Glass Block Blogger

Harsh weather storms will test the best basement window, but which window is the best to stand up to flooding?

Glass Block is a great choice for basement windows, or any window that may be susceptible to flooding. Glass Block Basement Windows have the characteristics of a solid concrete block wall. You can now choose to have ventilation in the window as well with a window vent. Along with Hurricane Sandy two years ago, storms routinely hit the eastern seaboard multiple times throughout the year. If you have been watching the news or been online recently, we might be in for another storm hitting us this weekend. We constantly see houses in the news that have been flooded from the basement up, destroyed from water damage and sometimes even lifted out of the foundation and gone for good. We are not proposing that glass block windows are a cure-all for all of these possibilities, but we are however saying that glass block windows can in fact help fight flooding.

Glass block windows, with or without vents, act like a concrete wall due to their build and are as waterproof as a brick wall, unlike standard glass basement windows. In the case of storms, rain water builds up by the inches and there is nothing anyone can do to prevent it completely besides wait it out while hoping that water stays out of your home. We have seen and heard areas collecting 3″ of rain, 4″, 5″ and even upwards of 6″ of rain. There isn’t much a homeowner can do to prepare for this amount of built up rain water. However, having glass block basement windows can and will ease your mind during a storm like the one’s we have endured and might endure this weekend now by acting as a solid, waterproof barrier. You can do yourselves a great service and call us to talk about how our product can help you in times like these with all these houses getting damaged or lost. We can and will come to you and install glass block windows rapidly to protect you from further or possible rain damage your house could succumb to.

There is no joy in seeing all these people suffer from rain damage during storms, whether it be a house or vehicle, but there is joy in knowing we can and will help you prepare your house and yourself from further rain damage that accompany rain storms of this degree.

While glass block basement windows provide protection against water penetration, they also provide a high level of security against burglary and save costs on air conditioning and heating.

An example is the LightWise tornado and hurricane resistant window from Pittsburgh Corning. This window meets the requirements for FEMA 361″Design and Construction Guidelines for Community Safe Rooms” and FEMA 320 “Taking Shelter From the Storm: Building a Safe Room For Your Home or Small Business”.

The LightWise® Low E Energy Efficient Vinyl Window meets ENERGY STAR requirements across the United States. The patented design uses SOLARBAN® 70 to reduce the flow of radiant energy through the block.  And since it meets ENERGY STAR requirements, you can be assured that your interior will be more comfortable and will require less energy to heat and cool your home, which is good for the environment as well as your wallet.

Installation is easier than expected. Glass Block windows, such as those from Eastern Glass Block, are available pre-assembled. You can choose standard or custom sizes, with or without ventilation.

Flooding, tornadoes and hurricanes are an ongoing threat. As we remodel our current home or consider building a new home, we have to take extreme weather possibilities into consideration. However, we want to create a beautiful and energy efficient home for our family.

Call us at 800-635-1226 or email us at egboffice@easternglassblock.com for a Free Estimate; We will answer day or night. We have over 26 years of experience designing and installing commercial and residential Glass Block nationwide. We would love to share our experience with you.