I heard what sounded like a small explosion coming from the bathroom upstairs, so I ran to see what was going on...the shower door appeared to have just exploded, for no reason! Our house is less than 2 years old, and I don't know who the glass manufacturer is. There wasn't a breeze or an open window to slam it shut (I think it was closed anyway). Just wondering if anyone has ever heard of this happening and what caused it??
2007-02-18 19:22:22 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
It's as shower/tub combo unit with a framed glass enclosed shower area - I think it's called an "H" hinge that's on the door...my son took a shower about 3 hrs. before it happened, but it isn't really cold here, it's like 70...?? Maybe it is a mad spirit! Oh NOOOOO!
2007-02-18 19:58:29 · update #1
Sometimes tempered glass will do that for apparently no reason, and the glass will shatter into a billion pieces -- lots of glass.
It could also be the house settling and it caused the walls to close in slightly on the glass. Did the frame seem stuck?
2007-02-18 19:24:58 · answer #1 · answered by Mickey Mouse Spears 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Glass Shower Door Spontaneously Shatter
2016-11-08 09:15:36 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes they do that. Yes it is from tension in the glass as it changes temperature. One time I had been working on my car and discovered a major problem. I was totally dejected. I was standing in my hallway staring directly at the shower door thinking what else could go wrong and then POP, the whole door shattered in to little pieces. They didn't fall out though. Then it started. Tink. Tink Tink little bits started popping out until it all started falling apart. I knew why it happened though. The heat had been on in the bathroom after showering to dry it out and it was cooling off. Tempered glass is made with a blend of two different kinds of glass. The normal made with oxygen and thermal made with boron. If not blended perfectly well there is more of one than the other in spots. They have different rates of expansion. So when there are temperature changes if not mixed well enough it creates tension within the glass. The tempered glass with more of the boron type glass is better and less likely to crack like that. But it is much more expensive, too expensive for doors. I worked in a lab many years using a lot of tempered glass flasks and beakers. It also surprised me that with a new case of glass some would break from use after a few heatings and some would last years. I was told that the expansion coefficient and the mixing of the glass was the reason. So I not only know a glass door can shatter by itself from changes in temperature, I saw it happen.
2016-03-18 02:40:42 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The glass might of had a non visible defect somewhere in it's structure and eventually caused it to break. The glass used for showers is safety glass to instead of splintering into shards it would more safely shatter into pieces.
The defect would of made the glass weaken as you used the shower, maybe you knocked in to it or heat stress etc until eventually at some point the integrity of the glass was breached and it just went "POP" When something eventually goes it just goes and not require an observer to do so. A normal glass pane that is not safety glass would of just had a crack run down it. Safety glass would shatter into tiny and therefore safer pieces and not crack as cracks would make knife like shards of glass that could potentially kill if a person fell on them.
Saying that Gene L has an equally good explaination also.
2007-02-18 19:28:21 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have seen it happen. You already have several really good answers. For some reason I cannot rate them positive, tonight.
They talk of tempered glass and heat stress or the door seeming to be stuck.
It could be too that the glass slipped in its frame and banged a corner. Even a hinge could have slipped while the door was closed. That door is not as light as it seems while opening and closing it.
2007-02-18 19:49:12 · answer #5 · answered by eks_spurt 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've heard of this happening too. It takes a series of coincidences but something like; an invisible weakness that occasionally takes a knock coupled with faster than usual temperature change (a really hot shower on a cold day followed by a drop back to room temperature), may explain it. Luckily it's a rare occurrence.
2007-02-18 19:28:50 · answer #6 · answered by Bart S 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Definitely sounds like a manufacturer's defect, coupled with change of temperature and humidity. In any case, this shouldn't happen.
I'm assuming someone too a hot shower within an hour before this happend? Just wondering.
...because this is very odd.
2007-02-18 19:50:33 · answer #7 · answered by ? 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Possibly there was a pressure point on the glass caused by a dent in the frame.
2007-02-18 19:41:25 · answer #8 · answered by Ellen J 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Perhaps an angry spirit of the dead.
Better check and see if your 2 year old house might have been built on top of an ancient Indian burial ground.
2007-02-18 19:33:10 · answer #9 · answered by GeneL 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It could have been put in too tight or your tub move a bit. The frost could have heaved your house. It could be manufacture default. Contact the store where you got it or contact the builders or who ever installed it. It should be under warranty
2007-02-18 19:30:07 · answer #10 · answered by Stars 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