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FAQ: The abbreviation FENSA stands for FENESTRATION - SELF ASSESSMENT. The uk dictionary definition of the word fenestral or fenestrate is " belonging to or like a window" The word fenestration is "the arrangement of windows in a building". FENSA is used by double glazing uk trade companies to certify that their replacement windows and doors installed comply with Building Regulations Document L (and more), actually checking av. 1% of all replacement windows installations. Did You Know?
Glass as used in double glazing industry.There are so many types of glass used in the double glazing industry you simply would not believe it! Fortunately in the home only a small number are used in the normal way, and so I will simplify this page by discussing those commonly used for domestic and mostly double glazing locations, and for the technically minded who may be interested I have provided a link to Pilkington at the bottom of the page for a much more comprehensive list of types and their respective properties. Types of glass commonly used for domestic locations, and double glazing. Sheet glass: Many years ago glass for windows was drawn 'Sheet' glass, normally '32 ounce' in weight (now 4mm in thickness) which had noticeable distortion, and this type of glass can still be seen in older houses and buildings today. It is also what is known as 'greenhouse glass' normally '24ounce' in weight (now 3mm in thickness). Float glass manufacturing process: A new process of floating molten glass on molten Tin was invented (by Sir A Pilkington, working for Pilkington's Glass, but not one of the same family), which produced a far more distortion free product, and this is the everyday ordinary glass as used in most windows today. Although surprisingly pliable and easy to cut when new, after a few years this annealed glass starts to become more brittle, and if you try to cut say 20 year old glass, it is noticeably more difficult to cut it. When this type of glass gets broken it can be extremely dangerous, with shards as sharp as a razor. I have seen people cut themselves on glass by handling it too gently thinking this is the best way, but it is not, it is likely to slip. Always remember to have a firm grip on glass when handling it so as it cannot slip, because that is how it will cut you. When I show people how to handle glass with bare hands I get a piece of glass and smack the sharp edge, no cut. I then explain that if I ran my hand along the sharp edge of the glass I would have a nasty cut. Do not try this yourself, and you should never handle glass with bare hands. Obscured glass: Available in a variety of patterns with different levels of obscurity, most of which can be toughened.
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