From the standpoint of security, both windows and doors are the weakest entry points in any building. As a result, they are susceptible to security attacks and intrusions. Because of this the glass type we use to make our exterior doors and windows has become crucial in keeping our homes safe from security breaches. We want to talk about some of the best glass to use for your home and/or office.
Laminated Glass
Laminated glass is made up of two sheets of standard annealed glass fused together with a special interlayer of Poly Vinyl Butyral in between. The thick glass formed , as a result of this can easily resist impacts by absorbing impact shocks and resisting extreme penetration.
Any forced instructions will be quite challenging to execute; this reduces theft attempts a huge amount. In addition to improved security, laminated glass also offers additional advantages which we will list below.
Increased Security: The strength of laminated glass makes it almost impossible to break, so any unauthorised person would struggle to gain entry. Even if a break were to occur, the interlayers hold up the strength of the structure so widening the gap is extremely difficult to do.
Reduced Emissions: Low-emissivity glass can help to reduce heat gain from the sun, which allows air conditioning to be used less frequently and emissions will be reduced.
Reduced Noise Pollutions: Installing a thick piece of laminated glass causes noise waves to become disrupted when they travel through the material, helping to reduce noise pollution.
Increased Safety: As the glass doesn’t shatter when broken, there is a reduced risk of someone being cut or injured by shards of glass.
Protection From Extreme Weathers: In the case of extreme weather conditions laminated glass will remain in its frame, reducing the risk of accidents and making a life threatening situation slightly safer.
More Design Choice: Laminated glass is available in a huge range of different colours, tints or tones, and can be manufactured straight or curved for greater versatility in appearance.
Enhanced Visibility: Laminated glass surface usually has low visual distortions, so it appears virtually invisible. This allows the glass to reflect sharp images for greater clarity. Because of the enhanced visibility, laminated glass works exceptionally well for bay or picture windows, which many homebuyers shy away from over safety concerns.
Tempered Glass
Tempered Glass is also known as toughened or safety glass, tempered glass is highly suitable for external windows and doors. Because of a quick-cooling manufacturing process, the glass is highly durable and resilient to impact, making it less likely to shetter upon breakage.
As a result, the glass is the perfect choice for regions that experience heavy wind loads or thermal stress. Moreover, other than excellent impact resilience, tempered glass also offers benefits such as the ones listed below:
Strength: Toughened glass is known as a type of safety glass for a reason. It is five times stronger than regular glass of the same size and thickness, which means it can withstand a much harder hit without breaking and is less prone to shattering.
Heat Resistance: Tempered glass is up to five times more heat resistant that standard glass and can withstand temperatures up to a sweltering 250 degrees. This makes it much safer in the event of a fire and is the reason why most high rise apartments, government buildings, schools and offices have toughened glass windows. Double glazing, which is two panes of glass sandwiched together, can provide even greater heat insulation if you opt for toughened glass, helping you to keep energy bills down during the winter.
Sound Reduction: Toughened glass has almost twice the soundproofing abilities of standard glass. That’s why all soundproofing glass has been tempered and toughened, providing a reduction in noise level of up to 60dB.
UV Protection: Tempered glass absorbs 65% of UV rays, giving it an SPF of around 16. You can opt for a tinted finish in bronze or grey, which will further increase the SPF of your toughened glass by clocking more UV rays.
Impact Resistance: Toughened glass isn’t just stronger – it’s also much more impact resistant and protective compared to ordinary glass. This makes it suitable for safety applications in many situations, such as reinforced windows for high-rise offices and apartment buildings, glass shower screens and bus shelter windows.
Durability: Toughened glass is often used for glass homeware as it is much more durable and less prone to breakage than standard glass. Glass dining tables, splashbacks, shower screens and tables are all toughened to ensure that your homeware is safe to use. Frameless glass doors and other structurally loaded applications of glass should always be toughened using a thermal tempering process, which is, on average, five times stronger than toughened glass.
Versatility: Toughened glass is a versatile design. A wide range of furniture, such as glass bedsides chests, shelves and table tops is made using frosted satin glass, which provides additional privacy and softness.
To Summarise…
While these types of glasses can minimise safety threats efficiently, investing in window locks, sensors, or bars is also an additional way of adding security. Designed especially for safety concerns, these can lay down your worries over home security to allow you to have a proper night rest and know your family is safe.
For secure superior quality glazing solutions for your windows and doors, opt for established tempered glass or laminated glass from a company such as Aacme Glass.
Sarah Wirth is a digital marketing expert from Aacme Glass. Aacme glass offers a range of glazing solutions such as tempered glass in Newport and laminated glass in Newport.
