1 in 36 homes is broken into each year in the United States.
Every break-in leads to an average financial loss to the household of $2,230. Of course, a price can rarely be put on the psychological damage, and loss to items of personal significance, that often accompany a burglary.
There are clear incentives to do whatever you can to prevent a break-in.
Installing strong, high-quality windows is one way of doing so. Indeed, windows are the second most common entry point into a home for burglars.
Tempered glass windows take the top spot for window security. But what is tempered glass? You may never have heard of it. Likewise, additional safety is only one of its benefits. There are many more worth mentioning.
Keep reading to learn all about tempered glass and the benefits of using it for your windows.
What is Tempered Glass?
First, let?s take a look at what tempered glass actually is.
Tempered glass is a form of safety glass. This relates to the production process, where the glass is cooled at a far faster rate compared to other glass forms. The quicker the glass takes to cool, the stronger the glass becomes.
Tempered glass is particularly strong thanks to the swiftness of its cooling period.
However, its aesthetic qualities are maintained at the same time. Tempered glass is as beautiful as it is strong.
7 Benefits of Tempered Glass Windows
Now we what tempered glass is, we can go on to discover its benefits. There are many advantages to using tempered glass for your windows. Here are 7 of the primary ones.
1. Additional Strength
Tempered glass is far stronger than other types.
Indeed, the swift cooling process used in production means the tempered glass is 4x stronger than regular annealed glass.
It has an impressive tensile and compression strength. It is, therefore, more resistant to heat, wind, crushing, and impact (more on resistive qualities later).
That additional strength comes in handy. It helps in terms of window design, safety, and home security. We?ll talk more about these in the following sections.
2. Enhanced Home Security
Stronger windows that are more difficult to shatter mean your home is safer from intruders.
Remember, windows are the second most common entry point into houses, by burglars. Glass that?s easy to break is an invitation to any miscreants in the area.
Tempered glass is specifically designed to withstand impact. Difficulty breaking a window may be enough to dissuade someone from trying to break in.
3. Resistant Qualities
Tempered glass has an abundance of resistive qualities.
It is resistant to heat, cold, wind, scratches, damage and impact. The result is a window that?s ideal for withstanding everyday wear and tear, as well as more extreme conditions.
As a result, this is a versatile glass that is suited to various uses. Think shower doors, frameless glass partitions, and beyond.
4. Additional Safety
We?ve already mentioned that tempered glass offers the advantage of increased safety.
Its protective and ?anti-burglary? qualities relate more to their strength and resistive traits.
Here, we refer to the additional safety of tempered glass in relation to negative weather conditions. Tempered glass is highly recommended when adverse weather conditions are common. Extreme cold, heat, and likelihood of impact can all be withstood by tempered glass.
This can also have a positive impact on the sale price of your house. These windows are sought after by buyers, adding value to your property. They can be a great investment.
5. Breakages are Easily Cleared Up
Breakages are less likely with tempered glass. But they do happen.
However, these windows don?t shatter into the glass shards we?re all used to. Instead, they break into small, round, pebble-like pieces that can be easily cleaned up.
Aside from being generally helpful, this trait is another helpful safety feature. The broken pieces of glass reduce the risk of harm to individuals in the vicinity. They?re more easily seen, and less likely to cause serious harm when handled or stepped upon.
6. Supreme Window Quality
The qualities of tempered glass don?t stop at its strength.
None of its clarity or quality of finish is sacrificed by being inordinately strong. It?s the best of both worlds: fully functional, safe, and stunning to look at.
The quality of tempered glass doesn?t stop at it clarity. For instance, its heat resistance helps to maintain the temperature of your home. In warmer climates, it can keep your home cooler, while in colder weather it will keep the heat inside.
7. Diverse Usages
Strong, yes. Beautiful, yes. Diverse, absolutely.
All of the aforementioned qualities of tempered glass make for a glass that can be used in all manner of ways. Different shapes, styles, and usages are all possible.
Likewise, you can alter the pattern in accordance with your individual tastes. Tempered glass can be clear, frosted, colored, patterned and/or engraved. It is entirely up to you and how you wish to use it.
Why restrict yourself to windows with mere functional purposes? It?s perfectly possible to get creative with your tempered glass too.
Time to Get Tempered
There you have it. The answer to the question of what is tempered glass and 7 top benefits of using it for your windows.
Burglaries are unfortunately common all over America. Having appropriately fitted and functional tempered glass windows can be one way to prevent them from happening. However, the advantages of this glass go far beyond this.
We?ve seen how tempered glass (a form of safety glass) is one of the strongest glass varieties out there. This does indeed enhance the security of your home, while its resistance to all manner of adverse conditions is another component of the advanced safety it provides.
Furthermore, tempered glass windows are easy to clean up when they do break. They?re also of the highest functionality and can be used in diverse ways.
If you?re considering getting new windows, then a tempered glass window replacement should be at the top of your list.
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