Okay, let’s get this out of the way: If you want to watch a couple of fellows destroy—or should I say, “try to destroy”—some glass, check out the video below. It’s a commercial for a laminated glass company. I won’t blame you if you skip the rest of the post, which happens to be about a topic called “tempered glass.”

And while the video does feature “tempered glass” as one of its star attractions/”victims,” it’s mostly just satisfying to watch glass get destroyed—or at least thrashed. Is that weird? 

For those of you still with me after that highly entertaining minute of destruction, let’s talk tempered glass. First, what is it?

“Tempered glass is about four times stronger than ‘ordinary,’ or annealed, glass,” reads an article in Scientific American. “And unlike annealed glass, which can shatter into jagged shards when broken, tempered glass fractures into small, relatively harmless pieces. As a result, tempered glass is used in those environments where human safety is an issue.”

A prime example: During a recent home inspection in Bow, I noticed a single-hung window less than 18” above a covered porch that didn’t have a “tempered glass” sticker or marking. Porches typically have lots of foot traffic, so this issue was essential to address. I made sure to flag the point to let them know to have it further evaluated. 

The lack of appropriately installed tempered glass is a relatively common item in my reports, so make sure your low-lying windows have been evaluated and are tempered.

Do you have questions or comments about home inspections in general? Go “All” in and tweet us (@AIHomeInspect).