Why You Need to Board Up Now, Not Tomorrow
An unsecured opening — broken storefront, smashed window, burned-out frame — is a liability the moment it happens. Rain ruins inventory. Wind drives the damage deeper. A second break-in compounds the original loss. And insurance carriers consistently deny secondary damage claims when the policyholder didn't mitigate. Your insurance contract's “duty to mitigate” clause is not optional — it's a condition of your coverage.
This is why emergency board-up exists as a separate service from glass replacement. Permanent glass takes time — measure the opening, order the right tempered or laminated unit, fabricate it, ship it, install it. That process is 2 days to 2 weeks depending on the spec. Meanwhile the opening needs to be sealed against weather, theft, and additional damage starting within hours of the original loss.
Across New Jersey we run board-up crews around the clock. Restaurants that had a car drive through their entry. Jewelry stores hit by a smash-and-grab. Apartment buildings after break-ins or post-fire mitigation. Single-family homes after storm damage took out a sliding glass door at 2 AM. The problem is universal: you need the opening secured fast and documented properly, and you need someone who can also replace the glass when the time comes — not two separate contractors trading the work back and forth.
Emergency Types We Respond To
Six common emergency scenarios — same response process for each, tuned to the specific situation.
Vehicle impact on storefront
Car or truck drove through your retail glass, restaurant front, or office entry. We board up the opening, sweep glass, document for your insurance and the at-fault driver's carrier, and schedule glass replacement.
Break-in or burglary
Smashed entry door, broken display window, or breach point. Fast board-up so police can release the scene, document the entry method for the insurance report, and replace with reinforced or laminated security glass if you want an upgrade.
Vandalism & smash-and-grab
Storefront vandalism, graffiti-damaged glass, smash-and-grab targeting display merchandise. Board-up coordinated with police report timeline, replacement glass spec'd to match or upgraded to laminated for repeat-target locations.
Post-fire openings
After a fire, glass blows out from thermal stress and the openings are unsecured. We coordinate with the restoration company on access, board up all damaged openings, and provide documentation for the property insurance claim and any subrogation case.
Storm & wind damage
Nor'easter, hurricane, or severe thunderstorm took out windows or storefront glass. We board up, document with date-stamped photos for the insurance claim (storm-cause documentation is critical), and schedule replacement.
Fallen tree or debris impact
Tree branch or wind-borne debris took out residential or commercial glass. Board-up first, document the impact source, coordinate with arborist for tree removal if relevant, and replace glass on the permanent visit.
What to Do in the First 15 Minutes
- 1
Call the police if it's a break-in, vandalism, or vehicle accident
You need the police report number for your insurance claim. Don't move evidence or clean up before they arrive (for crime scenes).
- 2
Take photos of EVERYTHING
The damage itself, surrounding area, any visible cause (vehicle, tree branch, weather conditions, forced-entry tool marks). Date-stamped phone photos are gold for the insurance file.
- 3
Call us at (862) 881-0028
Tell us the location, what happened, how big the opening is, whether it's residential or commercial, and any access constraints. We'll give you a realistic ETA.
- 4
Don't clean up before we arrive
Broken glass is dangerous. Leave it in place if possible — our crew has the right cleanup equipment, and the photos preserve evidence for the claim.
- 5
Move valuable inventory or items away from the opening
Until we arrive, the building is unsecured. Move cash drawers, displayed jewelry, electronics, and important documents away from the opening.
Our Process
Call our 24/7 emergency line
Pick up the phone any hour. Describe the situation, location, and how the glass failed. We'll triage over the phone and dispatch the nearest available crew with the right materials.
On-site arrival & assessment
Crew arrives, photographs the damage (insurance evidence), measures the opening, clears broken glass from inside and outside (safety + cleanup), and stages the board-up materials.
Board-up installation
Plywood cut to the opening, secured with toggle bolts or security screws into the existing framing. For retail or street-facing locations we can paint the plywood to match the storefront color so it looks intentional, not abandoned.
