Kane Dan
Breaking open a car window is not a daily occurrence, and it would gain attention, certainly not of the right sort.
You would want to do it quietly and avoid answering the awkward questions as to why you are breaking your own car window.
With this in mind, I decided to answer the much-asked question, how to break a car window quietly?
It is important to know the ways you can break glass quietly in times of emergency. Here are the best and my trusted methods to break one without much hassle.
- Spark Plug
- Porcelain Bit
- Emergency Hammer
- Standard EMT Device
- Automatic Steel Punch Tool
- Hit The Edge
- Use A Duct Tape
- Soundproof Blanket
- Cocktail Method
While the methods I have mentioned works in a pinch, it is better to have a car window breaker or the emergency hammer. They are inexpensive and can be purchased from any auto parts store.
The above-mentioned products can work quietly without making the high pitch noise that a breaking glass makes.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Break The Car Window Quietly Without Making A Noise
1. Spark Plug
Many still haven’t learned that locking children and pets in the car is dangerous. Hence, you can see many instances of people trying to break open the window during summer mostly in vain.
The reason is, they try to break open the window with anything they could lay their hands on, especially blunt items.
When it comes to a car, they do not work at all since the window panes are made of tempered glass, which is more robust than regular glass.
That is why something as minuscule as a spark plug has better chances of breaking than the hammer.
The spark plug is a small component present in the engine bay; it delivers the electric spark from the ignition to the combustion chamber.
The center portion of the spark plug is a ceramic part, which is useful in breaking the window. It is so tiny that you often wonder how the glass breaks when a spark plug is thrown at it but not a hammer.
While the car window may be very difficult to break, but when it cracks, it breaks into small pieces.
During the manufacturing process, the glass is made to cool down quickly, which accounts for its low density.
It also means that the outer glass is cold much before the inner layer and hence, compresses it.
When you throw a spark plug at it (with the ceramic part facing the glass), the inner part cracks easily. So, how to break a window silently with a spark plug?
Now, to break the glass, target the edges and throw a ceramic piece at it as hard as you can. They shatter quickly when compared to the center of the glass.
You can also follow this video:
2. Porcelain Bit
When in an extreme emergency, anything small and sharp would do; something like a porcelain bit.
For the same reason as above, i.e low density due to the manufacturing process, the glass is susceptible to sharp pointed objects.
They are also touted as ninja rocks due to their ability to break car windows without making much noise.
To answer the question, how to break a window from a distance? Its porcelain bits. Throw it from a distance at one of the corners with a little force and watch the glass crumble down.
3. Emergency Hammer
This addition to the toolbox is something you’d have never suspected, the emergency hammer.
This is one tool that can come to your aid at any time. It has a metal tip on one end of the hammer and also doubles up as a seat belt cutter.
Emergency hammer does a successful job at breaking the windows and silently too, except the dull thud of glass dropping. I also like to address the question, how to break a car window from inside?
While you can use the tool to break windows from the outside, it works better when used from inside the car as well. Again, the edges work better than the center.
4. Standard EMT Device
Another tool that can break your windows easily is the standard EMT device, albeit a little time-consuming.
It is an expert’s tool for breaking windows most used by police and emergency professionals. However, you can use this to break any glass, windows, or otherwise.
Cover the window with duct tape to hold the pieces together since it gives you the typical glass breaking noise.
Now hit at the center of the glass and watch the glass shatter. To make it even more hushed use a thick blanket underneath.
Like the emergency hammer, the EMT device is also affordable.
5. Automatic Steel Punch Tool
The automatic steel punch tool is used by carpenters and plumbers to drill metal or wood it works.
It is similar to the center punch but without the need for a hammer. Since the surface area of impact is less, it creates less sound but highly effective at breaking the glass.
Press it against the glass and quietly unclasp the spring. The punch effect breaks the glass quickly and silently.
The energy released from the spring is strong enough to pulverize the glass into small pieces. You can buy it in any hardware store for a reasonable price.
6. Hit The Edge
If given a choice, do not attempt to break the windshield or the back window. They are strong and would not give away easily, which is important if time is of the essence.
Moreover, they are also quite expensive to fix. The driver and passenger side windows are the easiest to break.
Coming to tools, choose a car hammer if you happen to have that with you.
Else anything sharp might work. Use your brute force to hit the corner of the car window. It breaks easier at the edges and corners rather than the center.
Car windows are built for their durability.
Hence, it is of no use if you hit their center and never with a blunt tool. They are strong and can endure any blunt force. And it would only be triggering the alarm rather than breaking the glass.
