With another devastating hurricane season winding down, it is important for builders and contractors to do what they can to ensure the safety of their restoration, remodel, and new construction projects. Building for extreme weather gives your customers peace of mind and helps increase value, and using impact glass in the exterior doors of a home plays an important role. We've put together an infographic on the 4 reasons to care about impact glass for your 2023 projects. Download it now and read on for more information.
1. Building materials matter for severe weather protection
In areas where severe weather is common, including wind-borne debris regions and high-velocity hurricane zones, buildings are at risk of intense damage during storms. If homes are built with standard materials, it can mean extensive and expensive damage for the homeowner, as well as making the home unsafe during extreme weather events for anyone to shelter in. It’s also important to note that some states offer tax credits in exchange for using weather protection materials.
The building materials used in severe weather regions need to meet the building codes and insurance approvals in that area in order to protect your customers. Different states and counties will have different requirements, with areas on the coast having the strictest codes. If you build in an area that occasionally receives severe weather, you may want to choose to upgrade to impact products and offer customers additional value and peace of mind.
2. The construction of impact glass maintains the structural envelope of a home
All doorglass is made with tempered glass, which is designed to break into small pieces during an impact. During a hurricane or other severe storm, this can cause debris to enter the home and damage the integrity of the entire structure, which can lead to the roof blowing off of the home or other serious destruction. Most areas that are in severe weather zones will require impact glass as an alternative.
Impact glass, also called hurricane glass or severe weather glass, is made using a lamination process where a plastic film is placed between two glass pieces. This protective film will hold the glass together in the case of an impact and prevent the glass debris from coming into the home. It stands up to high winds of 130-140 miles per hour, and in addition provides noise insulation, and even additional home security against break-ins.
3. Impact glass is tested for hurricane conditions
At ODL, we take impact glass to the next level by also thinking about the doorglass frame and the door system, which needs to have the same integrity as the glass itself. That’s why our product stand out against the competition. Our severe weather doorglass goes through extensive testing, including tests on impact, water infiltration, pressure, slam tests, moisture, and more. These tests allow our product to be certified for local building codes and insurance coverage, helping homeowners protect their families and homes.
4. Using impact glass adds value for your customers
Our impact doorglass and frame is the best available for homes that are being built in areas that see frequent severe weather. By using ODL severe weather impact glass products, you are able to provide even more value to your homeowners by protecting their property and loved ones while providing peace of mind.
For more information on impact glass, we've put together a resource page for professionals and homeowners with details on our certifications, safety standards, and the benefits of using impact glass.
