Author Archives: Armstrong Glass

Mirrors: Boosting Any Interior

Dmirroro you have a room that is cramped or lacking natural light? A well placed mirror can transform the look of any room by creating the illusion or more space, or amplifying the room’s light. Here we walk through a few of the many benefits of mirrors in your home.

  • Improve lighting. A mirror will reflect the lamplight or natural light already present and revitalize a dark room. The size and placement of the mirror are important in controlling the amount of light that is reflected, so a room does not become too bright or not bright enough.
  • Hide imperfections. A scratch, discolored paint, or a hole can be covered with a mirror to hide any unsightly flaw. Full length mirrors can hide imperfections close to the floor. A mirror is also a beautiful accent piece, along with a functional piece in a bedroom or bathroom.
  • Create the appearance of space. Reflecting the space of a room gives the illusion of a comfortable openness. A long, horizontal mirror in a hallway or tight bathroom can offer space and brighten the narrow area.

Beautiful Custom Mirrors

If you are ready to brighten confined spaces in your home with beautiful, affordable mirrors from Fort Worth’s glass specialists, call us today at 817-937-6267!

Homeowner’s Insurance and Broken Windows

broken glass Being a homeowner comes with a wide variety of responsibilities, and one of the responsibilities of being a homeowner is replacing your windows after they break. Many homeowners purchase insurance policies on their homes to help with unexpected expenses such as replacing property stolen during a burglary or repairing storm damage. When you need to replace a window, making a homeowner’s insurance claim can be a viable option to help you pay for your new window.

Of course, the only way to be sure that your homeowner’s insurance covers broken windows is to contact your agent and discuss your policy. However, we have provided a few helpful tidbits that can help you determine if your insurance policy will replace your broken window.

How was the window broken?

Many insurance policies only provide coverage under specifically outlined circumstances in your policy. This means that how your window was broken is a significant factor in whether or not you are covered. These kinds of policies are referred to as named-risk policies. In contrast, open-peril policies cover any cause not explicitly excluded from your policy.

For instance, if your window was broken during a hail storm, then both policies would cover a new window. However, if you broke your window while trying to clean it, a named-risk policy would not cover a new window.

How much is your deductible?

Even if your policy covers a broken window for any reason, it may not make sense to make a claim with your insurance company if you have to pay a high deductible. Simply, if the cost of replacing your window is less than the cost of your deductible, you will just want to pay for your new window out of pocket.

You may also want to consider the fact that making multiple claims over a short period can raise your premiums and other insurance rates. If you have made another claim with your insurance provider recently, you may want to avoid making another claim.

How Is Stained Glass Made?

stained glassHave you ever gazed up into a beautifully constructed stained glass window and taken in all its beauty? Stained glass is an art form that dates back thousands of years and is still widely sought after in modern architecture. Much of the original concepts are applied to making stained glass today, and we have detailed a brief outline of those processes to help you understand and appreciate these marvelous works of art.

Intricate Design

First, the glass is fired at a specific temperature and formula with different salts and metals to create brilliant colors. For the particular window, an exact model of the window dimensions is made – once the design for the window is created, it is outlined in these dimensions to create a “cartoon.” The cartoon is then replicated on paper, and the paper pattern is used to draw “cutlines,” which are where the leadpeacock stained glass joints of the stained glass are to be laid.

Using the cutlines as a guide, a colored piece of glass is outlined and cut to fit this shape. The colored glass is then coated with a special paint that makes the glass appear glassier and unifies all the colors in the artwork. The cut pieces of glass are joined together with thin strips of lead that have grooves on each side to fit each piece into the design.

Stained glass is beautiful and wonderfully intricate. For glass equally as captivating yet simple and affordable, call us at 817-937-6267!

History Of Glassmaking

tinted glass on commercial buildingWe may not think about it much, but a lot goes into making glass. Only relatively recently could we mass produce it, making it a staple of every household. However, humans have made glass for thousands of years. If you’ve ever wondered about the history of glassmaking, we go over some of the major points here.

Earliest Findings:

The first findings of glassmaking trace all the way back to Mesopotamia in 3,500 BC. Archaeologists have found glass beads, probably a by-product from metal working.

Later, the Chinese and Roman empires both created objects made of glass as well, including beads, windows and even jewelry.

Recent Innovations:

In 1674, a man named George Ravenscroft came up with a new method for creating glass by injecting lead oxide into it (when melted). This both improved the look of the glass and made it easier to melt.

James Hartley, in the mid 19th century, invented what we know today as plate glass. This then took off for industrial purposes after use in The Crystal Palace in 1851.

 

We still continue to make great strides today in glassmaking. If you’d like premiere glass installation services, look no further than Armstrong’s Glass & Mirror. Give us a call at (817) 937-6267.

