When the safety of your household is at stake, especially during South Florida&#;s hurricane season, you cannot rely on hearsay and myths. You need to trust the experts and prepare your home for any possibility. Your home needs impact windows and doors made from dependable, quality tempered glass. Let us debunk some of the common myths related to tempered glass and get some clear facts to help you make informed choices for your home and safety.
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One of the prevalent myths about tempered glass is that it is not actually glass, but plastic. The fact is that tempered glass has nothing to do with plastic. It is pure glass that is superheated and chemically treated to make it far more resilient and stronger than regular or safety glass.
Tempered glass is impact glass, but not all so-called impact glass is the same as tempered glass. The subtle difference is that while cheaper versions of impact glass can be produced without using the heating process, glass tempering is always done by using a superheating process. Tempered glass made in a tempering oven is five to ten times stronger than ordinary glass.
Tempered glass is not only far stronger than standard annealed glass, but it is also much safer for the home occupants in the rare event of damage to this strong, storm-resistant glass. Unlike regular glass, tempered glass is coated with a chemically blended safety glaze. The chemical bonding prevents tempered glass fractures that cause it to break into dangerous, jagged shards. This makes it much safer compared to traditional glass.
Not true. On the contrary, the tempering process causes the glass molecules to bond so closely that it becomes resilient to volatile temperature fluctuations. The stress from frequent weather changes can cause cracks or chips in standard glass, but tempered glass will be able to withstand temperature variations for years without any damage.
Moreover, it has high thermal resistance because it goes through an extreme heating and cooling process, unlike annealed glass. As a result, the toughened glass won&#;t weaken or melt even when the outer surfaces are exposed to direct heat. To give it the strength and desired shape, the tempering process begins with heat treatment and culminates with a high pressure cooling procedure.
Tempered glass is not only designed to resist damage from strong force, but it is also highly scratch-resistant. Where regular glass will get scratches and start showing wear and tear after an extended period of use, the tempered glass surface will continue to look new, smooth, and clear for years to come.
For this reason, tempered glass is used for both commercial and residential spaces, as well as for various applications where &#;see-through&#; glass is necessary, such as walkways, laboratory equipment, and automobiles (front, back, side, and rear windows).
Although tempered glass will protect your home against flying debris in a hurricane storm in Florida, it does not mean that it can withstand the force of a bullet from a close range. A bullet will most likely pierce through tempered glass. However, the glass won&#;t shatter into small pieces or shards with sharp edges so it is better than normal glass.
It is important to be aware that temper glass is not designed to protect against extremely high velocity projectiles, such as bullets.
Although tempered glass is made with a thermal tempering process, it is not meant to be fire-resistant or fireproof. To a certain degree, this glass can be microwaved or go through heat treatment without any damage. However, when it is exposed directly to fire or very high heat levels, the heated glass will eventually warp and melt.
When you reside in South Florida, impact resistance and hurricane resistance should be your first priority while choosing windows and doors for your home. ASP Windows and Doors can offer customizable windows and doors with tempered glass for your home. Our design consultants will guide you to the right product range that meets your home safety and décor needs as well as fits your budget most effectively.
ASP is insured and licensed, with Ygrene-certified contractors backed by an award-winning team that is ready to offer you dedicated solutions, service, and installation. Need a helping hand with your storm preparations? Speak to us at 305-513- or fill out this online contact form to schedule a consultation.
First patented in Britain in and officially mandated for use in the U.S. as safety glass in buildings in , tempered glass has without a doubt saved countless people&#;especially children&#;from serious or even fatal injuries over the years.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of tempered glass use. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.
If you have patio doors, shower doors, or windows in places that need safety glass and the units are newer than the mid-s, then chances are good they have tempered glass. Glass used in major appliances is also almost always going to be tempered or a variation such as glass ceramic.
Architects, designers, and builders fully understand the need to stay on top of applicable codes and code changes regarding the use of safety glazing products whether in residential, architectural, or commercial applications. In addition to knowing the basic code requirements, understanding similarities, differences, advantages, and disadvantages of the various products available can be of significant value when the time comes to specify products.
If you heat a 3-mm or thicker sheet of glass to about °F or 660 °C or near transition temperature in a specially designed furnace and then rapidly cool it using high-pressure blowers in a pre-set pattern, you should end up with tempered glass. Three millimeter or thicker is required because thinner glass physically can&#;t be thermally tempered using conventional tempering furnaces.
Glass at transition temperature is in a slightly expanded state. Rapid cooling of the hot glass locks the surface in the expanded state while the still plastic interior of the glass is attempting to return to its original size. This conflict between a lite&#;s surface and center results in extreme stress in the glass as both separate surface compression and interior tension.
This interaction between the layers is what gives tempered glass its increased strength and its unique break&#;
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