You might think of commercial glass replacement as something you only need if your business gets a broken window. However, there are actually lots of performance-related reasons why you should consider upgrading your building’s glass.
Why Would You Want To Replace Commercial Glass?
- Security
- Facade Re-Imaging
- Decorative
- Board Up Alternative
- Energy Efficiency
Increase commercial glass security
One of the top reasons to consider upgrading your commercial property’s glass is to protect against a variety of security threats. Forced entry, burglary, smash-and-grab theft, and rioting and looting are some of the biggest threats that commercial facilities of all types face.
Traditional window glass does nothing to stop intruders from gaining entry to your building through a glass door or window, and alarms, access control points, and surveillance systems only do so much.
For the highest level of protection against these common threats, you have to create a physical barrier to forced entry, specifically over all your highly vulnerable doors and windows. You can achieve this by installing some form of security glazings, such as laminated security glass or polycarbonate glazing shields.
Eliminate the need for board ups
Installing the right commercial security glass also means that you don’t have to worry about boarding up your property in the event of civil unrest, hurricanes, or strong windstorms. The high level of impact resistance means that your facility is protected 24/7 against all manner of threats, whether from bad guys or mother nature.
Plywood board ups are inconvenient and labor-intensive, and you might not always have enough warning to secure your property in time. With reinforced security glazing, you no longer have to worry about these concerns.
Improve commercial glass energy efficiency
If energy efficiency and high utility bills are an issue for you, changing the glass can go a long way towards reducing your operating costs. Something called low-emissivity (low-E) windows can drastically cut down on your reliance on heating and cooling systems to maintain comfortable indoor temperatures by blocking out heat from the sun and keeping warm air in.
In fact, the savings that some commercial facility owners attain by upgrading their properties’ glass with low-e glazing typically mean that the installation pays for itself in just a few years. Not only that, but in some states, you can even receive energy rebates for upgrading your commercial glass.
Transform your commercial building’s facade
Another reason many building owners choose to replace commercial glass is to give the property a facelift. Many older buildings, especially glass office buildings, are in dire need of a contemporary upgrade when it comes to their glass.
Changing the existing glass is an investment that can increase the building's curb appeal and make it easier for building owners to lease spaces to tenants. Commercial glass replacement can make all the difference between a facility looking run down and outdated and looking like a modern, attractive place to do business.
Install decorative commercial glass
In some cases, you might want to replace commercial glass with something a little more decorative and unique. For instance, you may want the glass to feature logos or other designs to help attract customers to a storefront.
Or, you can use decorative glass to add privacy to certain interior areas of a facility. For example, frosted glass or glass with gradient designs can make conference rooms and personal offices more private.
Do you have to choose a commercial glass replacement to improve performance?
If all of the above reasons to replace your commercial glass with higher performance glazing have you thinking something along the lines of: “but what if I don’t have the budget to replace all my building’s glass?,” don’t worry. There ARE alternative, more affordable ways to improve glass performance without undertaking a big, expensive replacement project.
How To Improve Commercial Glass Performance Without Replacing It
- Window Film
- Riot Glass® Retrofit Security Glass
The cheapest way to improve the performance of commercial windows is to install high-performance window film right on top of the existing glass. Window film is available in many varieties, including safety and security film, low-e window film, and colored/tinted/decorative films.
If your budget is really tight, window film can do many of the things that full commercial glass replacement can do, to a certain degree. Unfortunately, security window film does not provide the same level of protection against impacts as security laminates or polycarbonate glazing shields do.
Security film may delay forced entry or hold the broken glass intact if a piece of flying storm debris impacts a window, but it doesn’t actually prevent the existing glass from breaking.
However, there is another, stronger solution: Riot Glass® retrofit security glazing. Riot Glass® is available in both laminate and polycarbonate varieties, each with different security ratings to protect against different threats, from rioters to active shooters.
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What “retrofit” means is that you don’t actually have to replace your existing glass to get all the benefits that Riot Glass® has to offer. The security glazing fits right over the top of the existing glass, along with its proprietary security framing system, to fully shield and protect the glass from impacts.
If security is your primary concern, Riot Glass® is the most cost-effective solution for improving the physical security of your building’s glass doors and windows.
Keep in mind that Riot Glass® does have special low-e coatings available, but even without them we can still help improve your facility’s energy efficiency. This is because you’re adding an extra pane to your windows, creating another insulative barrier and pocket of air that can help reduce your use of HVAC systems.
Conclusion
There are many benefits to commercial glass replacement, but we know its high costs mean it’s not realistic for everyone. Fortunately, you DO have other options when it comes to improving your commercial glass’s performance that doesn’t require full replacement.
Contact us today for information about how we can help you upgrade your commercial glass with window film or Riot Glass®.
APPROVED with Edits
