjusters use, meet your adjuster and walk the windows if you want us there, and do the work once it is approved. Minnesota law bars a contractor from waiving, rebating or paying your deductible, and we do not.
What you supply
- The date of the storm and any photos you took that day
- Your claim number and the adjuster's approved scope once you have it
- Window labels or paperwork if you have them (often on the jamb or the spacer between the panes)
- Access to each damaged window inside and out
- Your paint color if interior trim gets replaced — painting is quoted as a separate line, or paint it yourself
What JMB supplies
- Photos of every damaged window with a tape or scale in the shot, labeled by side of the house
- A line-item list: glass, sash, screen or full unit for each window
- Meeting your adjuster to walk the windows, when you want us there
- New insulated glass units, sashes or whole windows as the approved scope lists them
- Sill pan, flashing tape, low-expansion foam and sealant on every full-unit replacement
- Interior stops, casing or stool reset or replaced where the work disturbs them
- Cleanup and haul-away of broken glass and old units
- Finished photos in your job folder
How it is priced: per window
Quoted in writing from your photos within one business day. What moves the number:
- Glass only vs. a new sash vs. a whole window, decided window by window
- Glass makeup: double or triple pane, low-E, argon, tempered where code calls for it
- Frame material and whether the manufacturer still makes sashes and glass for it
- Full-unit replacement in a wall with siding, brick or stucco around the opening
- Second-story windows that need ladders or staging to reach from outside
- Upgrades you choose beyond like-for-like, which you pay on top of the approved scope
Send one photo of each damaged window, a close-up of the hit and a photo of any label you can find. That is usually enough to say glass, sash or whole unit.
How long it takes
Glass units and sashes are made to order, so most of the wait is the order. Once parts are here, several glass or sash swaps fit in a day; a full window is about half a day each.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized quote within one business day. We only come out to measure first when the job needs a tape measure — no pressure, no games.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
Glass only
The frame and sash are sound and only the pane is cracked or the seal failed. A new insulated glass unit is made to the old one's size, thickness and coating, set in the sash and the glazing stops or beads put back.
New sash
The sash corner is cracked or the sash is bent and no longer seals. A replacement sash is ordered from the manufacturer by the label code, so the frame, trim and wall are not touched.
Whole window
The frame is split or dented through, or parts are no longer made. The old unit comes out and a new one goes in with a sill pan, flashing tape, foam and sealant, and interior trim reset or replaced.
Hail Damage Window Replacement — Cracked Glass, Sashes and Frames: questions, answered
Can you replace just the glass in a hail damaged window?
Yes, when the sash and frame are still sound. A new insulated glass unit is made to the size, thickness and coating of the old one and set in the existing sash. It is the least disruptive repair because the trim and the wall are not touched. If the frame or sash is cracked too, glass alone will not stop water, and we will tell you that before anything is ordered.
How do I tell if hail damaged the window frame and not just the glass?
Look at the sill and the bottom rail of the sash, the parts that face up. Hail leaves dents, chips and hairline splits there, especially on vinyl that has been in the sun for years. Run a finger along the corners of the sash for cracks, and check whether the window still locks tight. Photograph anything you find with a coin or a tape next to it so the size shows.
Should a window that fogged months after a hailstorm be on the claim?
It can be, if it is tied to the same storm. A hard strike can break the seal on an insulated glass unit without cracking the glass, and the fog between the panes shows up later. Photograph it, note when you first saw it and ask your insurer about adding it to the claim. A window that fogged from age before the storm is a different thing and not a hail repair.
Will a new window match the rest of my windows?
Glass-only and sash repairs keep the original frame, so they match by default. A whole new unit is ordered in the same style, color and grid pattern where the manufacturer still makes it. If an exact match is no longer made, ask your adjuster in writing how your policy handles matching before the order goes in.
Do you meet the insurance adjuster for hail damaged windows?
Yes, when you want us there. We walk each window with the adjuster using the same photos and list you already have, so nothing on the storm side gets skipped. You file the claim and talk to your insurer; we explain the damage and the repair.
Can a contractor pay my deductible on a hail window claim?
No. Minnesota law bars a contractor from waiving, rebating or paying any part of your insurance deductible, and JMB Builders does not do it. Your deductible is your share of the repair and is paid as part of the job. A crew that offers to cover it is making the money up somewhere else.
Is a cracked vinyl window frame from hail covered by insurance?
That is decided by your policy and your adjuster, not by us. What we do is show the crack clearly: a close-up with a coin or tape for scale, side-lighting to show hairline splits, and a wide shot that shows which window it is. A cracked vinyl frame lets water into the wall, so we list it as a whole-unit replacement when the frame is split through, and you take that to your insurer.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners and for the builders and dealers we sub for. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough. You hear back within one business day. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
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Read morePage reviewed September 26, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All insurance repairs pages
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