Many of us know the traditional form of glass known as annealed or floated glass. This form of glass shatters when broken, ending with shards of glass that can be sharp and harm those in the area or who attempt to clean it up. While this form of glass is widely used as it is cheaper and accessible, it is not the best choice for your business.
Safety or tempered glass is processed using heat to make it stronger. When safety glass breaks, it crumbles into small, blunt pieces instead of shattering into shards. This form of glass is stronger and scratch resistant where traditional glass is not. Business owners prefer using safety glass to provide them safety and due to it being more economical. Safety glass will not need replacing as often as regular glass due to scratches or breakage, thus saving in maintenance costs.
Where Safety Glass is Required
Most building codes require the installation of safety glass in businesses. Areas that require the installation of this form of glass include:- Walls enclosing stairway landings
- Bathrooms or glass shower doors or enclosures of
bathtubs
- Swimming or spa pools
- All doors
- Operable or fixed panels next to a door
Why Safety Glass Benefits Your Business
Besides the obvious stated in the name of this glass, safety glass can provide your business with other benefits.Natural barrier - Safety glass will provide your building with a natural barrier and give you more security to people and things inside your business. You can create glass barriers to control the amount or direction of foot traffic and maintain an open and airy environment.
Greater security - Safety glass can give you and those who work for you greater protection. Tempered glass will especially offer break resistance as it can withstand impacts almost four times the amount it takes to break an untreated glass. If it should break, it will crumble and not shatter.
Laminated glass is commonly used in entrance doors, teller windows, glass cabinets, and doors. If a laminated glass is broken, it generally stays inside its frame as it consists of two or more panes of glass that are bonded together by a durable plastic layer. This construction enables the glass to resist breakage, and if it should, it will look more like a crack as it stays in place.
There are far more benefits to using safety glass in your business, and it can be done on a budget. Contact Dan's Glass today, a full-service glass company who can handle new installations and repairs of glass in your business.
