Nearly everyone has at least one mirror in their home today. But the history of mirrors shows how few people had them or could afford them in days gone by.

The history of mirrors begins with some person long ago happening upon a still pool of water and noticing their reflection in it. Possibly it took some time for this early person to realize what he or she was seeing, but soon they understood it was a reflection of themselves.

Some of the earliest mirrors were manufactured from polished stone as long as 6000 years ago. The history of mirrors shows these early ones to come from around modern-day Turkey. Similar mirrors were made in Central and South America about 2000 years ago.

Metal mirrors made their appearance in the history of mirrors in Mesopotamia around 4000 B.C. These mirrors were made from polished copper.

The Egyptians also made mirrors from polished metal about 3000 B.C.

The history of mirrors reveals the Chinese having made mirrors from polished metal around 2000 B.C. Mirrors made from copper and speculum tin may have been produced in China and India. Making mirrors from any speculum metal was difficult and thus expensive. Only the wealthy could afford them.

Metal-coated glass mirrors first made their appearance in the history of mirrors in the first century A.D. in the area around modern-day Lebanon.

In the early Renaissance, the history of mirrors shows the process for coating glass with a tin-mercury amalgam was developed in Europe. Venice in the 16^th Century was famous for its glass making production and became well-known for producing quality mirrors. By the middle of the 17^th Century, London and Paris were the chief mirror making locations, according to the history of mirrors.

The history of mirrors indicates the silvering process, coating a glass surface with metallic silver, was invented by a German chemist in 1835. This was the forerunner of the modern process of mirror making and resulted in mirrors being available for many more people because of cost. Today, mirrors are made with a thin coating of aluminum or silver behind glass.

When you need a mirror repaired, you may need someone who can make some suggestions. Whatever kind of mirror you have when you need repair or replacement, 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 art and science of glass making has been around for more than 5,000 years, and the use of stained glass dates back to the third or fourth century A.D. The 12^th century saw the most use of stained glass because of the rise of Gothic cathedrals.

Today, only about 10% of the stained glass in use is in churches. The rest is used in business and home applications. Most of the time, stained glass is used in windows, but it is now being used in lamp shades, ornaments, and in many hobby uses.

Stained glass begins in the same way any kind of glass does. Silica, potash or soda, and lime or lead oxide are fused together. To make stained glass, some kind of metallic oxide is added to these materials.

Copper oxide can add ruby, blue, or green colors depending on conditions. Cobalt produces most shades of blue. Chromium and iron oxide are used to make green shades. Uranium, titanium, or cadmium sulfide can produce gold colors.

The method for making stained glass is the same now as it was in the Middle Ages. The glass in leaded glass windows is made by first catching up a lump of molten glass at the end of a blow pipe. It is then blown out into a cylinder, cut off the blow pipe, flattened, and cooled.

One of the variations of this process, called flash glass, is made by dipping the lump of molten white glass into molten colored glass. When this is blown, cut, and flattened, it produces stained glass with a less intense color due to the white backing.

Another kind of glass that can be used in stained glass is called “Norman slabs.” In making this kind of glass, the molten glass is blown into the shape of a four-sided bottle. The sides are then cut into slabs that are thin at the edges and may be a quarter inch thick in the middle.

Cathedral glass is rolled out into flat sheets that are very regular in texture and thickness. Marine antique glass is similar but has a more bubbly texture.

All of these kinds of stained glass can be used to make beautiful windows or other things that are both good at letting in light and in evoking emotions through the stories they can tell.

When you consider decorating with stained glass, you may need someone who can make some suggestions. Whatever kind of glass you have when you need repair or replacement, 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.

Making your home more livable the way you want it can be done by decorating with mirrors. This isn’t often considered when thinking about decorating but is a sure-fire way to jazz up any room.

In many cases, mirrors are just the thing you need to make your home complete. When you start decorating with mirrors, you’ll discover they’re just something you need to have.

Not only are mirrors functional, giving you a way to check your appearance before leaving the house, they’re also distinctive, giving you something not many of your friends will have as decorative pieces.

Decorating with mirrors is a perfect way to open up your rooms, making them look larger than they are. When you’re decorating with mirrors and use your creativity, they can become show-stoppers in your home.

When you’re decorating with mirrors, don’t restrict your choices to the old standby shapes or sizes. Be bold.

