Creative Mirror Design presents, a little information regarding tempered glass.
A frequent misconception about tempered glass regards its resistance to
breakage. Many people consider it “unbreakable” and this is not at all true to form. As with
every other type of glass, tempered glass can also break.
Glass breaks when it is exposed to stress that glass cannot withstand. To increase its
strength and heat resistance annealed glass can be subjected to a thermal treatment
or chemical process. Tempered glass is obtained using this process, and its final for is
four to five times as strong as annealed glass of the same type and thickness. When
tempered glass is broken it shatters into many small fragments, which will prevent major
injuries. Traditionally due to the
characteristics of tempered glass shower enclosures, table tops, and glass shelving is
used more than any other so to avoid a major injury. Tempered glass should receive
the same care however as annealed glass. Unfortunately, the perception that tempered
glass is unbreakable may mislead people to provide less care while handling. Careless
handling and improper installation sometimes produce damage, which leads to
spontaneous or delayed breakage. This means that occasionally a sheet of glass will
not shatter immediately at the time of damage, but perhaps weeks later. Inclusions in
glass such as NiS can also trigger a delayed breakage effect. Nickel sulphide inclusion,
also known as NiS, occurs during the manufacturing process for float glass. In a glass
batch, nickel-rich contaminants such as stainless steel might be present, and then
combined with sulphur to form NiS inclusions. To minimize the risk of NiS breakages,
a heat soak test is performed. Although some spontaneous breakages occur due to
the above mentioned factors, much breakage is called “spontaneous” because there
is no clear or easily visible cause. This is why you, the consumer, should always trust
the installation to a trained glass professional for proper installation. After all you are
investing in your home a product which should last for a very long time, as long as it is
taken care of accordingly.
Borrowed in part from: www.Glassonweb.com For further information visit their website
more information.
