Are double-pane windows twice as hard to break through?

[Kenton H. Shepard, CMI]

...because the low windows in the kid's room weren't tempered and it was a long way down. Of course if the windows were open, the little tykes wouldn't even touch the glass as they chased the dog out the opening.

They installed a lot of baseboard heaters with a lot of outlets over them, too. In fact there were so many baseboard heaters that there was practically no baseboard! In fact, there was no baseboard because they ran out of money before finishing the home and the bank foreclosed.

[Dale Duffy]

Kent .........Looks like a good house to flip, once the blue paint was deleted......

I would recommend a metal window security apparatus (operable security bars) installed inside out-backwards (with 4in. or less) metal bars..........

[Kenton H. Shepard, CMI]

Originally Posted by dduffy

Kent .........Looks like a good house to flip, once the blue paint was deleted......

I would recommend a metal window security apparatus (operable security bars) installed inside out-backwards (with 4in. or less) metal bars..........

I think you're right about the flipping. There was a lot of good-quality construction and it's basically a sound home. Another case of trying to do it when you can't really afford it and having it come out badly.

Client mentioned the metal window protection even before I did.

[Richard A. Hetzel]

Glazing in operable panels such as those pictured need not be safety or tempered glass unless the panels meet all of the following conditions:

1. Exposed area of individual pane greater than 9 square feet.
2. Bottom edge less than 18 inches above the floor.
3. Top edge greater than 36 inches above the floor.
4. One or more walking surfaces within 36 inches horizontally of the glazing.

Obviously items 2 and 4 are met. I'm not sure from the picture if items 1 nad 3 are met. If any one of the four items is not met, safety glass is not required.

Reference: 2003 IRC Section R308.4 (7.1, 7.2, 7.3 and 7.4)

Not saying that some sort of protective device is a bad idea...just saying that safety glass may possibly not be required by code, depending on some measurements.

[Kenton H. Shepard, CMI]

Originally Posted by Richard A. Hetzel

1. Exposed area of individual pane greater than 9 square feet.
Not saying that some sort of protective device is a bad idea...just saying that safety glass may possibly not be required by code, depending on some measurements.

True Richard, and calling it out to comply with code wouldn't be a good call just because one might have to back it up in court and show that it was required at the time of construction. Just called as a safety concern.

[Richard A. Hetzel]

Which it is, no doubt. The code is not a perfect document, it's only a minimum standard.

[Ian Gills]

In Europe, you would not be able to break one of these without a hammer and all are tempered. In the US, the double glazed windows are inferior. Having broken and replaced one here they are simply as strong as two individual panes of glass. Very disappointing.

[Keith Swift, PhD.]

All I've ever understood is that dual-glazed windows are thermally and acoustically eficient, and it's interesting to learn that European dual-glazed ones are supposedly also harder to break than the American ones. However, as to breaking, I thought that this was related solely to the "tempering" of the glass and not to the number of panes.

[Kenton H. Shepard, CMI]

Originally Posted by Ian Gills

In Europe, you would not be able to break one of these without a hammer and all are tempered. In the US, the double glazed windows are inferior. Having broken and replaced one here they are simply as strong as two individual panes of glass. Very disappointing.

Doesn't that make them considerably more expensive to manufacture... and buy?