Spontaneous shattering of triple glazing

frameclick

Hi Folks

Just wondering if anyone else experienced a spontaneous shattering of a pane of glass? Our sitting room window just shattered for no reason (one pane not all three). There was no one in the room at the time but we heard it from the dining room. The only thing we can think of that might have caused it is when the wind blows strongly there's a lot of deflection so we can see the glass moving in and out which always scared us. When we were building Munster joinery suggested a mullion should be fitted to strengthen and divide this large window but unfortunately when they delivered and installed there was no mullion. So we ended up with a single large window that moves a lot during storms.

It's been in place now for almost 10 years so we don't know if the wind really caused it or not but we'd certainly prefer if it didn't move so much. The frame outside developed cracks within about a year of installation. We actually had to pay Munster Joinery to come out and look at those cracks but they didn't do anything to fix them. Again we don't know if these cracks contributed to the breakage or not.

We'd really love to know if anyone else had a window shatter for no obvious reason? Obviously we're worried that if we replace it, it might just break again. We emailed Munster Joinery but unfortunately we feel we're being ignored. Heard lots of bad press about them but to be honest they did a good job on the installation apart from this particular window. Only wish their customer service was better so that we could get this problem sorted.

Thanks

L1011

Ten years on you're not going to get anything from Munster - indeed very few firms would do anything, but Munster certainly won't. Its beyond the statute of limitations basically, so would need goodwill from the firm to have anything done.

Glass will break when it is stressed beyond its limits, ten years of significant pressure could have reduced its strength. Even if there is contributory problems from them not having supplied it as two panes, that would have had to be chased within 6 years

frameclick

Thanks a mill for the reply. Yes I did flag the absence of mullion with them immediately but they basically said "it'll be fine". A year after they were installed I flagged the external frame cracks but again they didn't do anything. So in a sense I certainly chased it within 6 years in fact within 1 year but nothing came of it.

coylemj

Happened me with a triple-glazed bedroom window, an outer frame of three which opened and closed. It was a Saturday morning, I was in bed and awake at the time. It sounded like a gun going off - really loud bang. There wasn't a storm blowing at the time and that frame wasn't subject to frequent opening and closing so it was totally unexpected. I got it sorted by the company which installed it but it was well outside any warranty period so they didn't fix it for free. I think it's just one of those things that happens.

You can have a failure in an electronic component of your car which is expected to last the lifetime of the vehicle. Outside of the warranty, you just have to suck it up.

rgfuller

I had an internal pane shatter (triple glazed toughened safety - 1.4m x 2.1m) a few weeks after it was hit by a metal ornament - no sign of damage in the weeks between the hit and the shatter, but there must have been a micro crack/damage to the integrity of the pane - the glass make a loud cracking sound and fractured the whole pane, though it held itself together with only tiny splinters coming/pinging off it for a couple of ours as it progressively fractured more and more. Each pane is 6mm glass. though I believe 4mm glass may be more common/lighter.