What Is Safety Glass and Why Do I Need It in My Home or Business?
As you walk around your home or business, do you ever notice the windows? Do they seem sturdy enough to protect you from an errant baseball or tennis ball? How about large rocks that may be thrown through the window by vandals, which can cause injury to whoever happens to be in the room at the time? Thankfully, there’s safety glass, also known as safety glazing, and it’s one of the most important upgrades you can make to your home or business. At Select Glass and Windows we have been assisting homeowners and business owners with safety glass for over two decades. We put together the following article to help you determine if safety glass is right for your home or business.
This article will explain the following important information about Safety Glass for Homes and Businesses:
- What safety glass is
- 5 Reasons to use Safety Glass in your home or business
- What types of glass are used as safety glass
- Alternatives to Safety Glass
- Things to consider when choosing Safety Glass
- Is safety glass legally required for businesses
What Is Safety Glass?
Safety glass is designed to meet safety standards for protecting against accidental breakage during breakage. As its name suggests, safety glass is created with special resins that help it withstand impact. Additionally, safety glass which is normally 3/4 inch thick (but 1-inch glass is also possible) is designed with tough seams that are extra resistant to breakage during an accident.
Safety glass is fortified to secure the most vulnerable points of entry and contact points for homes and businesses. Safety glass is designed to withstand projectiles, handheld weapons, bullets, and even explosives.
In addition to being strengthened against intrusion, safety glass is designed to break into small granules that are safer than the shards that traditional glass becomes when shattered. Some safety glass utilizes coatings or meshes in order to remain connected in its frame even after being broken.
We recently completed a safety glass installation for a commercial client located in Old Town Alexandria, VA in the 22314 zip code on Duke St near the Old Town Alexandria Waterfront. This client was concerned about not only potential weather damage to his glass but potential smash and grab robberies as well. This business owner had a lot of factors to consider so we walked him through all of his options.
5 Great Reasons to Use Safety Glass in Your Home or Business
When you’re looking to protect your business or family from danger, safety glass can help. It offers superior protection against flying shards and other projectiles, and it has low-maintenance properties that make it ideal in most commercial and residential situations.
1) Long-Term Protection
When it comes to investing in safety glass, there’s no such thing as a one-time purchase. If you choose to invest in security glass now, you won’t have to worry about replacing it for many years down the road. That means you’ll save yourself a ton of time and money!
2) Peace of Mind
When looking for ways to make your home or business safer, peace of mind can be worth its weight in gold. There’s no better way to instill confidence than by installing top-of-the-line safety glass throughout your property. When you know that you’re doing everything possible to protect those you love and care about most, it’s easy to relax and enjoy your time at home—even if the danger might be lurking! And if you are a business owner, then you already know that customers will judge your establishment based on how safe they feel. Installing sturdy safety glass windows can help eliminate these problems so everyone feels secure on their next visit! Moreover, safety glasses protect your commercial premises from those unfortunate events such as riots, breakage, storms, etc. which is an added value.
3) Easy-to-Maintain
When it comes to keeping your home safe, one of your biggest concerns is finding a material that’s both affordable and easy to maintain. Safety glass can help on both counts. In terms of cost, safety glass is often more affordable than other protective materials, making it ideal for those looking to budget on an important renovation project. And when it comes to maintenance, there are no extra steps involved with safety glass—just clean with water and soap! Overall, if you want protection that doesn’t involve any extra work or hassle, then installing security glass might be right up your alley.
4) Easy-to-Install
While safety glass might be a bit more expensive than other materials on your renovation list, you can rest assured knowing that you won't be paying anything extra for labor. This is because security glass is incredibly easy to install—you just need one piece of glass for each pane—just as with traditional windows!
5) Versatility
Finally, safety glass has plenty of versatility for you to choose from. Whether you’re looking for large pieces for your home (such as windows or doors) or smaller panes for other applications, there are many options to consider. Make sure that you invest in a product that meets all of your requirements so you can be sure that it will stand up to any tests thrown it's way!
What Types of Glass Are Used As Safety Glass
There are several different types of safety glass from which you can choose to secure your home or business. Each type of safety glass offers different types of protection against intrusion.
1) Toughened Glass
Toughened glass is a safety glass that is strengthened through a process of controlled thermal or chemical treatments. These treatments increase the durability of the glass when compared to normal glass. Toughening glass through the process of tempering makes it safer when shattered as well. The toughening process creates balanced internal stresses which force the panes to crumble into granules when broken instead of shattering into dangerous shards.
As a result of its increased durability, toughened glass is used in a variety of applications including passenger vehicle windows, shower doors, architectural glass, door glass, tabletop glass, and tub and shower enclosures.
We recently worked with a family to install toughened glass in their home after a weather event. They have a large tree on their property in Arlington on Glebe Rd, north of Marymount University in the 22207 zip code in the Williamsburg neighborhood. During a severe storm, last summer a branch broke off their tree and shattered a window in their home. We replaced the broken window with toughened glass and the family decided that rather than cut down the tree or risk another accident they would replace all the windows on that side of their home with safety glass.
2. Laminated Glass
Laminated glass is another type of safety glass. A layer of PVB (polyvinyl butyral) is placed in between glass panes. The layer can be customized to do several things such as sound reduction, tinting, reflective, and reducing UV rays among others. When the glass panes are broken the laminated layer holds the glass together so it cannot shatter into dangerous shards.
Laminated glass is typically used in applications where the glass would be particularly dangerous to humans if it were shattered. Skylights, automobile windshields, hurricane and tornado-resistant construction, exterior storefronts, curtain walls and windows, shower doors, and patio doors are often made of laminated glass.
