School Wire Glass Replacement

Wired glass is a common sight in schools, businesses, and hospitality centers throughout Illinois and Indiana. Today, however, wired glass is quite outdated, and was installed primarily as a fire retardant; there were few other fire protection glazings and glass available at the time.

Wired glass is deceptively weak – while the wires running through the glass make it appear as though the glass would resist impact better than traditional glass, the opposite is true; wire glass breaks easily, even with very little force, creating a hazard. If your school building’s wire glass is broken, our professionals at Preferred Window & Door can offer the replacement services you’re looking for at a price that is right for your district.

Why School Wire Glass Replacement Is a Top Priority

As mentioned above, wire glass is actually much weaker than is regular glass, meaning that it can break easily – even the force that is exerted by a small child, such as one who trips into the glass, could be enough to shatter it. Even more dangerous than the glass alone, though, is the fact that the wiring within the glass can entrap limbs, leading to even more severe injuries.

The IBC (International Building Code) was updated in 2003, requiring that all glazings in hazardous locations in educational facilities must comply with the Consumer Product Safety Commission safety glass standards, which requires glass to be impact-resistant. As such, if you have wire glass in your school building, you may be putting students at risk and in violation of IBC. This can create a huge liability for a school district in the event that an accident does occur.

Are There Any Uses for Wire Glass?

Wire Glass is no longer exempt from meeting safety impact codes and is not legal for use in doors, sidelights, and other hazardous locations as defined in section 2406.2. The revised code on the use of traditional wired glass products in hazardous and safety locations makes it clear that the installation of traditional wired glass products in these applications is illegal. It is no longer a legal matter, it is a Life-Safety issue that can no longer be ignored.

Luckily, however, there are a number of newer, more advanced options that meet both CPCS standards and fire-rated standards. Clear, wire-free, impact-resistant, fire-rated glass is available.

Let Us Guide You Through Your Options

When you are in charge of managing glass and door replacement for a school district, there are a number of things that you need to think about. In addition to impact resistant and fire-resistant abilities of glass, you also have to think about student safety and your budget. At Preferred Window & Door, we know the factors that you are juggling, and can competently guide you through your options. We offer high-quality, standard-approved wire glass replacement that ensures your students and faculty are protected, and that your school (district) meets Life Safety safety and IBC Class E building code requirements.