Certainly there are places for the standard oval and rectangular mirrors, but don’t overlook the unusual. Find the ones that are larger or have starburst frames around them or catch the eye with color.

Gallery wall displays are perfect places for decorating with mirrors. Add mirrors every so often in these displays to add visual interest.

In your home office or den, decorating with mirrors can showcase any art you have on the walls. If you have a lot of framed diplomas or photos with the same frames, placing an unusually shaped mirror will add visual interest to the entire wall.

When you decorate with mirrors, don’t forget to use large size mirrors also. Leaning this kind of mirror against the wall with a nice frame around it can provide a stunning piece for any room.

If you have limited outdoor space, hanging a mirror on a wall or divider can visually expand your space. This is an often forgotten way of decorating with mirrors.

When you consider decorating with mirrors, you may find a need for new mirror glass. Whatever kind of glass you have when you need repair or replacement, 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.

Glass making has been around since before 2500 B.C. At first, it was considered an art and very few could do it well. That made glass very valuable, and those who could engage in glass making very sought-after professionals.

Today, glass is common, and the process of glass making is now an industry.

Silica sand, also called quartz sand, is the primary ingredient in glass making. Sand without any iron impurities is sought after for making clear glass. The iron content in the sand would give any glass a greenish tint.

Once the silica sand is available, the next step in glass making is to heat the sand to 3090 degrees Fahrenheit. This incredible temperature literally melts the sand.

When the melted sand cools, it doesn’t return to the gritty substance you started with. Instead, it goes through a total transformation and becomes a product with a completely different internal structure. Regardless of how much the sand is cooled in glass making, it never becomes a solid.

Instead, it’s somewhere between a solid and a liquid. Scientists call it an amorphous solid.

In commercial glass making, the sand is mixed with recycled glass, soda ash, and limestone. The soda ash lowers the melting point of sand and saves energy, but this kind of glass would literally melt in water. This brings in the importance of limestone in glass making. It prevents the melting of the glass in water. Thus, the typical glass around you every day is soda-lime-silica glass.

In glass making today, the melted sand is poured into molds to make bottles and other containers. Or, if it is to be made into sheets of glass, it is floated on top of a large vat of molten tin to make the flat sheets like those used in windows.

For unique shapes in glass making, the glass makers can wrap a lump of melted sand around a long hollow tube and blow into the tube, making any unique shape they want. This kind of glass making, called glass blowing, is a skill that has to be learned and practiced.

Other kinds of glass can be made by adding other products to the molten sand. Oven proof glass is made by adding boron oxide to the mix. Lead oxide makes a glass that is easily cut. Stained glass is made by adding different metals to the melted sand.

Whatever kind of glass you have when you need repair or replacement, 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 history of showers began with native people bathing under existing waterfalls. This was much more efficient than carrying fresh water to a container of some kind for bathing, then carrying the waste water away.

Some peoples in the history of showers would pour containers of water over themselves after washing to rinse off. This often involved cold water and likely was something that took a lot of getting used to.

Early Egyptians and Mesopotamians of the upper classes had private shower rooms where servants would bathe them. Even in these instances, water was carried into the rooms and not pumped in.

In the history of showers, the early Greeks were the first to have what would be considered actual showers. Their water systems allowed for pumping of water into and away from large communal showers used by all classes of people.

The first mechanical shower in the history of showers was both progress and not a great deal of improvement. A hand pump forced water into a container above the person’s head. Then a chain could be pulled, releasing water down onto the person. Unfortunately, there was no system for heating the water, so only cold water was used. Also unfortunately, the same water was re-circulated through each time.

The history of showers showed some improvement in showers around 1850 when a reliable flow of fresh water became available. In the 1870s, more modern showers were installed in the barracks of the French army.

Around the same time, a French prison installed showers for the prisoners, including hot water. This could have been the first time in the history of showers that hot water was available for showers.

Before long, other facilities in France were using showers as well.

The mid-nineteenth century saw middle class homes having rooms set aside as bath rooms. The history of showers saw another great leap forward with the invention of the water heater, first in 1868 as gas powered, then in 1889 as electric powered.

Today, the history of showers shows nearly every home with a separate bath room with shower.

Whether you shower or bathe in a tub or both in your home, when you need a replacement for a shower door, 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.