Insurance documentation
Written scope of damage with photo evidence — what failed, how it failed, and the temporary measures taken. Provided as PDF you can forward to your insurance carrier or property management. We coordinate directly with adjusters when you authorize us to.
Permanent glass replacement scheduled
Glass ordered to size while the board-up is in place. Standard tempered glass arrives 2–5 business days; custom IGUs and laminated security glass 1–2 weeks. We schedule the permanent install around your operations.
After the Board-Up
Permanent glass replacement — done by the same team
Once the opening is secured, we measure for replacement glass and order to your spec. Tempered safety glass for most commercial entry zones, laminated security glass for high-target retail (jewelry stores, dispensaries, banks), insulated units for exterior commercial windows. One contractor, one project, one invoice.
Emergency Board-Up — FAQ
How fast can you get to my property to board it up?
From our Garfield, NJ base we can usually be on-site within 1–3 hours in our primary service counties (Bergen, Passaic, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Union) including overnight and weekends. Extended-area counties typically take 2–5 hours. After-hours emergencies get the same response — we keep one or more board-up crews on call 24/7. Call (862) 881-0028 and we'll give you a realistic ETA based on where we are and the current dispatch load.
What do you actually board up?
Broken storefront glass after vehicle impact or break-in, smashed retail windows, residential windows broken by storms or break-ins, post-fire openings where the original glass and frame are destroyed, smashed sliding glass doors, vandalism damage to commercial entries, accident-damaged display windows, and any opening where the original glass needs to be temporarily secured until permanent replacement glass arrives. We work on residential and commercial properties.
Do I need to wait for my insurance company before calling you?
No — call us first if the opening is unsecured. Almost every commercial and homeowners insurance policy requires the policyholder to mitigate further damage as a condition of coverage. That means stopping rain, weather, and additional break-ins from compounding the loss. If you wait 4 days to board up a broken storefront, your insurer can deny the secondary damage (water, theft, additional vandalism). Mitigation first, claim filing second. We document the original damage with photos for your file.
Does insurance pay for the board-up service itself?
Yes, in nearly every case. Emergency mitigation costs (board-up, tarping, immediate damage control) are covered under the same claim as the underlying damage. The board-up cost rolls into the loss settlement. We provide an itemized invoice with photo documentation that your adjuster expects to see — it makes the claim cleaner and faster to settle.
How long does an emergency board-up take to install?
Most single-window or single-entry board-ups install in 30–90 minutes once we arrive on-site. Large storefronts (full retail glass walls, multi-bay installations) can take 2–4 hours. The board-up is temporary — typically plywood with security screws, sometimes with painted facing for retail visibility. It's designed to last 2–3 weeks while permanent replacement glass is fabricated.
Will the board-up damage the existing frame or surrounding materials?
No. Our installs use either toggle-bolt or security-screw fastening into the existing storefront frame or wall, which doesn't damage the framing system. For retail and high-visibility commercial we can do a flush-cut plywood install painted to match — looks intentional, doesn't telegraph to the public that the building was just broken into. Final glass install after the temporary board-up doesn't require any frame rework.
Can you board up a storefront and replace the glass under one project?
Yes — that's our standard workflow. Board-up first, measure the opening, order replacement glass (tempered, laminated, insulated as required by code and original spec), and return for permanent install once material arrives. Standard tempered glass typically arrives in 2–5 business days; insulated or laminated security glass 1–2 weeks. We coordinate both visits and bill it as one project for cleaner accounting.
Do you provide a Certificate of Insurance (COI) for commercial board-ups?
Yes. We carry general liability and workers' compensation coverage and issue COI naming your building, property management company, or insurance carrier as additional insured before any work begins on commercial property. COI is typically delivered within one business day of request, faster for active emergencies. For property management portfolios we can keep your additional insureds on file for repeat dispatch.
Glass is broken right now? Call us.
Don't wait until morning. Mitigating further damage is your responsibility under almost every insurance policy. We're on the phone 24/7.
(862) 881-0028