Author Archives: Gene Graham

About Thermal Breakage

July 28, 2016

If you have recently purchased a glass product only to have it shatter due to a thermal break this can be a frustrating thing. Although thermal breakage is not a common occurrence, it does happen on occasion. When a thermal break does happen it is not typically the result of faulty glass. Here are a few reasons why thermal breakage happens and how to prevent it.

A thermal break in the glass will occur when there is uneven heating. What happens is that only part of the glass is able to expand causing stress within the glass and when the stress exceeds the strength of the glass then a thermal break will happen. In a high-temperature climate, glass may be more at risk for a thermal break since temperatures are higher for longer periods hence putting the glass more at risk.

Other Factors in Thermal Breakage

Although heat is the number one cause of thermal breakage, other factors may also play a part in causing a window to receive the damage. Such as if heavy drapes or blinds are put over the window this can cause the heat to be reflected upon the glass more intensely which can cause the thermal heating to start. If part of a window is kept cooler then another part of the window this can, in turn, cause uneven heating in the glass which may eventually cause breakage as well.

Keep in mind different types of glass are more prone to thermal breakage than others. A strong tempered glass is more likely to be more tolerant of thermal heat stress than thin laminated glass.

Preventing Thermal Breakage

As thermal breakage does not cover by most glass manufacturers’ warranties, it is best to know what to do to prevent a thermal breakage.

Be sure to check your window frames for any leakage that may cause water to get into the frame and cause damage to the glass.

Try to avoid covering the glass with any heavy types of material that may hold in heat.

Try to avoid damaging the glass, any damage done to the surface of the glass or outer edges may increase the risk for the glass to weaken and be more likely to succumb to heat stress.

Do not paint directly onto a glass surface

Avoid black backings behind a pane of glass.

Although this is rare, it is an unfortunate thing that does happen sometimes, however by remembering these tips to prevent thermal breakage it is less likely to occur.

Low Emissivity Coated Glass

July 28, 2016

Gene Graham

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What is Low E Glass? Glass is quickly becoming one of the most popular building materials used in today’s market. Although glass use as a building material for centuries glass itself has changed since the time we first started using it.

Today the market filled with all different kinds of glass of all different shapes and sizes. Sometimes it is hard to know what type of glass to buy that will best work with the project you intend to use it for. There is also a new high demand for glass that is energy efficient. Energy-efficient glass made for the purpose of helping to reduce the use of energy consumption which in turn saves the homeowner money.

The glass alone is not at all energy efficient because of how glass works. Glass is an active conductor of heat. The glass will attract heat and then the heat will pass through the glass, which can be quite troublesome when trying to keep your home well heated in cold weather temperatures.

Making Glass Energy Efficient

You might ask yourself what can help make glass energy efficient. The answer is low emissivity (LOW-E) coating.

Low-e coating design to minimize ultraviolet and infrared light that gets a pass through the glass without affecting the visual aspect. The low-e coating acts as a barrier on the glass so that the glass does not absorb as much of the climate which works well to keep buildings stay at a comfortable temperature.

The low-E coating is very thin and transparent so when put onto the glass it is entirely invisible. When glass gets coate with Low-E it is much more energy efficient. Because the glass is not able to transmit heat either from the interior or exterior. This works because the low-E coating will essentially reflect the heat from the window instead of letting it pass through the glass.

Different Types of LOW-E Coating

LOW-E coating comes in two different types. There is a passive Low-E coating and a solar Low-E coating. Passive Low-E coatings made by using a pyrolytic process. In this process, the Low-E coating applied to a glass ribbon. As it made it causes the coating to fuse with the hot glass thus creating a strong bond. And the glass makes it more durable. Solar Low-E made using an MSVD process in which the coating is applied to the glass. After the glass has been made. The coating is put onto the glass in a vacuum chamber in which the coating is laminated on.

Although the passive Low-E coating is better for colder weather climates. Solar Low-E also is a good choice for glass protection. Either way, glass is still much more energy efficient than glass. That does not have any type of Low-E coating.

The Benefits of Double Glazing

July 28, 2016

Gene Graham

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If you are on the market for new windows or upgrading your old windows chances are you will hear the words “double glazing”. When a person first hears the term “double glazing” they may attempt to interpret this as something different than what it actually means.

What are double-glazed windows?

The phrase double glaze simply refers to two panes of glass with a very small space in between them. The space tightly sealed to ensure no moisture or air movement can get between the two panes.

How do double-glazed windows work?

Double glazing is when two panes of windows are brought together in a unit and then sealed through a special process. The space between the two panes of windows is very small and traps still air which creates insulation for the windows.

How effective is double glazing?

Glass known as a good heat conductor often attracts the heat within a room and transfers it through the glass. Which is a good thing for warmer weather but in weather much colder this could lead to a lot of heat loss. However, with a double-glazed window heat get attract the window but will not transfer out of it. Because of the layer of protection added by the space of air in-between the two window panes. This is also beneficial in holding colder air in rooms that have air conditioning. Double glazing isn’t only beneficial for cold weather!

Why Double Glazing Worth the Extra Cost

Double-glazed windows may end up exceeding your initial intended window budget. But the extra cost of double-glazed windows is well worth it. Houses which have double-glazed windows installed are 50% more energy efficient than homes with single-pane windows. The home will create less draft and stay at a much more comfortable temperature with minimal fluctuation. Other added benefits include noise reduction as well as UV and fading reduction. Homeowners who switched to double-glazed windows often notice a huge difference in their electricity. Or gas bills almost immediately as it takes much less energy to heat your home in winter. Or cool your home in summer.

