Safety glass windows requirements

Metal Roofs. Modular Homes. Rain Gutters. Older and Historic Houses. Crawl Spaces. Building Permits. Life Expectancy. Clay Soil. Common Problems. Garages and Carports. Flat Low Slope Roofs. Electrical Panels. Sprinkler Systems. Hurricane Resistance. Home Inspection. Heating and Air Conditioning. Building Codes. Fireplaces and Chimneys. In recent years the areas of your home where safety glass is required has increased, while the allowances for ordinary glass areas has decreased.

While these are the minimum areas that require safety glass you may want to consider using it in additional spaces, especially where children are active. There are two types of safety glass available — toughened and laminated glass.

Alternatively, glass safety film can be applied to existing windows and glass areas. The high strength and unique design of laminated glass prevents it from shattering into large shards when broken. It is made from two or more sheets of glass bonded together with a flexible interlayer.

In the event of breaking, the glass is held in place by the vinyl interlayer and forms a web-like pattern. The interlayer does not impact the transparency of the glass but will reduce damaging UV rays fading interior furnishings.

Laminated glass is your best option for security in the home. It generally takes two blows to break laminated glass with several further blows to create a hole. In contrast, toughened glass can be accessed with a single blow of a hammer.

Used in various applications for its safety benefit, toughened glass is four to five times stronger than ordinary glass of the same thickness. It is treated in a heat furnace to induce internal stresses which give the glass strength.

If broken, toughened glass fractures into small blunt pieces. They are critical to the look and aesthetic of the house. Residential Building Codes have requirements for window safety, energy performance, and a minimum amount of daylight and ventilation for rooms.

Your architect designer, builder, or window dealer can help you make sure the windows you choose meet the Building Code. But two of these considerations deserve some additional explanation because they can have an impact on your design and budget. Most house windows are built with standard strength glass. But depending on the location of the window within house, special glass may be needed.

If a window is close to a door, above a bath tub, on a staircase or landing, or if the glass is within 18 inches of the floor, tempered glass or safety glass will probably be required. Tempered glass is much stronger than standard glass and if it breaks, it shatters into small, round-edged pieces instead of breaking into dangerous shards.

Safety glass, also called laminated glass or monolithic glass, is made with a plastic film sandwiched inside the glass that keeps the glass from breaking into shards and falling away. Car windshields are made of safety glass. You may want safer glass in other locations that the Building Code does not demand.

Think back to your own childhood. It happens. However, tempered glass and safety glass are more expensive that standard glass.