![]() And in many cases, polycarbonate shatterproof windows and laminated safety glass may act as a deterrent. The main reason property owners consider investing in unbreakable glass options is to prevent break-ins. Both May Be Good Solutions for Keeping out Intruders.In terms of energy consumption, this can mean lower power bills, as the home is more capable of retaining heat in the winter and keeping it out in the summer. These unbreakable glass windows are poor heat conductors, which means that temperatures don’t tend to equalize from one side to the other. Both Can Improve Home Energy EfficiencyĪlthough regular glass is fairly effective at insulating homes, polycarbonate and laminated glass windows are even more so.Both polycarbonate and laminated glass windows can generally be retrofitted into existing frames, bringing down some of the potential cost of upgrading. If you decide to invest in either of the options mentioned above, you can at least be happy that you won’t have to replace your window frames. Here, we take a closer look at the pros and cons of unbreakable glass for home windows. Whether you’re considering polycarbonate windows or laminated glass windows, you need to be aware of the advantages and disadvantages. But are they a worthwhile investment? The Pros and Cons of Investing in Unbreakable Glass In both cases, these ‘ unbreakable glass ’ windows offer increased protection against home invasion. On the other hand, laminated glass is much heavier than traditional glass, and should only be installed by a trained professional. So, most attempts at smashing laminated glass result in a ruined window, but without any sort of hole for a burglar to gain entry through. Although a strong enough impact will shatter the glass layers, the plastic interlayers hold tightly to the pieces and keep them from scattering. The difference lies in what happens to the glass once it breaks. Laminated glass is nearly as ‘breakable’ as traditional glass. Essentially, the plastic layer is sandwiched between the glass layers, which are fused through high heat and pressure. These windows are made from a kind of safety glass (such as is used in car windshields) which consists of two or more layers of glass, attached to and separated by plastic interlayers. Laminated windows are a combination of traditional glass and transparent plastic. Also, polycarbonate tends to swell and distort slightly in extreme heat, which can negatively affect how the window sits in its frame or whether the latches will be able to close properly. ![]() While polycarbonate windows are extremely resistant to breaking, shattering, and chipping, the material itself is much softer than glass, and thus much more susceptible to scratches and weathering. Polycarbonate is made from fused panels of thick synthetic resin, which makes it a good choice for shatterproof windows. But semantics aside, there are two products currently available that are marketed as ‘ unbreakable windows ’ for home use: Polycarbonate WindowsĪlthough not actually ‘glass,’ polycarbonate windows are able to mimic the transparency of glass, but with approximately 250x the impact resistance (and 50%–60% less weight). ![]() Unfortunately, there’s no such thing as actual, unbreakable glas s - given enough force, any material will eventually break. In the most basic sense, ‘ unbreakable glass ’ is exactly what it sounds like: glass that can’t be broken. But is unbreakable glass a good investment? And more importantly, is it an effective form of protection? What Is Unbreakable Glass? In answer to this problem, some residents are turning to a less-conventional solution: unbreakable glass. And although unlocked windows are certainly the preferred target, in many cases home invaders will go so far as to smash their way through the glass itself.īut what can homeowners do? Windows are pretty much the definition of ‘standard’ when it comes to home design, and unless you want to adopt the prison cell look and install iron bars, your windows will always be among the first places an invader will consider. In nearly a fourth of all break-ins, burglars take advantage of windows to gain access to the home.
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