This morning (it's been between 85-95 degrees the last few days, we put to AC on yesterday morning to approx. 75 degrees) I heard a loud POP by my patio door - we have a sliding glass door. Then I heard what sounded like heavy rain against the windows surrounding the sliding glass door (it seems like it's part of the structure of the door rather than a separate window). I looked, and to my horror, it was crackling and cracking into millions of tiny cracks. This lasted about ten minutes. The glass did not fall out, but it's all shattered (like the storefront of a chi-chi boutique) I cannot feel any cracks, which I assume means it's a double paned-window. There is no "place of impact" and there is nothing to indicate anything hit it - why did this happen and how do I fix it?? This is my first place - its about 3 years old. It's part of a large condo complex.
2007-06-27 16:02:31 · 5 answers · asked by Jacob & Adam's Mommy 3 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
The glass is "tempered," it is designed to shatter like this, rather than in large chards that can cause major damage. It would have to get very hot on the glass itself, and then have very cold air blow across it to shatter this way. Do the A/C vents point to the door so that they blow directly on the door? It may have been a soft impact, like a kickball or soccer ball, but with such force as to shatter the glass.
If you aren't able to replace the door yourself, you will need to hire a reputable window company in your area. Call around and ask for some quotes. Your home owner's insurance may help you out, if the cost is double or more your deductible. If not double, pay for the door yourself if you can afford it, else your insurance rate will go up higher than the cost of the door.
2007-06-27 16:25:44 · answer #1 · answered by OrakTheBold 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most windows have a 10 year warrenty on them. If you can see betwen the glass there should be what's called a seal. On that seal will be the date of manufacture and also the company that made it. Give them a call or your local company that suppies these windows and have them look at it. Or get ahold of your condo fixer upper guy and ask him to check into it. If it's only 3 years old, it should be fixed free.
2007-06-28 02:16:30 · answer #2 · answered by albertaguy7 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do you pay condo fees? They may cover this. I've heard of this happening w/ a car window before when a car was very hot in the summer and had not been run in a few weeks. Maybe their was moisture b/t the glass panes and the heat caused it to expand.
2007-06-27 23:13:56 · answer #3 · answered by Michelle G 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The window is tempered glass, which such windows must be by code, and when tempered glass fails, that is what you see. The cause of the failure could have been anything -- an impact from a pebble, stress from differential thermal expansion, or something else. My guess is thermal stress. Time to replace it; it will cost a fair amount of money.
2007-06-27 23:12:57 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
temperd glass will shatter from the slightest nick on the edge maybe your seal wore out maybe shot with a bb sometimes bird orcats exspecting the door to be open sometimes its worth calling exsperianced glaziers it all depends on your macanical abillity any way if you use the door alot or not put an old blanket under pain utill you get replaced nothing like picking up a thousand little pieces sometimes condos will replace look into that it may lead you to a glassman if nothing else if doors in bad shapeframewise replace hole door its cheaper
2007-06-27 23:19:09 · answer #5 · answered by nile 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