ContactShatterproof glass can provide significant improvements both in security and in safety.
In a residential application, shatterproof glass can be as crystal clear as standard glass to blend in excellently and provide clear lines of sight.
There are many reasons a homeowner would want their glass to be unbreakable. What first comes mind to most is burglary prevention. Most people’s homes or apartments are replete with windows on all sides of their house. This presents significant opportunity for the simplest of burglary attacks to gain entry, as simple as taking a nearby loose brick to shatter window glass.
Shatter resistant glass can protect against these brute force methods. Shatter proof glass typically is composed of layers of glass sandwiched around layers of polyvinyl butyral (PVB) or ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA). Rather than the window shattering, this allows the glass to absorb the impact into a “spider-web” shape, while still retaining its fixed shape.
There are different levels of shatter proof glass. The first levels, P1A – P5A, focus on impact resistance. Their certification achieved through withstanding impact from an 8lb steel ball being dropped at varying heights on to the glass.
Higher levels, namely P6B – P8B, offer significant more protection, more akin to the efforts of a determined criminal. This burglar resistant glass is designed to withstand the tools employed in these cases, such as axes, according to Pilkington:
Shatter Resistant European Standards
EN 356 : 1999 : ‘Glass in building – Security glazing – Testing and classification of resistance against manual attack’
- Hard object drop impact
- Axe impact
EN 356 : 1999 Classifications
- Hard object drop test
8lb steel sphere (4 inch diameter)
To achieve level P1A: 3 drops from 5 feet
To achieve level P2A: 3 drops from 10 feet
To achieve level P3A: 3 drops from 20 feet
To achieve level P4A: 3 drops from 30 feet
To achieve level P5A: 9 drops from 30 feet
- Axe test
Method: Hammer attack followed by axe strikes
To achieve level P6B: Able to withstand 30 – 50 strikes
To achieve level P7B: Able to withstand 50 – 70 strikes
To achieve level P6B: Able to withstand over 70+ strikes
As can be seen from the above chart, a criminal attempting break in to one’s home would significantly tire long before a P6B or above window could be made a small opening through. Even if a small area is eventually penetrated, the shatter resistant glass will significantly slow down the burglars entry and exit of the home, allowing for a significantly higher chance of the police arriving in time. Bullet proof home windows can provide even further protection.
Another household application of shatter proof glass is for storm protection. Especially in the USA, a large area of livable areas are at frequent risk of tornados and other intense storms. Not only can glass be at risk of creating an opening for shrapnel from a tornado to enter the house, but shattering glass can itself be the most dangerous, like dozens of knives flying in the air.
In fact, it is estimated that 60% of the injuries from the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing were attributed to flying or falling glass shards.
Shatter resistant windows can provide the safety in the event of these extreme storms, to keep the storm safely outside and clear from unnecessary debris.
Our team at Fortified Estate can advise you on the right shatterproof glass for your home or apartment to keep your home as beautiful as it should be secure.
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