Cold Snaps = Thermal Stress Cracks

After the recent series of cold snaps we have experienced an influx of calls about cracked glass. If you’ve experienced cracks in glass, but the cause of the damage isn’t apparent, here's what you should know:

What Causes Stress Cracks?

Stress cracks are ALWAYS a result of environmental factors and should be referred to as thermal stress cracks. Thermal stress cracks can occur simply because of the weather outside. Two main environmental conditions lead to thermal stress cracks:

  • If you experience extreme temperature changes overnight followed by quick warming in the morning, thermal stress cracks are more likely to occur.
  • Thermal stress cracks are most common in doors that are partially exposed to shade—particularly on large doors. If your doors are located beneath overhangs or partially shaded by trees or other structures, your risk of thermal stress cracks increases because this can cause dramatic changes in temperature on the glass between the shaded and unshaded regions.

Thermal stress cracks are caused by environmental issues and NOT due to manufacturing defect.

How to Know if You’ve Experienced A Thermal Stress Crack

Thermal stress cracks in your doors are relatively easy to identify. They will almost always start perpendicular to the edge of the glass. The crack will generally start at the glass edge and extend 1 – 3 inches from the glass edge—growing larger over time as the glass has become compromised.

Preventing Thermal Stress Cracks in Your Doors

Unfortunately, you cannot fully eliminate the risk for thermal stress cracks in your door glass, as they are a natural consequence of glass expanding and contracting during temperature changes. If you are replacing your doors, consider installing a thicker glass and choosing glass features that are suited for your climate.

Warranty and Coverage

Thermal stress cracks are caused by environmental circumstances and are NOT due to any manufacturing defect. Because of this, thermal stress crack issues are not covered under Euro-Wall's warranty.