Advice For Choosing The Proper Glass For Your Windows
When working on your home, it is great to get the opportunity to customize things to be just the way that you want them.
After all, this is your home, and it should be constructed to maximize your quality of life.
Believe it or not, things as simple as windows can have a positive or negative effect on your daily life depending on how they are constructed.
Some may allow excess heat into the home while others may be more energy efficient.
It all depends on the type of glass that is used.
Depending on your preferences and needs, you may want to use a variety of types throughout your house.
Are you looking for safety and durability? If so, one of the stronger types of glass out there is tempered.
The unique characteristic of this glass is that it is designed to crumble if it is broken.
This is a safety feature that prevents glass fragments from scattering throughout your home or your front yard.
Tempered glass is heat treated to achieve its outstanding strength and safety.
You will usually find it used in storm windows and doors, and it is generally an excellent product to use for energy efficiency.
Sheet glass is a very common material for home use.
Windows and doors in older homes were routinely filled with this type of glass.
While common, this material does have issues with strength and efficiency.
It can easily be broken by a rock, and it will not help you reduce your heating and cooling bills.
The great thing about it, however, is that it is very easy to cut and shape.
If you are a beginner do-it-yourselfer, then, it might be a good product to work with.
Another popular glass for home use is low emissivity, or low-e glass.
The thing that differentiates this material is a special coating on one side of the glass that allows light to pass through while reflecting heat.
This glass is used very often by energy conscious individuals, as it can decrease heating and cooling bills by 15-20%.
Far and away, the best glass type to use for safety is wired glass.
Windows with this material will maintain their shape even if the glass in them is broken due to steel wire meshes that are incorporated into the glass during production.
Not only does the steel wire help keep the pane intact, but it also is a fire-rated material.
If your home happened to catch on fire this specialty glass will prevent the spread of fire and smoke, possibly saving your home from destruction.
The downsides to this product are cost and aesthetics.
Because of the meticulous work needed to install the wire, this type of glass tends to be very pricey.
It also looks rather odd with the steel strewn throughout the material.
After all, this is your home, and it should be constructed to maximize your quality of life.
Believe it or not, things as simple as windows can have a positive or negative effect on your daily life depending on how they are constructed.
Some may allow excess heat into the home while others may be more energy efficient.
It all depends on the type of glass that is used.
Depending on your preferences and needs, you may want to use a variety of types throughout your house.
Are you looking for safety and durability? If so, one of the stronger types of glass out there is tempered.
The unique characteristic of this glass is that it is designed to crumble if it is broken.
This is a safety feature that prevents glass fragments from scattering throughout your home or your front yard.
Tempered glass is heat treated to achieve its outstanding strength and safety.
You will usually find it used in storm windows and doors, and it is generally an excellent product to use for energy efficiency.
Sheet glass is a very common material for home use.
Windows and doors in older homes were routinely filled with this type of glass.
While common, this material does have issues with strength and efficiency.
It can easily be broken by a rock, and it will not help you reduce your heating and cooling bills.
The great thing about it, however, is that it is very easy to cut and shape.
If you are a beginner do-it-yourselfer, then, it might be a good product to work with.
Another popular glass for home use is low emissivity, or low-e glass.
The thing that differentiates this material is a special coating on one side of the glass that allows light to pass through while reflecting heat.
This glass is used very often by energy conscious individuals, as it can decrease heating and cooling bills by 15-20%.
Far and away, the best glass type to use for safety is wired glass.
Windows with this material will maintain their shape even if the glass in them is broken due to steel wire meshes that are incorporated into the glass during production.
Not only does the steel wire help keep the pane intact, but it also is a fire-rated material.
If your home happened to catch on fire this specialty glass will prevent the spread of fire and smoke, possibly saving your home from destruction.
The downsides to this product are cost and aesthetics.
Because of the meticulous work needed to install the wire, this type of glass tends to be very pricey.
It also looks rather odd with the steel strewn throughout the material.
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