Window glass is one of those materials people tend to never think about. After all, windows are made to be looked through, not at. Unless there’s a problem with a window, like a crack, break, or the fact it lets cold breezes in, we take our windows for granted.
That may be a mistake. Glass is a man-made material, and if there’s one thing we know about man-made materials, it’s that humanity continually tries to get better at making them. Some of the most exciting advances in glass technology have come to us from the world of mobile devices: Ford just reported that it plans to use the strong, lightweight glass that protects smartphone screens in some of its cars.
The glass used in today’s replacement windows is similarly advanced. For example, throughout history,glass windows have been characterized by their fragility. Glass windows break: all you have to do is throw a baseball at one, right? Not so much anymore. In the 1990’s, hurricane windows came on the market. Designed to stand up to the incredible forces of major weather events, hurricane windows are also known as impact windows. Forget about baseballs: these windows are tested by having a section of wooden 2X4 shot out of a cannon at them going 34 miles an hour!
Another neat advance in glass technology you’ll be able to see at your window replacement company in the South Shore is privacy glass. Privacy glass uses liquid crystal technology to switch from clear to opaque. This makes it super simple to enjoy the view when you want to, with absolute privacy available on demand.
The reason most people visit the window replacement company in the South Shore is to find windows that are more energy efficient. Older windows, especially those installed before the 80’s, don’t always do a great job of keeping warm air in and cold air out. Technological advancements including low e-glass and gas-filled windows have proven to do a superior job in keeping South Shore families comfortable.