Glass is one of the most beautiful things to look at—from stained glass windows depicting nature to durable glass that protects a home from storms and burglaries. You can easily find what you’re looking for in a glass window. Let’s go over some common types of glass used for windows to try on your home.
Float Glass
Floating glass sheets come from molten metal. Before formation begins, the glass is poured over the metal to create a transparent yet fragile appearance. Many of the glass categories you see today started as floating glass.
Unfortunately, strong winds can rip through the floating glass on a Florida home. When breakage happens, glass shatters, and large shards pour around the room. The fragments can cause many problems, and repairs will be expensive. Before installing those sheets, consider the pros and cons. Pros to floating glass are that it has an average thickness level, it doesn’t create distortion, and it’s affordable. On the other hand, float glass breaks easily and is not very strong compared to other glass types.
Laminated Glass
As mentioned above, all glass starts as floating glass. For floating glass to become laminated, manufacturers take two hanging glass sheets and stick them together with PVB resin. The resin bond creates a stronger hold and prevents the glass from falling off and spraying around the room.
Once the panes are together, the floating glass is enhanced—becoming a safer and more popular pane—leaving you to enjoy living with a glass pane that doesn’t break. The advantages of laminated glass are improved soundproofing and stronger resistance to breaking. However, laminated glass is more expensive than other glass types and requires a specific installation process.
Tempered Glass
Heat-treated glass is the strongest, most durable type of glass available. Heat treatments significantly strengthen glass grains and make tempered glass harder to break than other glass types. When manufacturers work with floating glass, they take it under heat, where it’s transformed into tempered glass.
Tempered glass is preferred widely by homeowners because of its ability to not break completely. In other words, you’re dealing with panes that protect the home from intruders and bad weather. Tempered glass is great because it’s stronger than its standard form, it can handle strong winds, and it’s a safe window type. On the contrary, tempered glass is irreplaceable after it breaks and requires professional installation.
In the event of necessary window replacement in Orlando, reach out to a local servicer who knows how to properly replace your old panes with one of these common window styles for better home protection.
Aside from needing assistance, you have the creative authority over what window style you want. Ensure you schedule a replacement with Florida Window and Door Solutions. With over 20 years of experience, there’s not a window job we haven’t done. Contact us for a quote and any questions you may have.
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