Glass Block Blogger

Posted by: glassblockblogger | November 13, 2012

Benefits of Glass Block over Stained Glass in a Church

Glass Block in a Religious Building
New York, New Jersey, Boston, Philadelphia

Many religious buildings were harmed or destroyed in recent tornadoes and hurricanes. These severe weather events, unfortunately, seem to be a trend and need to considered in reconstruction planning. Building materials need to represent the purpose of the building while still being practical. So, the question of alternatives to stain and colored glass arise.

St Clements of Rome
Des Peres, MO

Glass Block is an excellent choice. This glass can stand up to strong winds and flying debris. Yet, the glass can be installed with a selection of desirable colors producing murals that depict the religious purpose of the building. A special fusing process of a religious mural can be embedded directly into the Glass Block. This fusing process will stand up to weather, age and vandalism. Glass Block is maintenance free saving cost in future years.

Often times, religious buildings such as churches house sacred and irreplaceable artifacts. There are the unforeseen catastrophes or perpetrators with intentions to harm or steal these treasures. Glass Block provides security for the contents of the church and its congregation.

Natural light will fill the church while maintaining energy efficiency and meeting LEED guidelines. Traffic noise from the outside is kept to a minimum keeping the church a quiet place for worship or meditation.

Eastern Glass Block provides Windows that meet these requirements:

FEMA 361–Air Pressure and Tornado Missile Impact Test– Two hits: 15 lbs., 2 x 4 @100 mph
FEMA 320–Taking Shelter From the Storm: Building a Safe Room For Your Home or Small Business
ICC/NSSA 500-2008
ASTM E330-02 – Standard Test Method for Structural Performance
Passed air pressure tests (+309/-413) psf., which equates to a wind speed of over 400 mph (with a 1.5 safety factor).

In a previous post called Tornado and Hurricane Resistant Glass Block, you can see a short video demonstrating the impact resistant qualities of Glass Block.

Glass Block is an excellent glass building material to enhance the exterior look of a church while maintaining a solemn and secure interior space.

To learn more, call us at Eastern Glass Block. We have over 20 years of experience in residential and commercial Glass Block installation services. We love to share our knowledge.

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Replacing Basement Windows After Sandy the Super Storm Has Left the Region

Replacing Windows After Sandy
New York, New Jersey, Boston, Philadelphia

Sandy has left our part of the country and now decisions need to be made on which building materials to use for repairs and fortifying construction. The highest priority should be replacing the basement window with glass that is flood resistant and can stand up to flying debris. Especially since this so-called Super Storm may not have been a once in a lifetime occurrence.

The meteorologists attributed Sandy’s incredible power to having originated from the deep warm waters of the Caribbean. Sandy then met an arctic cold front from the West and a Low pressure system from the East giving birth to a Super Storm.

Was this Super Storm a unique occurrence, or, is this the new normal? A high energy storm hitting two other weather events is very unusual. However, the warm deep Caribbean water staying longer into the season may not be so unusual anymore.

As stated by Climate Watch Magazine on October 17, 2012, “We are nearing the end of the most active part of the Atlantic hurricane season, but as of October 16th, the layer of hurricane-friendly water was still plenty deep in the western Atlantic Ocean basin, especially in the Caribbean Sea.”. Just a few days after this report, Sandy was born and headed for the Eastern coast of the United States.

As you decide on a replacement basement window, consider that this weather related catastrophe may well repeat itself, and not in the far distant future. You want to make sure that the window you install is flood resistant and able to withstand impacts from flying debris.

Glass Block has become an excellent solution with its ability to fill a room with light and also providing the security we need. Plus, they are attractive, both inside and outside, and easy to install.

Some of the features of basement glass block windows are:

Visually stunning, pre-fabricated panels that are easy to install
No need for shutters
Protects against flying debris and hurricane force winds
Available with a range of visibility and privacy options
Greater security than conventional windows
Possibilities are limited only by your imagination

Replacing your basement window with glass block in a typical residence may cost $350 or less, in many cases.

Contact us for more information on hurricane resistant glass block basement windows. Be prepared for severe weather in the future. But, do not sacrifice beauty for security and peace of mind.

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Posted in Glass Block | Tags: basement windows, Boston, flood, Glass Block Windows, Glass Brick, Hurricane, New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia, Residential, tornado, weather

Posted by: glassblockblogger | October 19, 2012

Schools have Unique Requirements for Windows

Choosing a Window Building Material for a School
New York, New Jersey, Boston, Philadelphia

When considering windows for schools, many challenges need to be met because of their unique requirements. Unfortunately, schools are often designed with very few windows because of these challenges, creating a learning environment filled with artificial light.

So, what are these unique requirements of learning institutions? First and foremost is the safety and security of the students. The physical threats that need to be considered are extreme weather events, such as hurricanes or tornadoes. In addition there are the unforeseen catastrophes such as explosions outside the building or perpetrators with intentions to harm. So, the windows need to be safe and secure meeting hurricane-resistant and blast-resistant requirements.

Along with providing a secure environment for the students, the internal spaces should be optimal for learning. Natural light must fill the inside spaces occupied by the students. Sounds from the outside, especially in urban settings, should be kept to a minimum. And, building materials that are graffiti resistant need to be used. Energy efficiency must be a priority while also providing Daylighting needs and meeting LEED guidelines.

A glass building material that fits these unique combination of requirements is Glass Block.

There are many Glass Block products available that can be chosen for different applications. For instance, THICKSET is a glass block from Eastern Glass Block that is manufactured by Pittsburgh Corning and is ideal for use in schools. These Fire Rated Glass Block products include the Thickset 60 and the Thickset 90. All THICKSET 90 (thick-faced) and solid glass blocks have fire ratings of up to 90 minutes, and the THICKSET® 60 glass blocks have fire ratings up to 60 minutes, when used as window assemblies and when permitted by code.

THICKSET Glass Block include;

superior sound transmissions ratings,
a range of visibility options from clear to opaque depending on your privacy needs,
graffiti resistant with easy to clean and durable glass surface,
Fire Rated by Underwriters Laboratories.

Eastern Glass Block provides Windows that meet these requirements and more:

FEMA 361–Air Pressure and Tornado Missile Impact Test– Two hits: 15 lbs., 2 x 4 @100 mph
FEMA 320–Taking Shelter From the Storm: Building a Safe Room For Your Home or Small Business
ICC/NSSA 500-2008
ASTM E330-02 – Standard Test Method for Structural Performance
Passed air pressure tests (+309/-413) psf., which equates to a wind speed of over 400mph (with a 1.5 safety factor).

In a previous post called Tornado and Hurricane Resistant Glass Block, you can see a short video demonstrating the impact resistant qualities of Glass Block.

Glass Block is an excellent glass building material to enhance the learning environment of a school, while also providing safety and security for the students.

To learn more, call us at Eastern Glass Block. We have over 20 years of experience in residential and commercial Glass Block installation services. We love to share our knowledge.

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