There’s nothing quite like coming into a room and seeing everything bathed in beautiful outside light. But those windows that let in that light seem to get dirty overnight. So, here are some things you need to know about cleaning windows.

First of all, there is some discussion among people who know about these things regarding which is better to use: newspaper or dry, lint-free cloths when cleaning windows. There are advocates for both, but one thing they all agree on is don’t use paper towels to clean your windows.

One particular aspect of cleaning windows is clear. You need the right tools, whether you use cloths or newspaper. For clear and streak-free windows using a squeegee seems to be best. This allows you to get right to the edges of the windows and by overlapping the swipes across the windows you get streak-free cleaning. Be sure you wipe the squeegee clean every time you swipe it across the glass. You can then use the newspaper or cloths to wipe up the excess water on the very edges of the windows to pick up any drips that may have been left behind. Be sure you wipe down the window sill afterward, also.

Of course, you’ll need a bucket to hold water and whatever soap or cleaner you use to clean your windows. The bucket should have a wide enough mouth to accept the squeegee you use.

Most people will ask, “What is the best soap to use?” Dawn dishwashing detergent works very well.

Many people suggest using vinegar when cleaning windows. It’s non-toxic and antibacterial and won’t hurt surfaces. Vinegar is acidic and will break down any film that has formed on the window. In addition, it won’t hurt your kids if they get in on the action.

A dry, cloudy day is better for cleaning windows. If you decide to clean when the sun’s out, the cleaner can dry too fast, leaving you with streaks that can be hard to remove.

Dust the sills and sashes before you clean. You’ll be left with a muddy mess if you don’t do this and the cleaning solution drips on the sills.

Be sure to use enough cleaner. You want to be sure to loosen dirt and film so it can be wiped away.

Whether you use newspaper or cloths when cleaning windows in your home, when you need a replacement for a window, 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.

If you’re in the market for a new home or considering building one, think about the benefits of large windows.

One of the major benefits of large windows in your home is allowing a lot of natural light into the house. Studies have shown that lots of natural light increases mood and even helps people get along better. And if you should suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, even just a little bit, having more natural light in the winter months will alleviate a good bit of your bad feelings. Also, depending less on electric lighting can lower your utility costs.

In the winter, another of the benefits of large windows is passive solar gain. Catching as much of the winter sunlight as possible can help heat your home and again decrease utility bills.

Other studies have shown bringing the outdoors inside your home can increase positive feelings and even benefit your physical health. One of the benefits of large windows is allowing more of the outside into your home.

One of the bigger benefits of large windows is curb appeal. Homes with large windows appear more modern-looking and are pleasing to look at. Inside, they make rooms and homes appear larger. Both of these will positively influence the resale value of your home.

Another of the benefits of large windows is they can be either picture windows or operable windows. An advantage of a large picture window is fewer moving parts, thus making it less expensive to install. Having an operable window will allow for more air circulation in your home and allow the sweet smells of spring to enter your home.

A concern about large windows in your home is their energy efficiency. With today’s technology, this isn’t as large an issue as in the past. Double or triple glazing with inert gas between the panes will make large windows very energy efficient. Spacer bars that are warm will keep out the leakage of cold air around the window frames.

Cleaning large windows can be difficult. Not only in reaching all of them, but also in showing the dirt and other things that coat windows. You can spend a lot of time doing this unless you hire someone to do it for you.

Privacy can be another consideration. With large windows, you’ll have less privacy. One possibility for dealing with this is to use a window coating of some kind to give you more privacy.

Whether you want the benefits of large windows in your home or are satisfied with regular ones, when you need a replacement for a window, 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.

It’s summertime and the living’s … hot! Much of the heat you feel in your house comes through your windows. Here are some of the best windows to keep out heat.

When considering the best windows to keep out heat, think about two products that can work well. One of them is low-E, low emissivity, glass windows.

This type of window is most often recommended by professionals when people ask about the best windows to keep out heat. If you’re replacing only one or two windows, consider replacing the entire window to get the best efficiency.

You also need to consider this: If you want all your windows to match, you’ll have to replace all of them.

There are two factors to keep in mind if you’re replacing your windows with low-E windows. One is the U factor. This is the window’s overall insulating value. This value should be .30 or below for the best insulation.

