Egg Didn't Crack, But Picture Window Did

1voyager

I know that -14 degrees overnight is nothing to many of you, but it's rare to get that cold in central/southern Colorado.

Curtains were closed for the last few days for additional insulation. Boss Lady opened the curtains yesterday afternoon and found a huge crack in the window glass.



So, @JohnInCarolina - I need a formula to explain this. 

Here are your variables:

-8 degrees ambient temperature

Bright Colorado sun, warm enough to melt 2" snow on asphalt at -8 degrees.

Exterior wall registered 48 degrees surface temperature. Again, due to bright, blinding sunlight. Why would I go outside in -8 degree weather to check the temperature of an outside wall? Well, sometimes my geekness makes me do stuff like that.

Interior temperature was 68 degrees.

I'm thinking the answer to the question "how could this happen?" is...because.  

HeavyG

Is it double pane glass?

1voyager

Yes. Double pane. Crack is on the indoor plate.

Legume

oh man, that sucks.  sorry to hear it

Langner91

I am an electrical engineer, so you are getting what you pay for here.

That isn't due to the glass getting cold, or being shocked.  That is due to the entire house shrinking in the cold and it put that pane of glass in a bind.  POP!

Picture windows like that should be tempered and wouldn't break from 76° thermal difference (68 inside, -8 outside is only 76 degree difference).

Your house shrunk further than it has in a long time, or ever. 

But, I could be wrong.

JohnInCarolina

1voyager said:

I know that -14 degrees overnight is nothing to many of you, but it's rare to get that cold in central/southern Colorado.

Curtains were closed for the last few days for additional insulation. Boss Lady opened the curtains yesterday afternoon and found a huge crack in the window glass.



So, @JohnInCarolina - I need a formula to explain this. 

Here are your variables:

-8 degrees ambient temperature

Bright Colorado sun, warm enough to melt 2" snow on asphalt at -8 degrees.

Exterior wall registered 48 degrees surface temperature. Again, due to bright, blinding sunlight. Why would I go outside in -8 degree weather to check the temperature of an outside wall? Well, sometimes my geekness makes me do stuff like that.

Interior temperature was 68 degrees.

I'm thinking the answer to the question "how could this happen?" is...because.  

That can be due to almost anything.  Loading on the frame or a bit of creep in the pane itself that resulted in a small existing flaw going critical and just up and running.  

johnmitchell

How close is that window to a toilet, could be something as simple as an unusually heavy bowel movement. My 2 cents🤯

1voyager

Thanks, @Legume

Window is 4' X 6'. Hoping for warm weather during replacement. 

Botch

It's that square corner.  

fishlessman

JohnInCarolina said:

1voyager said:

I know that -14 degrees overnight is nothing to many of you, but it's rare to get that cold in central/southern Colorado.

Curtains were closed for the last few days for additional insulation. Boss Lady opened the curtains yesterday afternoon and found a huge crack in the window glass.



So, @JohnInCarolina - I need a formula to explain this. 

Here are your variables:

-8 degrees ambient temperature

Bright Colorado sun, warm enough to melt 2" snow on asphalt at -8 degrees.

Exterior wall registered 48 degrees surface temperature. Again, due to bright, blinding sunlight. Why would I go outside in -8 degree weather to check the temperature of an outside wall? Well, sometimes my geekness makes me do stuff like that.

Interior temperature was 68 degrees.

I'm thinking the answer to the question "how could this happen?" is...because.  

That can be due to almost anything.  Loading on the frame or a bit of creep in the pane itself that resulted in a small existing flaw going critical and just up and running.  

Langner91 said:

I am an electrical engineer, so you are getting what you pay for here.

That isn't due to the glass getting cold, or being shocked.  That is due to the entire house shrinking in the cold and it put that pane of glass in a bind.  POP!

Picture windows like that should be tempered and wouldn't break from 76° thermal difference (68 inside, -8 outside is only 76 degree difference).

Your house shrunk further than it has in a long time, or ever. 

But, I could be wrong.

Happens alot with tall buildings and thermal expansion

1voyager

Botch said:

It's that square corner.  

Yes

loco_engr

prob a problem with the flux capacitor  . . .  

danhoo

Langner91 said:

Your house shrunk further than it has in a long time, or ever. 

But, I could be wrong.

I'll bet other things shrunk further. 

But, I could be wrong. 

lousubcap

Doors to the outside move as freely as prior to the cold??  I'm with @Langner91 as my door frames have shifted enough to change the force needed to operate the doors.  Lowest seen here over the past two days was -8*F Friday AM.  Today (around 7 AM started at +5*F) now a balmy factor of 3X to 15*F).  
Regardless, that sucks whatever the cause.  

Botch

lousubcap said:

Doors to the outside move as freely as prior to the cold??   

My doors don't change at all regardless of temp; however , the few weeks of humid weather we get here in August makes a huge difference.  I should plane them down a couple shavings but I really like the snug fit I have the rest of the year.  

MaskedMarvel

JohnInCarolina said:

1voyager said:

I know that -14 degrees overnight is nothing to many of you, but it's rare to get that cold in central/southern Colorado.

Curtains were closed for the last few days for additional insulation. Boss Lady opened the curtains yesterday afternoon and found a huge crack in the window glass.



So, @JohnInCarolina - I need a formula to explain this. 

Here are your variables:

-8 degrees ambient temperature

Bright Colorado sun, warm enough to melt 2" snow on asphalt at -8 degrees.

Exterior wall registered 48 degrees surface temperature. Again, due to bright, blinding sunlight. Why would I go outside in -8 degree weather to check the temperature of an outside wall? Well, sometimes my geekness makes me do stuff like that.

Interior temperature was 68 degrees.

I'm thinking the answer to the question "how could this happen?" is...because.  

That can be due to almost anything.  Loading on the frame or a bit of creep in the pane itself that resulted in a small existing flaw going critical and just up and running.  

I actually immediately thought-

it'd be interesting to find out if there was a classic corner “chip” from the pane getting dinked before final
install. Cover the chip with trim - who’d ever find out?

GrateEggspectations

johnmitchell said:

How close is that window to a toilet, could be something as simple as an unusually heavy bowel movement. My 2 cents🤯

Just curious…. You been hanging with @BMChicago?

Teefus

I’m in the glass business. It’s caused by thermal stress. Cold glass, warm sun. Heat captured by curtains. Minuscule imperfection at edge of glass is the weak link. Glass begins to expand but unevenly. Something’s gotta give. Crack starts at edge a propagates to center. Not common on clear but it happens. 

Legume

I’m not in the glass business, but based on childhood experience it might have been someone playing ball in the house.

fishlessman

Teefus said:

I’m in the glass business. It’s caused by thermal stress. Cold glass, warm sun. Heat captured by curtains. Minuscule imperfection at edge of glass is the weak link. Glass begins to expand but unevenly. Something’s gotta give. Crack starts at edge a propagates to center. Not common on clear but it happens. 

Is it covered by ins or does one need to throw a rock at it😁

StillH2OEgger

My first thought, @Legume. Any grandkids visiting over the holidays?

Botch

I wonder if a "SafeLite"-type repair would work on picture windows?  

RRP

I haven’t read all the replies, but permit me to add some personal replacement savings experience.Before you call some high pressure window company call a reputable glass company and get a quote. Quality windows are actually built to have those sealed glass panels quite easily replaced. Not bragging, but that saved me $25K.