Last time we talked about some little-known facts about glass. In this blog we’ll look at more of them.

Never Wears Out

One of the little-known facts about glass concerns its longevity. Glass literally never wears out. This makes it very appropriate for recycling. Recycling one glass bottle can save enough energy to power a 100-watt lightbulb for four hours or a computer for 30 minutes.

When one ton of glass is recycled, it saves the equivalent of ten gallons of oil.

Today in the U.S. about 80% of glass bottles go through recycling, but only about 25% of plastic containers do. Most glass bottles and jars contain about 25% recycled glass.

Been Around A Long Time

Another of the little-known facts about glass pertains to how far back in time people made and used glass. Evidence shows the area around Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Syria held glass-making shops about 3000 B.C. However, later than that the Romans spread the use of glass around their part of the world. We have them to thank for the beginning of wide-spread use of glass.

Glass Blowing

The use of glass in decorative products probably came from the art and science of glass blowing. About 2000 years ago in the Middle East this technique originated. The glassmakers then developed a hollow metal pipe still in use today to gather molten glass on the end and form a glass bubble on the other end. Then the glassmaker blows into the opposite end of the pipe and makes a glass product from the bubble. This early process made the clear type of glass we enjoy today.

Prior to this, glass typically was made by grinding and casting the glass materials resulting in an opaque glass that looked like pottery. Captain John Smith brought the technique of glass blowing to America.

Just a couple more of the little-known facts about glass.

In the Middle Ages Italian glass blowers lived on the island of Murano. Rumor has it that they were taken there to preserve the secrets of their advanced techniques. Likely also they lived there to prevent fires spreading from their furnaces.

In glass blowing, the finished product must be cooled for a long time, hours to days, in a temperature-controlled place called an annealer. If the glass product cools too quickly it forms a crystallin structure making it much more fragile.

Still more of the little-known facts about glass.

When you have any glass need, call FEDERAL GLASS AND MIRROR. Mike and John Purpura have a long family history of excellence in many types of glass replacement and installation.

Glass is a common factor in all of our lives. It’s so common we don’t often think about it. At least not until a window breaks and we have to clean up the glass. But we also don’t think about some strange facts about glass. We’re going to take a look at some of those facts.

Can Lightning Make Glass? Short answer? Yes. One of strange facts about glass is that the tremendous power in lightning can melt sand. It has to hit rock or sand and produces a type of glass called fulgurite. When lightning hits, its power quickly melts the rock or sand and just as quickly the melted sand cools forming the glass. Most of the time, these glass pieces are small and tubular, not at all like the glass you’re used to seeing.

How Fast? An interesting and one of the strange facts about glass concerns how fast the cracks of breaking glass moves. The fact is those cracks move at 3000 miles per hour! Compare this to the speed of the average airplane which is about 575 miles per hour.

Not A Solid. Glass is a solid surface, right? Well, not exactly. Another of the strange facts about glass is that it is not classified as a solid … and not as a liquid or gas, either. So what’s left? When it cools, glass becomes its own classification: An amorphous solid. This means the molecules in the glass continue moving around, even though it presents a solid surface.

Valuable Glass. One of the most intriguing of the strange facts about glass has to do with one of the most valuable glass pieces of art in the world. The Portland Vase is a cameo piece from Rome dated somewhere between A.D. 1 and A.D. 25.

Glass From Volcanoes? Another of the strange facts about glass is that it can come from volcanoes. This type of glass is called obsidian and develops when hot lava cools.

Long Lasting. The length of time it takes for glass to decompose makes up another of the strange facts about glass. How long does it take? Up to one million years!

When you have any glass need, call FEDERAL GLASS AND MIRROR. Mike and John Purpura have a long family history of excellence in many types of glass replacement and installation.

Recycling continues in importance regarding ways to protect the environment. Yet few people understand recycling. Especially the recycling process for glass.

Most of the time, when considering recycling people think about paper, plastics, or cardboard. But glass can be recycled as well.

On average, people in the U.S. use items that equate to 82 pounds of glass every year. Unfortunately, only about 26 percent of those pounds go through the recycling process.

Where does the remainder go? Into local landfills. Did you know it can take up to a million years for a glass bottle in a landfill to break down? But a glass bottle placed in a recycling bin can reappear on a local grocer’s shelf as a new container in as little as 30 days!

The recycling process for glass makes 20 percent less air pollution and 50 percent less water pollution than making the original glass. And it saves about 68 percent of the energy required for making the original glass.

Plus, glass products made from recycled glass is just as strong as new glass. However, the recycling process for glass is significant to make sure it doesn’t have impurities and doesn’t break during the processing.

To begin with, the recycling process for glass starts at home. Glass should be rinsed thoroughly and separated from any caps, lids, or bottle rings.