The other factor to consider when using low-E windows as one of the best windows to keep out heat is the solar heat gain co-efficient. This is how effective the window is at reflecting the sun’s heat back outside. Once again, this value should be .30 or below for best results.

Reflective window film is the other product that works well to beat the summer heat. This product may be your best choice if your windows are already structurally sound and you only need to deal with a few windows. Reflective window film as one of the best windows to keep out heat works well for that goal and will help keep you home warmer in the winter.

Regarding cost of these two alternatives for the best windows to keep out heat, the low-E windows will cost more. But the reflective window film won’t solve an issue of heat entering your home due to a damaged or loose-fitting window frame. Replacing the window will solve that issue.

Another issue to consider is that putting reflective film on your windows may void the window manufacturer’s warranty. You need to check that as you’re making your decision.

Keep in mind the cost of installing either of these products, also. The window film can be a do-it-yourself project. The replacement of windows should be left to professionals.

When you are trying to decide whether to install reflective window film or a replacement for a window, 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.

In the history of windows, there was a time not many years ago when glass was not common-place as it is today. Then, only the wealthy and privileged had access to glass and most people did without it in their windows.

During the Roman era in the history of windows, glass making grew in popularity and was a bit advanced. Even so, the earliest windows had glass that was ‘pebbly’ and didn’t let in much but light. The view through these windows was less than good.

The history of windows reveals that flat glass panes were first introduced in the late Third Century. This is when glass makers would blow a bubble of glass and slice into thin panes.

During what was called the Dark Ages, not just of the history of windows but of most of the ‘civilized’ world, the ability to make the kind of glass needed for good windows was lost. European cathedrals had stained glass for their windows, but the ordinary folk just had shutters they could pull closed over open holes.

Sometimes during this age of the history of windows, people would use animal skins soaked in oil to put across their windows. The soaking would make these skins translucent, letting in some light.

Most of the windows of that time were small, made that way to cut down on cold winds blowing into the houses. Heavy curtains were sometimes hung across them as well. This made the interiors of the homes very dark, so a fire was kept burning all the time to provide some light.

The history of windows shows that the Middle Ages brought back the ability to make glass for windows once more. A process in France allowed glass makers to blow a hollow sphere of glass that was then spun to make what was known as crown glass.

The mid-sixteenth century marked some progress in the history of windows. Most people then had some glass in their windows, at least in the most important rooms. Window glass was so precious then that those wealthy folk who had summer homes and winter homes would take the glass out of their houses and store it when they were in the other home.

Today, we have glass readily available for use in our homes. Different kinds for different choices. When you are looking for window glass or a replacement for a window, 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.

Have you ever thought about how mirrors are made? Things have progressed tremendously since the first prehistoric man polished a piece of obsidian until it became reflective.

Following that in the progression of how mirrors are made were those made of polished metal. There are some metals that can be polished until they reflect light and can be used as mirrors. They can sometimes be seen in some campgrounds even now. But early on, only the more wealthy people had them. This set them aside from common folk and showed everyone their status.

In the early 1600s, another step forward in how mirrors are made came about. This was when silvering, or the backing of a sheet of glass with melted silver, became the way to make mirrors. That helped make better mirrors, even with the inferior glass of that day.

Today, the next step in how mirrors are made involves other metals as backing. In some mirrors, mercury was used as that backing, but was stopped due to concerns about containing the mercury. Now, aluminum is the most frequently used metal in making mirrors.

One of the major considerations in how mirrors are made is the technology used. Non-diffusive surfaces, those that are smooth and opaque, not transparent, are best for reflecting light.

An innovation in how mirrors are made has to do with making the glass flatter and making the backing more uniform. If the glass varies in thickness, your reflection may look thinner or larger than you actually are. Variations in the thickness of the metal backing will also distort the image you see in the mirror. If the metal backing is thin, you might be able to see through the backing.

When you consider how mirrors are made, keep in mind that glass reflects light poorly. But the glass can be polished to a high sheen to get rid of pits. This makes it a good base for a reflective metal backing.

The regularity of the glass surface is of importance in how mirrors are made. For home use, glass for mirrors must be reasonably flat and durable. But when mirrors are to be used for scientific purposes, uniform smoothness, often measured in thousandths of an inch.

When you are looking for mirrors or a replacement for a mirror, 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.