7. Use A Duct Tape
Have some time to spend on your car’s window? Are you wondering how to break glass without shattering?
Go for the duct tape trick. Not only is this less messy, but it is also a very efficient way of breaking your car window.
Duct tape every inch of the window, if possible inside as well. You are probably going to need a lot more than you would have at home. So better be prepared and buy a few from the store.
Once your glass is ready, use any tool you have handy and smash it.
Due to the tape, the sound of broken glass is dampened. And you need not worry about the shards of glass since they stick to the tape.
You can also place a thick blanket underneath to catch the falling shards. It reduces the noise even more.
8. Soundproof Blanket
While a soundproof blanket doesn’t help you to break the glass, it can help you to dampen the noise a lot better than any thick blanket though it is similar to one.
Also, if you are wondering how to break a car window with a hammer, here is your answer.
Attach a folded soundproof blanket below the window. Place it on top of the glass and break the glass using a hammer or any other tool.
Hit it on top of the blanket; If you can cover the inside of the glass, the better it would be.
The soundproof blanket absorbs all the noises and also creates a lesser method.
9. Cocktail Method
It is true that no method is truly effective except maybe a couple.
But what if all you have is simple tools. You can use a combination and achieve a better, silent result; the more noiseless it is, the more efficient it is. Anything no to bring the neighbors to the door.
- Start with covering the entire window with duct tape. It reduces the impact, and the broken glass pieces stick to it, making it almost noiseless.
- Lay a soundproof blanket or any other thick blanket underneath the window. Any additional noise will be absorbed.
- Cover the glass with a pillow and slowly but surely use a hammer to break the glass.
- The glass will stick to the duct tape and fall noiselessly on the soundproof blanket.
Precautions To Take When Breaking Glass
While the idea of saving someone prevents you from thinking clearly, you might want to be extra careful when it comes to glasses.
After all, it is sharp, and chances are you might get hurt pretty easily.
Identify The Glass
Not all glasses can be broken the same way, so it is important that you identify the kind of glass you are about to break.
For example, safety glasses cannot be broken as you would do with a regular car window.
Safety glasses have two layers of glasses and a plastic layer sandwiched between them. They do not make much noise, and you can break them without worrying too much.
You can also use a hammer if any of the above tools are not there.
Protective Gear
Ideally, you need to be wearing protective wear, including gloves, boots, and glasses to protect yourself. However, it is not possible to have any of these in times of emergency.
The next best thing is to wear a long-sleeved shirt, jacket, shoes, and/or gloves if possible. Protect yourself first before attempting anything.
Clear The Area
Breaking glass is a messy thing, however, you have to secure it first.
Ensure that everyone not to step in the area for the risk of getting wounded by the glass. First and foremost, make sure that kids and pets are not in the vicinity of the car.
FAQs
Q1. How Can I Break A Double-Glazed Window Silently?
In the case of a double-glazed window, you have two layers of glass to break. Any object like a stone or others will break the first pane alone. Use a hammer to break the second pane.
Start at the corners, break the edges, and then move towards the center. You can use a soundproof blanket underneath to dampen the noise.
Q2. Can A Spark Plug Break Bulletproof Glass?
Bulletproof glass is made of a glass or polycarbonate layer followed by a glass layer. In case the outer layer is glass, then chances are you might be able to break the outer layer. Even then, the inner layer may form cracks and not break. But if the outer layer is polycarbonate, you are out of luck. The spark plug would not do any harm to the glass.
Q3. How Can I Break A Car Window From Inside?
If your car window is made of tempered glass and possesses an emergency hammer, then you can use it to break open the window.
Take the headrest from the front or rear seats and shove them down where the window meets the doors. Keep pushing as far as you can go.
Then, hold the headrest and pull it towards you. Pull it until your window snaps into two right at the middle and falls away from you.
Conclusion
While I hope that you do not have to break open your window, emergencies can happen at any time.
And if it involves you breaking the window, do not hesitate to do so. Better yet, have something to break the car window like an emergency hammer or an EMT device.
You may also be on the other end, rescuing a trapped child or a pet sweltering inside a hot car.
In these cases, something sharp would come handy, especially a porcelain bit. No one knows why it almost always breaks a window without much sound announcing everyone of your intent.
But if you are trying to eliminate the mess, the duct tape method works the best in collaboration with a thick blanket or soundproof blanket. First and foremost, protect yourself and those around you.
Finally, make sure your car is free of broken shards of glass before you are out and about.