The reason for this is that glass mixing with anything else in the recycling process leads it to be contaminated. This is the reason for a separate bin for recycling glass.

Only bottles and jars should be put into the recycling process for glass. Other glass items such as windows or drinking glasses are made of different materials. Mixing these with glass to be recycled leads to impurities in the glass.

Once the cleaned glass gets to the recycling plant, it is sorted by color. The same colors must be recycled together in order to make the end product as pure and strong as possible.

Next step in the recycling process for glass involves washing the glass again. Following that, crushing begins.

The crushed glass is called cullet. In this form, the product is cheaper than the raw materials required to make glass originally. It also melts at lower temperatures. This saves energy.

Next in the recycling process for glass this cullet is mixed with limestone, soda ash, and sand. This is then melted at 2600 degrees Fahrenheit and poured into molds to make the finished product.

Recycled glass can be made into several products in addition to glass bottles and containers. Fiberglass materials, construction products, and ceramic tiles are just a few of those products.

When you have any glass need, call FEDERAL GLASS AND MIRROR. Mike and John Purpura have a long family history of excellence in many types of glass replacement and installation.

More and more, glass becomes seen as a flexible material for many uses. Today, we will take a look at some unusual uses of glass.

Glass furniture is one of those unusual uses of glass. This goes beyond the sometimes familiar glass coffee table. Chairs and other furnishings can be made of glass. Most of the time a glass chair won’t be as comfortable as a chair made for lounging, but they can be considered functional works of art.

On the other hand, adding a good pad to a glass lounge chair can make a comfortable outdoor chair. Because the glass is thick and tempered, there is no concern about it breaking under you.

More often seen than glass furniture, glass bricks make up another of those unusual uses of glass. These glass bricks are fairly inexpensive and easily used anywhere you want privacy, but lots of light as well. Because glass bricks are hollow, they also add insulation to a space where they’re used. Many times glass bricks are used in bathrooms.

In other areas of the house you can add colored glass bricks to bring privacy, extra insulation, and additional color. Since glass bricks are sturdy, they can be used to build an usual accent wall as well.

Another of those unusual uses of glass is in the backsplash in the kitchen. They tend to be more expensive, but they certainly are eye-catching. These backsplashes can be made from colored glass, textured glass, and even lighted glass using LED lights. If you want to make a statement with this one of the unusual uses of glass, put a wallpaper mural behind your backsplash.

Glass stair treads are another of the unusual uses of glass. While glass fences and balustrades are more common, stair treads made of glass are still unusual. They really set off modern interiors. Glass can be used for stair treads just like any other material typically used for treads.

One of the more unusual uses of glass is in the making of wigs. Materials for wigs are becoming scarce because of laws against women selling their hair for wigs. Glass can be used to make very life-like hair. Any shade and any style can be manufactured.

Although they don’t have anything to do with these unusual uses of glass, when you have any other glass need, call FEDERAL GLASS AND MIRROR at 508-872-3563. Mike and John Purpura have a long family history of excellence in many types of glass replacement and installation.

While you might not consider the future of glass to prove very exciting, you probably should take a look at some of the ideas coming in the near future.

Nearly every area of consumer electronics for example will experience the changes coming with glass. One of the items in the future of glass involves special glasses that use mirrors and glass in unique ways.

These glasses project a computer display on to the lens in front of one eye much like the ‘heads up’ display utilized by fighter pilots today. Along with this, artificial intelligence and wireless connections allows you to bring up information, send messages by voice, and even take photos by blinking your eyes.

Part of the potential future of glass has to do with major breakthroughs in cost, function, and quality of glass. For example, Microsoft currently plans to develop computer displays on flat surfaces such as kitchen countertops. Another aspect of the future of glass involves wall-size displays in your home.

These computer displays will also be see-through if current research becomes future reality.

As far back as 2006, the future of glass loomed large. At that time, Apple Corporation leaders didn’t like the plastic being used as displays on their phones. It scratched easily. But glass seemed too fragile for constant use.

Corning partnered with Apple to meet the future of glass. It developed what is now called Gorilla Glass. This type of glass now covers mobile devices and functions well.

Gorilla Glass 2, another result of the future of glass, is now 20% lighter but is stronger. This allows smartphones and tablets to become thinner and lighter while remaining durable.

Another part of the future of glass also comes from Corning. This new glass is both flexible and thin, manufactured on rollers much as plastic is made. It still retains the scratch resistance and heat resistance of glass.

Tiny mobile phones and wall-size touch displays will utilize this technology soon.

Yet another promising aspect of the future of glass is the development of technology that kills viruses and bacteria, including the antibiotic resistant bacteria that are so threatening.