Although it entirely up to the buyer on what type of windows they go with. It now highly recommended for homeowners to upgrade their houses to more energy efficient.

There are now great products on the market such as Thermawood which means you no longer have to replace the frames. This system enables you to now fit your existing windows with retrofit double glazing which is great to ensure you don’t compromise the appearance or the character of the home.

Tips to Using Mirrors in Small Spaces

July 28, 2016

Gene Graham

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Want to use mirrors in small spaces? When you rent or own a small space you may be left wondering what you can do to enhance the rooms décor without creating too much clutter or crowding. With smaller rooms you must be careful to add the right impact in amounts that will make the room stand out even though it is small in size.

Mirrors are an excellent choice when choosing to decorate any interior for use mirrors in small spaces as they can add a lot of benefits to the room whilst providing subtle impact. When a large mirror gets added to a small area it creates the illusion that the room has more depth and size. Mirrors can also help reflect light, and light by itself brings a new dimension to a room. When installing a mirror into a small room it wise to put it either across from a good piece of artwork. So, that the artwork better reflected in the room or across form a window. So, you can help bounce light into the room.

Putting a mirror behind a light source is also another good tip. It is amazing how different a room can look. And feel just by adding a few small mirrors with candles in front. This can create a surreal feel as well as make the room more inviting.

Although mirror walls often frowned upon and seem dated. If done properly a mirror wall can give a small space a brilliant appearance.

Although mirrors are very beneficial, here are a few things to not do when adding a mirror to the room.

Never place a mirror on the ceiling, a mirror on the ceiling often perceived as tacky.

Do not place mirrors in any random location, always be careful. And be aware of the surroundings of where you are placing your mirror. Always try to keep things symmetrical and in line to avoid visual disturbance.

There is no end to the benefits your room will receive when a mirror added in the correct spot. Just one mirror alone can break up the feeling of clutter and amplify the room’s light. It is always best to experiment with your mirrors. And find out which mirrors will work well for you or alternatively…

Ask the professionals, we install mirrors of various sizes and shapes every day.. In fact, we install thousands of mirrors every year so if in doubt don’t hesitate to contact us for the very best advice and service. Economy Glass is your mirror specialist.

Safety glass – What is it and why do we use it?

July 28, 2016

Gene Graham

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Windows and skylights bring light and fresh air into our homes as well as offer views of the outside world. The common perception of glass as a dangerous material not unfounded. Standard annealed glass breaks relatively easily and fractures into potentially lethal shards or splinters. With safety being of paramount importance, it perhaps not surprising that there standards and regulations which govern when glass used in safety-critical locations.

Areas of a home that are prone to accidents require to fit with a Grade A safety glass. The use of safety glass reduces the risk of injury as it significantly harder to break and designed so it won’t fracture into dangerous shards if broken. The building code in Australia and New Zealand (AS1288) determines where safety glass required to install.

Examples of areas where safety glass required :

Glass doors
Door side panels
Bathrooms (for all areas up to 2 metres high)
Around stairs
Areas that can mistaken for openings (e.g. floor to ceiling glass)
Low-level glass (if larger than 1.2 m2)
Schools, child care, and retirement homes

Types of safety glass

There two main options of safety glass to consider – toughened glass and laminated safety glass. While laminated safety glass and Toughened safety glass can both be used to meet Australian building regulations, each glass type has different properties that are worth when deciding which glass type is appropriate to meet your needs

Laminated glass

Laminated glass is made from two or more sheets of glass bonded together with a flexible polyvinyl butyral(PVB) interlayer. The unique design of laminated glass prevents it from shattering into large shards when broken. In the event of an impact or breakage, the glass held together by the interlayer. This prevents the glass from breaking into shards which can provide significant damage. The interlayer does not impact the transparency of the glass and is not visible to the naked eye once installed.

Laminated glass is usually the best option to provide increased security for your home. If the glass breaks it will generally stay in place and not fall out. The glass is difficult to penetrate completely making it harder to gain access by breaking a window.

Advantages

●   Provides greater security than toughened glass
●   The interlayer in the glass reduces fading from UV significantly
●   subject to thermal stresses

Toughened glass

This is four to five times stronger than ordinary glass of the same thickness. Toughened glass is processed by controlled thermal or chemical treatments to increase its strength compared with normal glass. Tempering or toughening creates balanced internal stresses which cause the glass sheet, when broken, to crumble into small blunt granular chunks of similar size and shape instead of splintering into random, jagged shards. The granular chunks are less likely to cause injury. This glass does not provide the same security as laminated glass as once broken the glass explodes leaving a hole in the building.

Glass Splashbacks in Melbourne VIC

July 27, 2016

Gene Graham

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A Glass Splashback in Melbourne is ideal for helping transform your kitchen and home with a great combination of both elegance and beauty.

Glass splashbacks and panels are available in almost any color you could desire and are cut specifically to suit the needs of each customer.

Painted Glass Splashbacks require very little maintenance and outlasts most other architectural features. Due to its non-porous nature, glass does not stain, is easy to clean, and does not harbor germs or bacteria – as many other materials do.

Glass Splashback in Melbourne an incredibly versatile product. And can used as a feature on any interior walls, especially in kitchens. Or as an alternative to the traditional tile option in bathrooms. Most commonly produced using 6mm toughened safety glass. This ensures the glass extremely robust and safe, resisting impact breakages and thermal stresses caused by high heat.

Splashbacks give a beautiful and easily customized look to the space. There many options that can help you stand out. With a wide range of colors, textures, and even graphically printed images. Each panel of glass fabricated to the finest tolerances using highly accurate CNC machinery and painted using automated paint booths. This ensures the highest quality finish every time.