Glass is a primary component of buildings for about the last 100 years or so. Glass has certain properties that make it ideal for inclusion into residential, commercial and institutional structures. It is transparent which is a main property of glass, allowing light in and a look outside. Glass can be made to be transparent from both sides or just one. You can see out, but one-sided glass provides privacy disallowing anyone to see into the room. The outside behaves like a mirror. Strength is an issue with glass. It is measured by the “modulus of rupture value”. Basically, a brittle material, glass is made stronger by the underlying formula or the use of laminates in the construction.
 

Wall & Window Glazing

To be useful a material must be workable. Cut to shape and sized to fit, glass can be worked like many building materials given the proper tools and know-how. Glazing is the term the refers to the panels containing fix frames of wood or metal and fixed into the curtain (outside) walls. Glass is not the only glazing material. Polycarbonates are also important and is the lightweight shatter resistant material used in eyeglasses.
 

Dry VS Wet Glazed Systems

Dry glazed panes compression stress is applied to fix metal panels or glass into the glazing pockets of the frames. The compression forces depend on using rubber gaskets and occasionally structural tapes. In most cases the rubber gasket are placed on either side of the glazed element and the panels can be either glazed externally or internally. With wet glazing the infill element is attached to the frame using a silicone sealant. The sealant bonds to both the frame and element, essentially it acts like an adhesive. This is done in a factory setting as adhesion is affected by the presence of particulates, i.e. dust and dirt in the air.
 

Tempered & Dual Pane Glass

Point supported tempered glass with holes to accommodate bolts and brackets to support the glass. Glass is tempered by exposing to a high degree of temperature during processing, avoiding the damages when in service. Dual skin or dual pane have of dead air (nitrogen in factory panels) to help insulate and control energy. In large building applications the air is heated and moved by fans to manipulate the energy management of a building from the sun.
 

Common Types of Windows

Windows come in various type for different building applications and are separated between residential systems and commercial applications.
Fixed windows are immovable and cannot be open. Popular in high entry ways and commercial applications.
Movable windows include sliding, pivoting or double hung (vertical sliding windows).
Sliding windows move from side to side to open while pivoting windows of a central pivot point the allows the windows to turn to be opened.
Casement windows are hinged or have pivots on the outside edges that allow them to be swung open for air flow.
 

Glass Replacement, Repairs & More in Los Angeles, Burbank, Calabasas, Glendale, Hidden Hills, San Fernando, Sherman Oaks & Greater North Hollywood, California

In areas that depend on natural ventilation movable solid nontransparent louvers are used and can be open various amounts to adjust ventilation currents. There is more to glass and glazing than included in this introduction to basics. For more information or a quote to repair, replace or install window or bathroom shower enclosures contact the experts at Rohan Glass Company.

Your home most likely has windows on just about every room and every level. The windows allow light into the home and can be opened to allow fresh air to come in. You need to clean the windows regularly to remove any debris and sediment that might be damaging the actual window. There are some ways that window can be damaged and broken in some way. Once a window is broken, chipped or cracked, it is no longer strong and will need to be replaced or repaired. The windows will need to be replaced by a professional that has the tools and capability to remove the old window and install the new one.
 

Rohan Glass Company Lists Common Ways the Glass in a Window or Door Can Be Damaged or Break

Stress Crack in Window Glass: A stress crack that is found on a window is from a few factors. The main way that a stress crack appears is when the weather in the house is drastically different from the weather outside. The crack will normally appear form the outside edge of the window and slowly work its way across the window. It is often found when the weather outside is extremely cold and then you choose to crank on the heat in the house. If the change is too fast and too quick the change will sometimes cause a crack to appear. It does not have to just happen from the weather change from inside and outside but it can be from the outdoor temperature only. A huge shift in the weather can cause the stress crack to appear. If you notice that you have a stress crack appearing on your window you want to call to have it repaired or replaced.
Shattered Glass Window or Door: When you have an impact break in your window you most likely will know what it is. The window is broken by some outside impact. That can be from a baseball thrown in the wrong direction. It can also be from a rock that is shot out from under the mower or out of a child’s hand. Whatever the impact is from you will need to take caution when cleaning up. The window in this case will be shattered quite a bit and takes some finesse to remove the broken bits. You want to clean up any pieces that have fallen out of the window and on the floor. Then steer clear of the area so that a professional can do the removal. The shards of glass can easily become dislodged and will become dangerous.
Pressure Cracks in Glass: This is an uncommon type of crack but can still happen. It seems to happen most often when you have double pane windows or insulated glass windows. The pressure crack can be caused from the window installation. If it is placed too high or too low the elevation can cause the glass to crack. The crack has a specific type of look and is the shape of an hourglass when it starts to spread.
 

Glass Replacement, Repairs & More in Los Angeles, Burbank, Calabasas, Glendale, Hidden Hills, San Fernando & Greater North Hollywood, California

Rohan Glass Company offers a myriad of glass services including installation, replacement, repairs and more. Contact us for all your glass and mirror needs!