Running a company comes with many challenges. Challenges include insurance, paperwork, managing employees and finding new ways to grow. Reducing the number of interruptions helps you focus on what matters. No one wants to find their property broken into. Nor do they want their customers to get injured with broken glass. Thieves primarily break into a home or storefront through a glass door or window. While completely protecting your business from every problem remains impossible, you can protect your customers and your business with proper safety and security glass. Several technologies currently exist in the market making glass stronger and more difficult to break. Here we discuss available technologies and newly added technologies for the future.
Security Versus Safety
No glass exists that can claim to be absolutely break-proof; however, amazing technologies exist that make glass incredibly strong and break-resistant. When deciding what type of glass you want to get, first ask yourself what is most important for your business and its location. Is your business located in a high-crime area? Do you need to provide protection to children who may bump into glass? Do outsiders know you have high priced, easy to steal items? Are there places you need to protect people and other places you need to protect your business? Basically are you more concerned about safety or security? Which glass technology you need depends on the answers to these questions.
Glass Classifications and Standards
Several organizations provide classifications and standards for glass used in buildings. When deciding which glass to choose, use these organizations’ classifications to help. These organizations include the following.
- The American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM): This organization sets and tests the standards for a variety of materials. Materials include glass’s ability to resist forced entry and explosions.
- The Underwriters Laboratory (UL): This organization creates answers to security challenges for customers and stakeholders. They classify glass based on its resistance to firearms and different bullets.
- The European Standard (EN): This document provides rules, guidelines and results of common and repeated use on a variety of materials. For glass, they measure how well security glass withstands axes, sledgehammer, torches and other forced entry attempts.
Safety Glass
Safety glass costs less than security glass. When you are not especially concerned about crime, choose safety glass. Safety glass’s strength helps prevent easy breakage. If it breaks, it will not leave sharp shards of glass everywhere. This prevents people from becoming severely injured when accidentally breaking the glass. In the following, you will learn about different technologies used in safety glass.
Tempered Safety Glass
Tempered glass is also known as toughened glass. It uses both thermal and chemical reactions to increase its strength. While it does not hold up under sustained physical attack, it cuts less easily when it breaks. It can be used in a variety of applications including windshields and buildings in earthquake-prone areas. Its versatility opens it to use in a custom spiral staircase as well as a fundamental structural external piece for buildings. Its total strength offers four to five times that of normal glass. It is also generally easy to install.
Cyclone Glass
As indicated by its name, cyclone glass protects buildings from extreme weather. Cyclone glass allows for expansion and contraction without breaking. If shattered the glass remains within the laminate, preventing glass shards from flying through the room. This is especially useful in areas prone to hurricanes, tornadoes, or cyclones.
Security Glass
When it comes to security, what you want is time. Thieves want to be in and out quickly. Banging on a window for several minutes eventually draws attention, something they don’t want. No technologies guarantee unbreakable glass. However, security glass takes a long time for a thief to break. This deters a burglar and gives your system time to alert the authorities. Security glass is generally stronger than safety glass. It is also more difficult to break. Most security glass breaks into non-lethal granules which will not cut the skin. Some security glass remains trapped within its frame after it breaks. Also, strengthened panes resist handheld weapons, projectiles, a bullet and even explosions. This makes it more ideal for building security.
Security Screen Glass
Security screen glass is made from high-grade polyacrylic layered with annealed or toughened glass. Its thickness ranges from 7.9 to 18mm. This composition resists attack with common hand tools such as hammers, pliers, axes, bricks and screwdrivers for between 60 and 120 seconds. Security screen stays in place once broken, providing a difficult-to-pass-through protective screen.
Laminated Glass
Creators generate laminated glass by sandwiching a durable plastic interlayer (usually polyvinyl butyral or PVB) between two panes of strengthened glass. Developers chemically bond the glass and PVB together during the manufacturing process. This makes it incredibly difficult to break. It comes in varying thicknesses. Once it reaches five or more centimeters, it becomes “bulletproof.” This glass is often used in aquariums, banks, and armored vehicles. This glass doubles as safety glass.
Acrylic
Acrylic is comprised of a single sheet of plastic between 31-38mm thick. While not technically glass, acrylic is an excellent security option. It costs less than laminated security glass. UL lists it at a level three on the UL752 standards for bulletproof glass (aka. ballistic glass, transparent armor). Since it breaks instead of shatters, it also doubles as safety glass. It tends to yellow so it needs surface glazing to prevent this.
Polycarbonate
Polycarbonate is one of the strongest non-glass security products available today. It claims 300 times the impact resistance of a standard pane of float glass. It withstands a sustained attack while maintaining the appearance of normal glass. Weapons used against it simply bounce off. While the glass surface may become compromised, the tough inner-core remains un-penetrated. It can withstand an attack lasting from five to thirty minutes. This solution also tends to yellow after about six months requiring a surface coating.
Security Films
If you wish to keep your current glass but need more security, add a security film. Add Security films to existing glass to increase the strength and shatter-resistance. While they enhance the performance of installed glass they aren’t strong enough to be considered “bulletproof.” Thickness ranges between 2-15mm. Most basic business security films range between four and six millimeters.
Upcoming Technology
Researchers at the University of Tokyo and Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute have developed a new glass as strong as steel and nearly as unbreakable. They mix alumina with traditional silicon dioxide. Researchers have experimented with alumina for years. However, the alumina crystallizes with the container when mixed with silicon dioxide. To create the proper reaction, the alumina and silicon dioxide must bond in the air. These Japanese researchers have developed a way to accomplish this. They use gas to push the components into the air and then melt them together using two lasers. This process is called aerodynamic levitation. This is no small feat. This allows the chemical elements to synthesize together without crystallization. Scientists are currently working on a way to mass-produce this process.
Making the Selection
Relying on security systems to protect homes or businesses is not enough. You must install safety and security glass as appropriate for protection of your business. Businesses use security plastics such as acrylics and polycarbonate more commonly for indoor solutions. They likewise use tempered and laminated security glass to protect store windows and glass doors. Analyzing your company’s risk for break-in with the varying cost and benefits of security glass will help you decide which option is best for you and your business.
Contact a representative from Specialty Windows for help with your safety and security glass project. As a leading specialist in the industry, Specialty Windows commits to provide you with the best service while preserving our professional integrity. We offer a safe work environment in every job we do. Call us today for a free quote. We pledge to provide you with the best service and commercial window products at the best price. Our representatives personally come to your business to determine your needs. We ensure that your new windows are guaranteed to save you both money and grief for years to come. Also, check out Specialty Home Products for our residential glass services.