Take a look through impact rated glass and
see the difference for yourself!
Impact rated glass replacement windows are made with laminated glass. The inner layer is made of polyvinyl butyral. It is a plastic layer between two sheets of glass. Impact glass is stronger than a car windshield. The glass might shatter if a heavy object crashes into it, but it won’t break to bits. That makes wind less likely to penetrate the envelope of a home, which creates interior pressure severe enough to blow your home’s roof off.
Impact rated glass windows must meet certain guidelines in order to be marketed and sold as such. The American Society for Testing & Materials (ASTM) has strict guidelines (E1886 and E1996) for impact resistant windows before it can be certified as impact resistant. In Clearwater, for instance, the building codes state that all homes constructed after July 2001 must have hurricane shutters or impact rated glass and window frames for exterior openings in a house to protect against wind-borne debris.
Lets break down the components of an impact rated glass replacement window pane.
- ProSolar® Low E Glass coatings reflect infrared light keeping heat inside in the winter and outside in the summer. It can also reduce fading of carpet, artwork and photos by helping block damaging ultraviolet rays.
- Double-strength Annealed or Tempered Glass is much stronger than real glass making it more durable and suitable for other uses.
- Argon gas helps insulate a room and minimize the transfer of heat through the window. It’s a colorless, odorless gas and not harmful in any way if leaking should occur.
- Laminated glass significantly improves a window’s ability to withstand breakage, adds color and sound control, and helps meet building codes and requirements.
- Intercept® Spacer provides a superior tight seal against stress caused by thermal expansion, has superior strength and stability between the panes and is a temperature buffer – preventing the transfer of hot and cold from one separated pane to another.
