I have a client that claims to have had a custom 3/8″ tempered shower panel (neo angle with metal header) shatter when he was at work. Apparantly there was no one in the house when the fixed panel spontaneously broke. The shower panel system was installed 2-1/2 years ago by a reputable glass specialist. Has anyone had similar instances with interior tempered glass enclosures?
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simple question.........
no, never.
Have had window glass break, but it was found to be a warping of the framing and not enough clearance allowed in the setting of the glass.
"3/8......custom"
The panel
"3/8......custom"
The panel was not properly heat treated
OTOH, I did have 3 old patio doors still in the frames in the back waiting to be turned into for 'custom' skylights.
One hot summer day all 3 'spontaneously' broke
when i was not watching where the boom was when I drove past with the backhoe...... maybe had something to do with it.
Did have a 34-year-old toilet tank split open down the side while we were out of the house. Sith happens.
And I've seen windows crack from sunlight heating, when something (ice, the odd crystal glass dodad, etc) focused the sun on one spot.
Basically three potential causes (possibly in combination):
1) A flaw in the original glass -- a tiny inclusion, non-uniform heat treating, etc.
2) A screw, bracket, or other object pressing on a spot on the edge. The edges of tempered glass are quite sensitive and a very minor scratch will quickly propagate.
3) Something causing irregular heating, highly concentrated in one spot. This will most likely be sunlight, focused somehow.
safety glass
So you think that spontaneous breakage was caused by a screw wiggling its way out (on the fixed panel) or that the heat treatment was not done properly? Remember, the panel was installed 2-1/2 years ago.
Had the same experience with a tempered glass tabletop. Woke my wife and I up in the middle of the night when it exploded. Mfgr. replaced the top and said while it wasn't common for them to shatter it wasn't uncommon either. Any pressure on the edge will do it.
tempered glass
How old was the tabletop before the explosion?