A non-shiny, non-glare product makes up another aspect of the future of glass. This type of glass has a surface pattern of nano-scale cones. Called multifunctional glass, it also deflects water. It could make windshield wipers obsolete. Interestingly, this kind of glass also would be essentially self-cleaning.

While they don’t have anything to do with these aspects of the future of glass, when you have any other glass need, call FEDERAL GLASS AND MIRROR at 508-872-3563. Mike and John Purpura have a long family history of excellence in many types of glass replacement and installation.

Winter is on the way. It’s time to think about cold weather and your windows. Not many people in areas where winter is really cold consider what effect the cold has on your windows. Some of these effects result in lasting issues that may lead to a need for window replacement.

Air Leaks

In summer or milder weather, leaks around your windows are not a big issue. But air leaks in the winter bring cold weather and your windows to mind quickly. You’ll certainly feel less comfortable inside with these leaks, but you’ll also see a big effect on your heating bills. This factor of leaks that results from cold weather and your windows also puts extra strain on your heating unit. If you have a leak, you can try sealing your windows with caulk to stop it. If that doesn’t work, you may need to replace your windows.

Heat Transfer

Another aspect of cold weather and your windows that you might not think about is the potential for heat transfer. This occurs when your windows are not glazed well and lack up to date insulation. If your windows feel cold to the touch, you might want to consider replacing them with windows that are double paned with an inert gas to increased insulation.

Icing

Icing is not usually a problem connected with cold weather and your windows, but it can happen. Under the right conditions, ice can form inside your windows. High humidity and freezing temperatures are required for this to happen. More possible is a build up of moisture in the window assembly because of small gaps or cracks. This moisture will freeze and expand, making any gaps or cracks larger. Make sure you adequately ventilate your home to let this  moisture evaporate or escape.

Water Damage

A major issue with cold weather and your windows is water damage. Check for discoloration, mold, rot, or peeling paint around your windows. Wooden frames and older aluminum frames are especially likely to allow water to damage your home. Get repairs done as soon as possible if you see this kind of damage.

When you have issues with cold weather and your windows or any other glass need, call FEDERAL GLASS AND MIRROR at 508-872-3563. Mike and John Purpura have a long family history of excellence in many types of glass replacement and installation.

Safety glass is glass that has been manufactured with added features that make it either less likely to break or safer if it does break. Some of the common types are wire mesh glass, laminated glass, and tempered glass.

Tempered safety glass is used in many applications in your home. Some of these are oven doors, storm doors, computer monitors, and shelves in your refrigerator.

This kind of safety glass is heat treated to be up to 10 times stronger than regular glass. It is also called toughened glass.

While regular, or standard, glass breaks into shards with sharp points and edges, tempered safety glass breaks into pebble shaped pieces with rounded edges. It is also heat resistant to an extent.

Tempered glass is used in eyeglasses where safety is a concern and in places in your home where standard glass could become a problem.

Another type of safety glass is laminated glass, one of the best forms of safety glass. This type has a layer of vinyl between two layers of annealed glass.

This inner layer prevents the other layers of glass from becoming dangerous even though they still break into shards. The vinyl layer keeps the pieces of broken glass contained.

Laminated glass as safety glass could be used in your home in table tops. If your young children should break the table top, the shards would be held in place.

A third type of safety glass is wired glass. It is made by inserting specially welded glass wire into molten glass just before it is fed into rollers to make sheets. This type of safety glass is not stronger, but the wire keeps broken glass inside the frames when it is used in windows.

It is used in fire doors and windows because it meets most fire codes.

One issue with wired glass is it can’t be tempered. Also, it is not stronger than other forms of glass.

When you have a need for safety glass or any other glass need, call FEDERAL GLASS AND MIRROR at 508-872-3563. Mike and John Purpura have a long family history of excellence in many types of glass replacement and installation.

All of us face a job that seems to never end when it’s time to clean your shower doors. Shower doors seem to attract scum out of the air. How can something that’s always being wet down when you shower get so dirty?

When it’s time for you to clean your shower doors, here are some tips to keep in mind.

First, when you select the products you’ll use to clean your shower doors, you can choose from commercial cleaners, more natural cleaners, or something you mix up yourself. All of them can do a good job.

The commercial cleaners may contain chemicals that are harmful to you if you breathe in the fumes or get the cleaner on your skin. You want to be sure to wear protection when you clean your shower doors with these products. Keep in mind the companies that make these products may not list the ingredients, but they have to post warnings about danger to your health. If you use these products, be sure the room is well ventilated.

There are more natural products you can use as well. They are typically plant-based and may cost a little more. They are non-corrosive and environmentally friendly.

If you choose to mix up your own solution when you clean your shower doors, there are several products you can use.

For example, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) is a good choice when you clean your shower doors because it is a mild alkali that cuts grease and scum very well. It also is naturally a deodorizer and will leave your bathroom smelling good.

