Pro Installer November 2017 - Issue 56 | Page 19

News
Read online at www. proinstaller. co. uk
NOVEMBER 2017 | 19

News

TIPS FOR PERFORMING A THERMAL SAFETY CHECK

Phil Brown, European regulatory marketing manager at Pilkington United Kingdom Limited, part of the NSG Group, offers his top tips for performing a thermal safety check.
Assessing the risk of thermal fracture is an essential task before installing glass, particularly solar control glass. The central area of glass exposed to solar radiation absorbs heat, rises in temperature and expands. The outer edges of the glass, however, shielded from solar radiation by the frame, remain cooler.
Thermal safety is concerned with temperature difference between the hottest and coldest parts of the glass, and the distribution of temperature across the glass. The resulting differential expansion causes tensile stress at the edge of the glass. If this exceeds the breakage strength of the glass a thermal fracture will occur.
Helpful tips for performing a thermal safety check prior to installing an insulating glass unit( IGU):
1. Location. Different parts of the world receive different amounts of solar radiation, so considering the project’ s location is essential.
2. Check your compass. A north-facing elevation in the UK, for example, will receive relatively little solar radiation in comparison to other orientations.
3. Know your glass. Glass type and thickness will affect the solar absorption. Some products will absorb more of the sun’ s energy than others. If the glass is toughened, then it would be expected to be thermally safe.
4. Inside knowledge. Any blinds or curtains behind the window can influence the free movement of air over glass. The colour of the material can also play a role – a light-coloured blind will tend to reflect more back into the glass. 5. Back-up plan. Commonly referred to as a back-up, this is a structural item immediately behind the glass such as a raised floor or low hanging ceiling. If the glass passes in front of a floor slab, this could reduce loss of heat from the glass and increase its temperature.
6. Look from the outside. What’ s happening on the outside of the building needs to be considered. External projections such as overhangs can shade part of the
glazing, creating a temperature difference between the exposed and unexposed areas. Trees and nearby buildings can also partially shade the glazing.
7. As well as glass type, the frame is also important, whether it is PVCu, aluminium or timber. A heavyweight frame will tend to insulate the glass edge more than a lightweight one, generating a larger temperature differential between the edge and centre of the glass.
8. Size is everything. As for mechanical strength, the probability of finding a critical flaw is higher for larger panes.
9. Keep an open mind. Is the window fixed or can it be opened? If it is openable, then it may receive more of the sun’ s radiation when ajar.
10. Although the sun is the primary source of thermal stressing in glass, any heaters or radiators blowing warm air in the direction of the glass can act as secondary sources.
For more advice on glass thermal safety, please view the Pilkington webpage: http:// pilkington. co. uk / glass + thermalstress

LONDON HOMELESSNESS IS‘ NATIONAL DISGRACE’

The London Assembly has been investigating London’ s hidden homelessness problem, community-led housing and how homes and industry can co-exist.

Dedicated Specials Factory

The Glazerite UK Group has completed the latest phase of its ambitious expansion programme with a major step-up to a 30,000 sq ft special products plant, with plans already underway for the next phase.
The company’ s acclaimed Vertical Sliders, Residence Collection products and the VEKA Imagine bi-fold, patio and flush doors will all be made in the purpose-equipped factory by a specially-trained fabrication team with its own dedicated management and quality control systems.
The new unit, close to Glazerite’ s Wellingborough HQ, is more than twice the size of its original specials factory opened in 2014 and gives further capacity for the group’ s ever-growing range of niche, premium and specialist windows and doors.
The launch of the new unit also gives Glazerite a fourth specific production centre, along with Halo fabrication at Glazerite East, the former City Beads factory in Peterborough acquired by the Group last year, and its mainstream VEKA production at Wellingborough and Bolton.
www. glazeritewindows. co. uk
The assembly- which holds the London mayor to account- heard there were 13 times more‘ hidden homeless’ people in London than those sleeping rough- as many as 12,500 each night.
Some 225,000 young people in London had stayed in an unsafe place because they had nowhere safe to call home. They were likely to have experienced sofa surfing, sleeping rough, squatting or sleeping on public transport. This left them at risk of assault or abuse. Young people were especially likely to be affected, particularly those who identify as LGBT, as well as those who had experienced domestic violence and abuse.
Hidden homeless people were often ineligible for homelessness support, and only one in five aged 16-24 sought help from the council.
The assembly made recommendations to the mayor and the government. One included asking for sufficient financial support to London local authorities to ensure the successful implementation of the Homelessness Reduction Act.
Terrie Alafat, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing, said:“ Homelessness has risen steadily since 2010. To have so many people homeless in 2017 is quite simply a national disgrace and something we must act on now. History tells us that we can significantly reduce homelessness, but it will take a cross-departmental commitment from government and a strategic approach to tackle all of its causes.”
In separate meetings, the assembly heard about the various models operated by London’ s housing co-operatives, and discussed‘ property guardianship,’ where‘ guardians’ live in vacant property for a reduced cost.