We human beings love the outdoors. Our unrelenting need to bask in the sunlight and enjoy the warmth of the rising sun is incomparable to any other feeling in the world. It helps us stay productive at the home and office. Though we crave the outside atmosphere, we like spending time indoors. Most of our tasks are accomplished in the daylight through glass windows.
From designing the windows to making sure that they complement your space, choosing the right glass type is important. To understand how strong glasses are made, you first need to know what floating glass is:
Floating glass is a fragile glass that is made with molten glass. A standard glass panel is made by pouring molten glass into a tin. This glass panel is then used to create the following glass types.
Here are the most common glass window types for homes:
Laminated Glass
The windshield of your car is made of laminated glass. One of the best things about this glass is that it does not shatter and fall upon impact. The shards hang onto each other, and the glass can be removed as a sheet.
This glass is made of floating glass on either side of a thin PVB resin layer. This layer provides glass strength, which makes it perfect for your basement.
Pros
- Durable
- Resists impact
- Less vulnerable to pressure and temperature changes
Cons
- Poor installation can cause problems
Tempered Glass
Tempered glass is made when float glass is changed through annealing. The float glass is slowly cooled, which makes it stronger. For even stronger glass, the window undergoes tempering. You cannot cut this glass easily. However, it can still break upon impact. Unlike laminated glass, which holds itself in place, the tempered glass falls to the ground in small pieces.
Pros
- Increased tensile strength
- Wind-resistant
- Scratch-resistant
Cons
- Glass breaks into blunt pieces and causes a mess
Insulated Glass
This glass is separated by a bar. The space created in between is filled with gas: Krypton or argon, which offers insulation. The a
The addition of the gas increases the solar heat gain figure and U-factor of the window. These two indicators measure the ability of the window to prevent heat rays from raising the temperature inside the room. If the outside pane breaks, the window will lose some gas but still offer protection.
Pros
- Reduces heat loss and gain
- Increases energy efficiency
- Blocks sounds
- It is harder to break
Cons
- Expensive
- Poor installation can cause problems
There are a few other glass options, including tinted glass that offers protection, low-E glass that blocks UV rays, and obscured glass, also known as frosted glass. These glass options are seldom used in home windows.
Now that you know the pros and cons of the most common home window options, which one is it going to be?
No matter what you choose, give Sky Building Materials the chance to do the installation for you. As a premium glass company, it offers several glass options for residential and commercial applications. To get in touch with them, call on 972-807-9616.