Homes in North Texas often use three common types of glass. Annealed glass is commonly seen in older homes, while newer builds will have tempered glass or laminated glass.
Annealed Glass
This is glass in its most basic form. It’s often the most inexpensive, but comes with significant downsides. It is brittle, so if it breaks, it will shatter into long, jagged pieces. For safety reasons, building codes now restrict this glass from being used in certain areas.
Tempered Glass
Tempered glass is heat treated in order to be four to five times stronger than standard annealed glass. If it does break, it will break into pebble-like shapes, instead of sharp edges.
Laminated Glass
This glass consists of two players of glass with a sheet of plastic in the center. When the glass breaks, it will stick to the plastic instead of falling out. You may have seen this be used in high-security windows or storm-resistant windows.
Which glass is best for your home?
If you’re having old glass replaced or installing new glass, we always recommend going with tempered or laminated glass. This will simply make your home a much secure and safer place to be. Not only will your home be safer from natural disasters and vandalism, but in the rare event that there is a break of glass, there will not be harmful, jagged debris.
If you’re in North Texas, and you’d like a free quote for your next window or glass project, contact us and we’d be happy to assist.