Vinegar is another good choice when you clean your shower doors. Mix it up with water. It is acidic by nature and kills bacteria, germs, and fungus. While it can be used on its own, some people mix it with equal parts dish soap. Warm the vinegar in the microwave first to help the dish soap dissolve.

Adding some essential oils to the vinegar will leave your bathroom smelling good. Vinegar will help prevent streaks when you use it to clean your shower doors.

You can keep your shower doors clean by keeping a spray bottle of your cleaner in the shower. Spray the door every time you shower and be sure to get it completely dry. Use a liquid soap in the shower instead of bar soap. The liquid soap rinses easier. Dry your shower after every use. Use a squeegee or clean towel and make sure the towel dries before using it again.

When you need glass for your shower doors or any other glass need, call FEDERAL GLASS AND MIRROR at 508-872-3563. Mike and John Purpura have a long family history of excellence in many types of glass replacement and installation.

The door to your home sets the stage for what people will expect inside. There are many benefits of decorative glass doors to enhance the beauty of your home and increase your standing among your friends.

You can spend a lot of money on landscaping, flower beds, sculpture, and a pretty walkway up to your house. But if your front door isn’t up to par with the rest of the outside of your house, it throws everything off. The benefits of decorative glass doors will erase this let-down and increase the beauty of your home.

One of the benefits of decorative glass doors is that they add to the uniqueness of your home’s interior and exterior. The style you choose for your home reflects your personality and your tastes. Everything is carefully chosen to highlight you. Your decorative glass doors will do the same.

Among the benefits of decorative glass doors is the amount of natural light they allow into your house. Coming home at the end of a long day is much more pleasant when you’re greeted by natural light rather than a dark interior. Increased light has been shown to increase your mood, as well.

Another of the benefits of decorative glass doors is they can allow this kind of natural light without sacrificing privacy. Having the right kind of glass in your door will keep the interior of your home private while still increasing natural light.

Curb appeal is important when you try to sell a house. In the benefits of decorative glass doors is an increase in the exterior beauty of your house.

Security can be an important factor when considering decorative glass doors. The right kind of glass, maybe a triple pane glass that is especially thick, can increase your security as well as adding interest and beauty.

Choosing the right kind of decorative glass doors can make your house stand out from all the rest. Why be the same as everyone else in your neighborhood? Adding unique decorative glass doors will let you be distinctive without being gaudy.

Decorative glass doors don’t have to be energy wasters, either. Once again, choosing the right kind of glass will help keep energy costs down while providing you with increased satisfaction with your home and increased resale value as well.

When you need glass for your decorative glass doors or any other glass need, call FEDERAL GLASS AND MIRROR at 508-872-3563. Mike and John Purpura have a long family history of excellence in many types of glass replacement and installation.

As just about everyone knows, bathrooms are designed to keep your family clean safely. On average, people in the U.S. spend about 50 hours in the shower per year, or about 8.2 minutes per shower. Your shower gets a lot of use. That makes shower door safety very important.

Adding in the number of guests you have each year makes the amount of time your bathroom showers are used increase greatly.

Before the 1980’s, plate glass was used in many shower doors. This made shower door safety almost nonexistent.

Today, shower door safety is a much more important topic. This safety has been dramatically increased with the use of tempered glass. In some rare cases, laminated glass is used in shower doors.

Why tempered glass? Because it is four to five times stronger than regular glass. Also, when it breaks, it shatters into small pebbles with no sharp edges. A great increase in shower door safety.

Laminated glass is made of layers of glass alternating with layers of adhesive resin. When it breaks, the adhesive keeps the pieces in place. Another great increase in shower door safety.

One thing to keep in mind when considering shower door safety: If your shower door breaks and someone is hurt, you may be legally liable. In showers, people don’t even have the little bit of protection provided by clothing. And broken shower doors that are not tempered or laminated glass can cause very severe injuries.

Another factor to remember when you think about shower door safety: Not even safety glass is a hundred percent safe. So, there are some things you should do to increase your shower door safety.

First, don’t let kids get into any kind of horseplay in the bathroom. Make sure they understand running is not allowed. This can help with shower door safety.

Second, always have an adult supervise young children around the glass doors of the shower.

Third, be sure to check fasteners, panels, and seals on your shower door. These must be in good shape and installed correctly in order to promote shower door safety.

Fourth, make sure shower doors don’t hit solid objects when they’re opened. Nothing lowers shower door safety like the door hitting a solid surface and shattering.

Fifth, replace cracked or chipped shower doors quickly. This will help increase shower door safety.

When you need glass for increased shower door safety, call FEDERAL GLASS AND MIRROR at 508-872-3563. Mike and John Purpura have a long family history of excellence in many types of glass replacement and installation.