What could cause glass to shatter like this?

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vshah

vshah

Lifer
Sep 20, 2003
19,003
24
81
My parent's house lies empty 9 months of the year. Dad went there today to find this window shattered. The window is double pane, and only the inside sheet is broken. It's laminated so it is holding together. Doesn't seem to be a single point of impact.... House is in the DC area and the window was installed in 1992.



 
Last edited:
lxskllr

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
59,065
9,467
126
Thermal shock, or thermal expansion of the gas could probably cause it.
 
vshah

vshah

Lifer
Sep 20, 2003
19,003
24
81
totally forgot about the earthquake! perhaps that created a few small cracks that then spread/expanded with a temperature change?
 
JTsyo

JTsyo

Lifer
Nov 18, 2007
11,968
1,095
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doesn't look like impact since it occurs over multiple panes. Didn't happen to many windows or just one? New house? Could it be caused by the house settling?
 
B

Bazake

Member
Feb 13, 2012
137
0
0
Does this window open? If the window doesn't move freely, it may be that the house shifted and slowly put pressure on the window, eventually shattering it. If it moves easily, then I second earthquake damage.
 
M

Merad

Platinum Member
May 31, 2010
2,586
19
81
Aliens.jpg
 
vshah

vshah

Lifer
Sep 20, 2003
19,003
24
81
JTsyo said:
doesn't look like impact since it occurs over multiple panes. Didn't happen to many windows or just one? New house? Could it be caused by the house settling?
Click to expand...

it's a single pane, the grill is just attached on the front. this is the only window in the house...house was built in 1953.

Bazake said:
Does this window open? If the window doesn't move freely, it may be that the house shifted and slowly put pressure on the window, eventually shattering it. If it moves easily, then I second earthquake damage.
Click to expand...

no, it is a fixed window.
 
Squisher

Squisher

Lifer
Aug 17, 2000
21,204
66
91
If an earthquake happened that could certainly explain it. I was going to say settling of the house could rack the frame if it was installed without any give in that direction.

I had a crack form on the windshield of my truck just from being frozen and then the sun hitting it.
 
FoBoT

FoBoT

No Lifer
Apr 30, 2001
63,084
14
81
fobot.com
i was in a commercial building several summers ago, many very large double pane glass windows on one wall
it was a very hot day, summer time
one of the windows just shattered, only the outside pane of the double pane window
i thought it was from a bullet, i called the security guard and they came and looked, we couldn't find a hole or bullet (this is near a part of town where random bullets might not be uncommon) , we determined it was just due to heat stress
 
L

LookBehindYou

Platinum Member
Dec 23, 2010
2,412
1
81
Probably Chupacabra. Your parents are fortunate they were not home at the time, couldve been much worse.
 
ImpulsE69

ImpulsE69

Lifer
Jan 8, 2010
14,946
1,077
126
that's actually kinda cool. You need to solve this riddle and make it so for the rest of the house.
 
Fayd

Fayd

Diamond Member
Jun 28, 2001
7,970
2
76
www.manwhoring.com
the rear window on my car looked similar a few years ago.

i found a bb and its hole in the lower left corner. someone shot out my rear windshield with a bb gun :/

now i always park facing out of the driveway.
 
Rubycon

Rubycon

Madame President
Aug 10, 2005
17,768
485
126
Most common mode of failure is impact near the edge with a sharp object. Sometimes they just "go" by themselves.

Any tempered glass, whether it's an aquarium, table top or shower door can suddenly rupture.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sMOqRgd3gU

At least it's laminated. A non laminated tempered window - particularly a pane more than 10mm thick - could injure like a 12 ga shotgun blast! :eek:
 
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