Laminated Glass
Hulk not smash. Laminated glass is tough enough to be used on your car windshield, so it holds up well should you live in areas frequently at risk of hurricanes or inclement weather. For Nashville, you may find laminated glass more commonly on commercial real estate. Either way, laminated glass is not impenetrable and should be cleaned with non-abrasive material. It may be tougher to break, but no one said it wouldn’t scratch!
Tempered Glass
This is safety glass that you might find on cars or even smartphones. The glass is designed to crack into small pieces, and is several times stronger than annealed glass (more on that shortly!). Tempered glass can be expensive, so they aren’t commonly found on most homes. Standard cleaning rules apply though, even if it’s just used on your kitchen appliances or coffee table.
Annealed Glass
Once a standard for windows, annealed glass isn’t as common as it used to be. That’s because it’s not the ‘safest’ of all glass types, given that it breaks into large chunks upon fracturing. This type of glass is most commonly found on small windows. Larger windows present too great at challenge given the wear / tear of the environment. Because it’s not the strongest glass, gently clean annealed windows with a squeegee. Too much elbow grease can crack the surface.
Insulated Glass
Common in multi-paned windows. The added space between glass allows the manufacturer to add certain types of gas to (spoiler) provide better insulation. This results in better temperature control. Insulated glass is quite common these days; no special cleaning requirements to note, but do keep in mind that if one pane cracks, you’ll lose insulation gasses.
Low-E Glass
Low-emissivity glass reflects radiation; it keeps the heat out during the summer, and in during the winter. It’s a neat parlor trick that can save you money, but saving comes at an increased initial price. Unlike some other types of glass, you can buy a low-E film instead of fully replacing your windows to reflect UV.
Platinum Window Cleaning specializes in cleaning all types of windows, including those not listed above. Are you curious about what type of windows you have, or just have a general window cleaning question? Call us today and we’ll gladly help scope your next window cleaning project.