A business in the Ballston neighborhood of Arlington contacted us recently about a redesign of their storefront glass. We recommended using laminated glass in the storefront in the 22203 zip code near Ballston Quarter. The storefront needed to look beautiful to entice customers into this high-end boutique plus reduce UV rays that could fade the merchandise while ensuring safety against potential break-ins. Laminated glass was a perfect choice.
3. Wire Mesh Glass
Wire glass is a more traditional form of safety glass where welded wire netting is embedded in the glass. While the wire netting doesn’t strengthen the glass, it does hold the glass in place if a window sash is shattered. Additionally, wire mesh glass has fire-resistant properties. It is capable of withstanding both heat and hose streams to a greater level than traditional glass.
Wire mesh glass is typically not as strong as strengthened glass. The wire mesh does not act like rebar does in reinforced concrete. Wired glass also does not offer the same shatter protection as other types of safety glass as it breaks into shards similar to traditional glass.
Wire mesh glass was used in a recent installation we completed in the Del Ray neighborhood in Alexandria near The Mount Vernon Community School in zip code 22305. The client had a garage space behind their main offices and needed a security option that would protect the vehicles inside the garage in case of a break-in. They needed a glass that could break without being removed and giving a potential intruder enough room to enter the garage. Select Glass and Windows recommended wire mesh glass was the best choice for this client.
Alternatives to Safety Glass
Installing new safety glasses might not be the best solution for your home or business. Fortunately, there are alternatives to safety glass that can help you secure your home or business against intrusion.
1. Security Film
A security film is a layer of material that is retrofit onto a glass panel for heat control, sun control, or increased security. Security film is popular due to its affordability as well as its safety features. When a home or business utilizes security film, they do not need to purchase new safety windows. The film is applied to their existing windows by a professional, highly trained installer. When correctly applied security film provides additional protection by stopping window glass from shattering.
For a powerful example of security film in action, take a look at this video from security film manufacturer, 3M.
While security films are very popular and do offer increased protection, they have their limitations. Security films offer little protection against ballistic threats like bullets.
Security film is manufactured by a number of companies including LLumar, Madico, Solar Art, Nexfil, and SunTek.
2. Polycarbonate
Polycarbonate is one of the strongest non-glass security products that you’ll find on the market. When properly installed polycarbonate offers up to 300 times the impact resistance of traditional glass.
Glass-clad polycarbonate is strengthened to hold up to multiple attacks from hammers, bats, axes, fists, sledgehammers, and just about anything that can be thrown or swung at it. The main drawback of polycarbonate is its looks. Polycarbonate scratches very easily and must be protected with an overlaid coating. Additionally, polycarbonate yellows after just a few months of exposure to the sun and allows less light transmission than glass.
3. Acrylic
A non-glass alternative for business and home security is acrylic. Acrylic is composed of a single sheet of plastic that is between 1.25 and 1.5 inches thick. Acrylic is rated up as bulletproof up to level 3. Additionally, acrylic does not shatter like traditional glass. It breaks into small plastic fragments that are not as dangerous as glass shards.
Acrylic is more affordable than traditional laminated or strengthened safety glass. Acrylic is a popular choice for commercial buildings especially banks and convenience stores.
Things to Consider When Choosing Safety Glass
There are four main questions to answer when you are considering safety glass for your home or business.
1. What are you trying to protect
Homes and businesses have different requirements when it becomes to safety. If you are trying to primarily protect people then you will have different requirements than if you are trying to protect possessions or products. If you are a homeowner attempting to secure high-end vehicles in your garage that will have different priorities than if you are primarily concerned with protecting your family from broken glass in your home. If you are a business owner that is worried about smash-and-grab robberies, your requirements will be different from business owners who need to protect their employees from robberies or attacks.
2. Do you need indoor or outdoor safety glass
Indoor and outdoor situations have different requirements for safety. Alternative solutions to safety glass-like acrylic and polycarbonate are often used indoors where it will have less exposure to sunlight and conditions that will cause it to yellow. Safety glass like tempered or laminated glass are often used for exterior glass to protect stores and homes, windows, and doors.
3. How important is the look of the glass
Safety glass has a much different look than alternative solutions like window film, acrylic, and polycarbonate. Most homeowners and business owners do not want to worry about their exterior windows being easily scratched or yellowing after only a few months, so safety glass is a better solution for those situations. If your glass is not going to be consistently viewed or looked through by you, your family or your customers, but you are concerned about its security then alternative, lower-priced solutions may be appropriate.
4. What is your budget
There are safety glass solutions that will fit a wide range of budgets. If you don’t have a large budget to secure your home or business then you will most likely need to consider an alternative solution to safety glass such as window film, acrylic, or polycarbonate. If your primary concern is safety and security over budget then Select Glass and Windows recommends safety glass solutions for your home or business.
Is Safety Glass Legally Required for Some Businesses
Different areas of the country have different legal requirements for safety glass. Be sure to consult with your local regulations and building codes to determine the safety glass requirements for your area.
Here are a few of the most common requirements for safety glass:
- Exposed area of an individual pane greater than 9 square feet
- Exposed bottom edge less than 18 inches above the floor
- Exposed top edge greater than 36 inches above the floor.
- One of more walking surfaces within 36 inches horizontally of the plane
Having the right safety glass solution in your home or business is crucial to meeting building codes in your area. They should be followed to keep your family, employees, and staff safe and secure.
A good place to start your search would be here, “what are the legal requirements for safety glass.”
Do You Need More Information About Safety Glass?
As you can see there are several factors to consider when choosing a safety glass solution for your home or business. If you would like more information about safety glass you can read our blog here. If after reviewing this article you have any questions about which type of safety glass or safety glass alternative is the correct solution for your situation, feel free to contact our team at Select Glass and Windows. Our experts have two decades of experience assisting our clients with safety glass installations for homes and businesses.
