Heat-strengthened and tempered glass windows are similar, but there are a few differences. If you have windows that will experience dramatic temperature changes, choose glass that's better able to resist cracking, such as tempered, heat-strengthened or tinted insulating glass. Work with your architect to plan and control the amount of sun each window receives. If you're planning a new addition or construction project, preventing stress cracks in new windows starts at the architectural stage. Changes in the season and dramatic temperature changes are also common causes.
#Steel ball run crack open a cold one full
If the wind blows down a large tree, or if a new house goes up next door, for example, previously shaded areas of your home will now be in full sun, causing the thermal stress cracks. In some instances, changes in the way your home is shaded can crack your windows.
Stress cracks aren't necessarily related to the age of your windows. However, this means new windows are more prone to this type of stress crack than older homes. In this instance, the architectural design of the home is as much to blame as the glass. And once the expansion and contraction of the glass becomes too much, it cracks.
This is because the shadows from these overhangs create an extreme change in glass temperature - the shady side is cool and the sunny side gets hot. Larger windows are more prone to cracking than smaller ones, particularly if they're beneath overhands or are recessed behind a protruding wall. Now that you know what causes cracks, you need to examine the window. Identifying the Reason for the Crack in Your New Window
Pressure cracks, on the other hand, have a pattern that resembles the curve of an hourglass. The point of impact is the center of the crack. If the window is hit with a ball, for example, it will get a starburst-like impact crack. Just be aware that cladding and trim can hide the edge of the glass, so you may not see them right away. After that, the crack may spider in any direction. Thermal stress cracks start about a half inch away from the edge and run perpendicular to the glass. Identifying a stress crack is easy, if you can see the edge of the glass. And if the contraction and expansion is significant enough, and the dish is thin or has a flaw, it will break. As the cold water touches the glass of the baking dish, it causes an uneven increase in thermal expansion. Think of it like pouring ice cold water into a hot glass baking dish you just took out of the over. Eventually, the stress from the expansion overcomes the strength of the glass, causing it to buckle and crack. Thermal stress cracks, or "stress cracks" as they're more commonly known, occur in windows when an extreme change in temperature, in a short distance, causes different parts of the glass to expand at different rates. There is a scientific reason for the crack that has suddenly appeared on your new window. How do you make sure it doesn't happen again? Should you choose a different manufacturer? What caused it? Well, it depends, but you can't place all the blame on the window. Cracks in a new window can be extremely frustrating.