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Replacing standard glass with other options that do not shatter as readily can give you more peace of mind about the safety of your home. Depending on the thickness of the glass and the determination of an individual trying to gain entry, laminated security glass can delay entry by at least four minutes to total non-entry. Security window film is often far less expensive to install and can also offer added benefits, like energy savings, sun control, and UV protection. Polycarbonates are thermoplastic polymers that are strong, tough, and optically clear. It is a third the weight of acrylic, and the layers of polycarbonate are soft and flexible. They absorb and diffuse the energy from impacts, rather than resisting them.
Both types of unbreakable glass are also ideal for homes and businesses in storm-prone regions. We’re here to tell you that glass isn’t really unbreakable, but there are two popular window materials that are marketed as “unbreakable” that help keep your home and family safe from broken shards and break-ins. A small rock thrown from under a lawnmower, a tree branch torn off in a storm, or a baseball hit from the neighbor kids playing all can seem to hone in directly on a home window. Glass shatters easily, which also makes it a favorite way for burglars to access a home.
Will it look like my existing glass?
Laminated glass has a thin layer of PVB and/or EVA between two sheets of glass, which results in shatterproof glass. Most people are familiar with laminated glass because it is used in car windows and windshields, and also in the windows of skyscrapers and tall buildings where falling broken glass presents a hazard. Laminated glass bonded with EVA is also a very effective sound insulator and UV blocker. Installing security glass is one of the best and most practical ways to reinforce your home against break-ins and burglary attempts. Depending on the level of strength, the glass can delay forced entry by anywhere from around four minutes to complete non-entry. This extra window of time is often enough to deter criminals completely, give those inside your property time to react, and allow the authorities time to arrive.
Contact us today to discuss our shatterproof and shatter-resistant glass options. We are happy to provide a consultation to assess your property, give recommendations, and provide you with an accurate estimate. You’ve probably noticed things like photos, upholstery, furniture, carpets, and anything else you have near your standard glass windows fade over the years due to sun exposure.
Polycarbonate
As with laminated safety and security glass, there are no window films that are truly 100% shatterproof. However, there are security window films that help hold the glass in place should it be broken. These films can provide many of the same benefits as laminated safety glass to a more limited degree, but at a lower cost. Campbell offers 3M safety and security window film composed of pliable polyester Mylar that can be applied to any existing glass surfaces for added strength. Our laminated security glass contains an extremely tough thermoplastic interlayer that creates a durable and reliable security barrier for your glass windows and doors.
However, as most shatterproof laminated security glass is not completely impermeable, this word can be a little deceptive. The two types of unbreakable glass are laminated and polycarbonate windows. Laminated windows are manufactured with a thin, optically transparent plastic sandwich between two thin sheets of standard glass. On the other hand, polycarbonate windows are made of purely plastic glasses fused with flexible polycarbonate. Although a strong enough impact will shatter the glass layers, the plastic interlayers hold tightly to the pieces and keep them from scattering.
Unbreakable Windows
The interior side is made of polycarbonate, and in between are layers of PVB and/or TPU. Glass-clad polycarbonate is, clearly, slightly thicker than polycarbonate alone, but the addition of the glass layer helps to add more durability. Glass-clad polycarbonate is the highest grade of bullet-resistant glass, and can go up to a UL rating of 8. Polycarbonate is a great choice for bulletproof glass because it is so light, thin, and easy to work with. However, it is not a very durable material, and the likelihood that it will tint and degrade in UV light, and show scratches and wear over time don’t make it the ideal choice for a home.
Perhaps the most common reason why your glass windows shatter is because of kids playing baseball. Another reason why windows break is because of natural calamities such as earthquakes and hurricanes. Laminated windows are a combination of traditional glass and transparent plastic.
ArmorPlast®: the Best Ballistic Grade Window Option on the Market
The bullet-resistant glazing also resists spalling and white-out after repeated high force and ballistic impacts, helping to maintain visibility of the threat. The combined strength of these materials makes polycarbonate panels the only virtually impenetrable solution for your glass doors and windows. At Riot Glass, when we talk about unbreakable glass, what we are really referring to is laminated security glass or polycarbonate panels. It can also be installed on glass windows and doors of homes and residential complexes to help deter intruders and threats. When this type of laminated security glass does break, it holds glass shards in place to prevent the glass from shattering dangerously inwards.
Also, polycarbonate tends to swell and distort slightly in extreme heat, which can negatively affect how the window sits in its frame or whether the latches will be able to close properly. Barrier & explosion protection with facade-adapted solutions in steel frames. Like all other Riot Glass products, ArmorPlast shields can usually be retrofitted onto your existing glass and can be either back-glazed or over-glazed. ArmorPlast is the proprietary line of polycarbonate and acrylic panels designed and built by Riot Glass. For example, retailers can install it to protect their stores and merchandise against burglary, smash-and-grab theft, rioting, and looting. Sensors take a different approach; instead of trying to create an impenetrable barrier, they act as a first-response system alerting homeowners and security monitors to break-ins immediately when they occur.
So while this solution might help protect against natural disasters and storm threats, it might not be enough to protect against a bomb blast or a determined intruder. Security film can offer GSA protection up to 2, which is a measure of blast resistance, but no current security film has a UL rating. They can delay unwanted entrance into a building, and provide affordable protection from shattering, but are not bulletproof. About 5% % of these are plastic sheets, 1%% are other doors, and 1%% are custom windows.
The specifics of how shatterproof glass works aren’t too tough to understand but it’s important to know why and how it protects your home. Additionally, ArmorPlast® can be retrofitted right on top of your existing glass, so it’s much more cost-effective than undergoing a complete window replacement project. Campbell starts by assessing your security needs, discussing your goals, and creating a preliminary budget. We will also measure your windows and frames and evaluate the overall condition of your property.
When you think of bulletproof windows you might think of them as something reserved for protecting celebrities and high level government officials. However, many regular homeowners are interested in installing bullet resistant windows to provide their homes with a high level of security against everything from storm damage to forced entry. This 4-ply ballistic glass solution includes an exterior and interior layer of 1/8” AR-1 polycarbonate panels that sandwich two bonded 1/2” layers of impact-resistant polycarbonate. Polycarbonate windows are sturdier and more difficult to break than traditional glass windows. Some sources suggest that polycarbonate windows are 250 times more resistant to potential impacts and damage.
Several manufacturers now make polycarbonate products that can be adhered to existing glass windows. These sheets reinforce your existing standard windows and provide additional shatter-resistance. In other words, your best bet is to use Riot Glass or ArmorPlast riot- and bullet-resistant solutions if you are looking to have unbreakable glass and shatterproof windows. Many experts consider polycarbonate windows the gold standard when it comes to break-resistance and overall functionality, reports Window Film Depot.
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