If you own or manage a retail space, restaurant or office with a glass front, sooner or later a pane will need replacing. The first question a glass company will ask is whether that pane has to be safety glass. Many business owners assume all storefront glass is tempered. Others assume none of it needs to be. The real answer sits in between, and it comes from the building code.
Key Takeaways
- The building code does not require every storefront pane to be tempered. It requires safety glass in specific “hazardous locations.”
- Glass in doors, glass next to doors and large panes that run close to the floor are the most common hazardous locations in a storefront.
- Safety glass usually means tempered or laminated glass, and each pane must carry a permanent label.
- Replacement glass has to meet the same rules as new glass, so a broken pane cannot simply be swapped for ordinary plate glass.
- Houston enforces the 2021 International Building Code, which took effect on January 2, 2024.
Which Code Applies in Houston?
The City of Houston adopted the 2021 International Building Code as part of its construction code modernization, with the new codes taking effect on January 2, 2024. The safety glass rules are found in Chapter 24, Glass and Glazing, mainly Section 2406. Cities around Houston adopt their own code editions, so if your business is outside city limits, check with the local building department.
What Counts as a “Hazardous Location”?
Section 2406.4 lists the places where people are most likely to walk into or fall against glass. Glass in those places must be safety glazing. The ones that matter most for a storefront are:
Glass in Doors
Glass in swinging, sliding and bifold doors is a hazardous location. That covers the glass in almost every storefront entry door.
Glass Next to Doors
A fixed or operable panel next to a door is a hazardous location when its nearest edge is within a 24-inch arc of the door’s edge in the closed position and its bottom edge is less than 60 inches above the walking surface. Sidelites beside an entry door usually fall into this category.
Large Panes Close to the Floor
An individual pane is a hazardous location when it meets all of these conditions:
- The exposed area of the pane is larger than 9 square feet.
- The bottom edge is less than 18 inches above the floor.
- The top edge is more than 36 inches above the floor.
- There is a walking surface within 36 inches of the glass, measured horizontally.
Classic storefront glass, with big panes that run nearly to the sidewalk, very often meets all four. That is the main reason so much storefront glass ends up being tempered or laminated.
The code includes exceptions, for example where a protective bar is installed across the glass at the right height. Your glass company should confirm which rules apply to each pane.
What Counts as Safety Glass?
Safety glass is glass that has passed impact testing under federal standard 16 CFR 1201 or ANSI Z97.1. The two types used in storefronts are:
Tempered Glass
Tempered glass is heat-treated to make it several times stronger than ordinary annealed glass. When it does break, it shatters into small, blunt pieces instead of large shards. It cannot be cut or drilled after tempering, so every piece is made to its final size before it is tempered.
Laminated Glass
Laminated glass is two or more layers of glass bonded to a plastic interlayer. When it breaks, the pieces stick to the interlayer and the pane tends to stay in its frame. That makes it a strong choice for security glass, since a struck pane is much harder to get through. Laminated glass also blocks most ultraviolet light and reduces street noise.
Every pane of safety glass in a hazardous location must carry a permanent mark, often called a “bug,” that identifies the maker and the safety standard it meets. If you look in the corner of your storefront glass, you may see one. The mark is how an inspector confirms the glass meets the code.
What This Means When a Pane Breaks
Section 2402 of the code states that replacement glass must be installed as required for new installations. In plain terms, you cannot replace a broken pane in a hazardous location with ordinary annealed glass, even if that is what was there before.
When a storefront pane breaks:
- Have the opening checked to confirm whether it is a hazardous location.
- Expect the replacement to be tempered or laminated if it is.
- Remember that tempered glass is made to size, so the replacement is measured, cut and tempered before installation.
- Think about whether laminated glass is worth the upgrade, especially if the break was a burglary.
If you are dealing with a fresh break, start with what to do when a storefront window breaks. For thickness options, see how thick commercial storefront glass is.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is all commercial glass required to be tempered?
No. Safety glass is required in hazardous locations. Glass high above the floor and away from doors and walkways may not need it, although many owners choose tempered or laminated glass anyway.
Is laminated glass acceptable instead of tempered?
Laminated glass that meets the safety glazing standards is accepted in hazardous locations. The right choice depends on the opening, the size of the pane and whether security matters.
How can I tell if my storefront glass is tempered?
Look for the etched safety label in a corner of the pane. A glass professional can also check it with a polarized lens, which shows a pattern typical of tempered glass.
Get the Right Glass for Your Storefront with Houston Absolute Glassworks of Texas
Absolute Glassworks measures, fabricates and installs storefront glass and glass front doors for Houston businesses. Call (713) 666-1930 for a free estimate.