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Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,241
Registered: ‎12-05-2012

Why would a glass door wall suddenly shatter? Ideas?

The  door wall is part of three that include a sliding glass door in the middle. It was one of the stationary ones on the outside that suddenly shattered into a million cracks. Very fortunately the glass held and we covered it with contact paper until it can be looked at tomorrow. It is a reputable manufacturer and double paned glass. I am thinking we should replace the entire door wall.

 

The window is close to 30 years old. We bought the house with these window and have never had a problem before. Any thoughts or ideas. My husband thinks he heard a thump like a bird hit it but the shatter is on the inside pane.  

 

Many thanks. We are perplexed.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,026
Registered: ‎03-12-2010

Re: Why would a glass door wall suddenly shatter? Ideas?

Is your house shifting? 

_____ ,,,^ ._. ^,,,_____
Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,181
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Why would a glass door wall suddenly shatter? Ideas?

Maybe it had a hairline crack or pinhole you didn't notice.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,324
Registered: ‎04-28-2010

Re: Why would a glass door wall suddenly shatter? Ideas?

Could it be that a ball was thrown at the window?  Seems strange; Can't blame it (as I often do) on the foreign, new manufacturing processes now-a-days.............

'More or less', 'Right or wrong', 'In general', and 'Just thinking out loud ' (as usual).
Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,241
Registered: ‎12-05-2012

Re: Why would a glass door wall suddenly shatter? Ideas?

We are seeing some evidence of cracks in the cement in the garage and the driveway so may be the house is shifting. But nothing out of the ordinary that we have noticed gradually occuring over the years.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,241
Registered: ‎12-05-2012

Re: Why would a glass door wall suddenly shatter? Ideas?

My husband was on the deck and he thinks he heard a thump...but did not see any thing. Could have been a bird but why then the crack on the inside?

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,783
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Why would a glass door wall suddenly shatter? Ideas?

It sounds like a combination of the house settling and the possibility of a hairline crack in the glass, especially since it occurred in the stationary section.  I doubt that a bird could be the cause unless it was a condor.

~The only difference between this place and the Titanic is that the Titanic had a band.~
Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,026
Registered: ‎03-12-2010

Re: Why would a glass door wall suddenly shatter? Ideas?

Is it tempered glass? Sometimes tempered glass can shatter because of internal pressure and tiny Imperfections. It causes the entire panel to crack into a million pieces. I was warned about this with my shower doors.  Google "spontaneous breakage tempered glass".

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Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,588
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Why would a glass door wall suddenly shatter? Ideas?

This happened to my sister's storm door. Apparently glass is not the solid substance we perceive it to be and the particles can move around and break without anything hitting it.

You should be able to replace the damaged part.
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,291
Registered: ‎06-15-2015

Re: Why would a glass door wall suddenly shatter? Ideas?

 

 

There are many things that can cause that especially with older glass. I would check google and be sure to put in the age of the glass and area of the country.

 

Expansion and contraction can and does reek havoc on many different types of materials. Birds hitting our glass has aways been a problem for us.

 

 

We have tried many things, but with a 3-sided all glass patio room around hundreds of trees? There is only so much we can do. Have picked up some pretty big birds that broke their necks hitting our glass.

 

It breaks my heart to see this,  but we have run out of options. None of our many glass doors or windows have ever been broken by a bird.

hckynut(john)