April is National Window Safety Month. With that in mind, we are bringing you this blog post about window safety. Specifically tempered windows. Here you will learn the what, why, where, and who of tempered windows.
What are tempered windows?
Tempered windows are made of heat-strengthened glass that is cooled more rapidly than ordinary heat-strength glass. The rate and method in which the glass cools affect its strength as finished glass. Tempered glass is heated in a uniform manner. During the cooling process, the air is blown on both sides simultaneously making it four times stronger than normal glass. Fun fact, tempered glass is sometimes referred to as “toughened glass”.
Why should we use tempered windows in our homes?
Now we don’t recommend you try breaking your windows today, but if you did happen to break a window you will notice how it breaks. Instead of large sharp dangerous shards of glass, the tempered glass disintegrates when broken, into small, round pieces and they are much less likely to be harmful. The occupants and items inside the home are much safer when the glass disintegrates rather than breaking into large shards and fragmented glass debris.
Where in my home should I use tempered glass windows?
The short answer is that building codes will tell you exactly where tempered glass windows need to be used. However, if you are reading this, tempered glass windows should be in all swinging, sliding, operable, fixed, and bifold doors. In addition, any window that is 2 feet from a door. All glass in bathrooms should be tempered glass as well as glass near stairways, and that’s just the beginning.
Who should use tempered glass in their home?
Everyone! If you are ready for a home renovation and want to talk about how we can help you turn your house into your dream home that is not only beautiful but also safe, then please reach out to someone on our team today.
