When I began this blog, I admitted that I was NOT a blogger. Well, I proved it! Over the short life of my blog, a couple of readers have submitted questions. Now, I hate to admit it but I could not figure out how to respond and no one left a return email for me. [...]

The development of spectrally selective glass tints and coatings has enhanced the solar and thermal properties of glass tremendously. When used in insulating glass units, in combination with argon or krypton gas fill, r-values greater than 4 and solar heat gain coefficients less than 0.3 are possible. Combined with relatively high light transmittance that can [...]

OK, so we have discussed the causes of thermal stress in glass and we have reviewed the basic types of glass (annealed, heat strengthened and tempered) used in building projects. Your question might be: How do these two discussions tie together?Well, not to beat around the bush, the most common reason that thermal stress breakage [...]

My previous entry ended with the promise of further discussions about thermally induced stress in glass–and we shall have those discussions. However, before we continue down that road, let’s spend a little time reviewing the three types of glass that are used in the fabrication of products for use in buildings. It will help us [...]

Glass is a wonderful building material! It is beautiful and enduring. It keeps the elements out, but lets the light in. And it gives building occupants a link to the outdoor environment that has proven psychological benefits. Unfortunately, glass also breaksThere are a number of common reasons that lead to glass breakage: excessive wind and/or [...]

As I mentioned in my first blog, I have accumulated a whole lot of “war stories” during my more than 40 years in the glass business. Certainly, I can and will share some of them with you in this blog. The truth is that I could keep things going for quite a while by simply [...]

Look ma, I’m a blogger! What’s a blogger, you ask? Well ma, I’m not quite sure … but, now I am one.Where to begin? Tell ‘em a little about yourself, you say. Okay, sounds good to me. I retired from PPG Industries in July 2007 after 40 years of service in the glass business. During [...]