It goes without saying that it’s pretty difficult to break double glazing. Installed into homes for tighter insulation and better security, they’re a durable feature and one that should last a very long time.
The air between the two sheets of glass in double glazing is pressurised, and therefore act as a shock absorber, meaning that heavy objects can be thrown against the window and usually bounce back. That being said, it is still possible to accidentally smash double glazing, and we certainly wouldn’t recommend throwing anything at yours!
Things do go wrong, though, and with that in mind, here are some common ways people accidentally break double glazing.
It is common knowledge that the corners of double glazing are the weakest part of the window.
Usually enforced for an emergency evacuation procedure, hitting a sharp object at the corner of a double-glazing window with a little force can weaken and break the window.
But of course, that means any sharp object thrown at or forced into the corner can also accidentally shatter your window.
Accidental (and, sometimes, purposeful) double-glazing breakages often start with the story of a neighbour or passer by throwing a rock or stone and it hitting the window.
While rock damage is usually not a problem for double glazing, there are some occasions where they could do some damage.
Lawnmowing is another example where breakages can happen, when sharp objects are caught in the blades and flung from the lawnmower as it cuts the grass. A very unfortunate and, thankfully, rare event, but it does happen!
If any sharp object was thrown hard enough to cause significant damage to double glazing, you might notice a crack in the glass that, on the surface, looks harmless.
In fact, any accidental small cracks are likely to create a weak point in the glass, which over time might result in a full breakage of the double glazing.
The most common time for double glazing to accidentally break is during the winter, which is less than convenient for keeping your home warm during days and nights of sub-freezing temperatures.
When your home temperature is considerably different to that of outside, you could accidentally shatter your double-glazing window from the inside. This is because the freezing temperatures from outside can affect the integrity of the glass and window structure, depending on how tough your double glazing is.
During the colder months, be sure to turn your heating down every now and again, especially if you have a radiator by your window, to ensure you don’t interfere with the pressurisation of air in-between the sheets of glass in your double glazing.
It’s also possible for your double glazing to break on a summer’s day, when direct sunlight beams straight onto your window, creating a similar situation.
Just bear in mind that during the winter, south facing windows are particularly affected.
Although it’s highly unlikely you will ever break your double-glazing windows, accidents can occur!
Knowing in advance these common ways people and other outside factors can break your windows, will hopefully hep you prevent any accidents.
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