Benefits Of Glass Shelving

glass shelvingWe all want every little detail of our home to look perfect. Unfortunately, this requires a lot of time and money. Here at Armstrong’s Glass & Mirror, we want to do our part to help you get your house looking how you want it. Here, we’ll go over the benefits of one of our installation options: glass shelving.

Customization:

You can customize your glass shelves exactly how you’d like. You can choose from seamed, pencil polished, flat polished and beveled polished edges. 

Collectors:

Do you like to collect things? Glass shelving offers the perfect showcase for your collection. Impress your friends with an elegant display.

Elegance:

Glass shelving just offers an aesthetic elegance that you cannot find anywhere else. While it doesn’t have the high cost that it did in older times, we still associate it with affluence today.

 

Has this piqued your interest in glass shelving? If so, talk to one of the professionals at Armstrong’s Glass & Mirror for more information about installation. We also offer many other services. You can reach us at (817) 937-6267.

Custom Frameless Pivot Doors

shower glass / fort worth / armstrongWhen it comes to glass, look no further than Armstrong’s Glass & Mirror; we offer experience and skill in glass installation that you won’t find anywhere else. We offer many services, including customizable options, and will happily discuss them all over with you. Here, we’d like to talk about our custom frameless pivot glass doors.

Benefits:

  • You can increase the value and appeal of your home
  • Evenly distributed weight, meaning you get a more stable door
  • Unparalleled design options to fit your own personal taste

Our service:

If you know exactly what specifications you want, we’ll ensure they all get realized. If you haven’t decided yet, or don’t know how to get started, we can help you with that too. 

When you need glass or mirror installation or repairs, call Armstrong’s. Our friendly team members will happily discuss all of your options in detail. To find out more, please don’t hesitate to call us at (817) 937-6267.

Benefits Of Owning A Skylight

skylight in a homeHave you ever considered having a skylight installed in your home? You probably like the idea, if just because they add a certain aesthetic value and we could all use a little more sun. In fact, they come with a host of other benefits. If you’d like to know more about them, we’ve listed a few here.

 

Efficient:

Obviously, when you have natural sunlight entering your house, you won’t have to waste energy on electrical lights. Not only does this reduce pollution, but it will even lower your energy bills to save you cash.

Visibility:

Did you know that when you reach age 60, you require more light to see as well as you did when younger? Sometimes electrical light just doesn’t cut it, but sunlight always will.

Privacy:

Our population has skyrocketed in recent times. Homes get built closer and closer together. Because of this, privacy becomes a big issue. The perfect way to retain it without losing access to sunlight involves building a skylight instead of windows. 

 

Did these pique your interest in skylights? If so, you might want to consider having one installed. If you do have one, but need repair services, Armstrong’s Glass & Mirror can help. To find out more about us, please give us a call at (817) 937-6267.

About Low E-Glass

low e-glassMost glass probably seems the same to the layman. In reality, this doesn’t hold true. Glass making proves an extremely intricate discipline. One of the relatively recent innovations in the field includes low e-glass (low emissivity glass). We’ll tell you a little bit more about how it works and some of its benefits here.

 

How it works:

Low e-glass has one big difference from traditional glass; it has an extremely thin (microscopic) layer, usually made of a metal material, coated on it that reflects certain wavelengths of light. This gives it a few different advantages over a regular glass window.

Benefits:

The reason most people choose low-e glass involves the lower energy costs in their home. They help reduce midday heat gain by reflecting certain wavelengths.

 

If you want to experience these benefits for yourself, Armstrong’s Glass & Mirror offers low-e glass window installation. We also have a host of other services available. If you’d like to learn more about this, don’t hesitate to give us a call at (817) 937-6267.

Signs Of Skylight Damage

skylight repair / fort worth / armstrong'sIf you’ve got a skylight, you probably love that extra sunshine that you get every day. They add a lot of aesthetic appeal to the inside of your home. However, they can get damaged. This can cause costly repairs to become necessary if you don’t catch it early. We’ve listed a few signs of skylight damage to help you catch it before it gets bad:

Leaks:

This one seems obvious, but sometimes these leaks happen in hard-to-spot places. Usually, they happen due to a problem with the flashings that line the skylight. Most of the time, especially if they don’t get too big, they can get repaired fairly easily. When they get bad, though, you may have to have your whole skylight replaced.

Sealing:

While one of the signs of improper sealing can include leaks, another symptom might present itself: drafts. If you notice the room where your skylight sits has become notably more drafty, you might want to have it checked out.

Cracks:

Cracks, even little ones, can become a huge problem. Think about what happen when your windshield gets cracked. It might not take up much space at first, but over time it will engulf the entire windshield. The same thing will happen with your skylight.

 

Remember, don’t wait for damage to get worse over time. If you require skylight repair in Fort Worth, Tx, Armstrong’s Glass & Mirror can help. For more information, you can reach us at (817) 937-6267.

Effects Of UV Light On Humans

picture of sunlightNot much gets associated with the natural as much as sunlight. Still, that doesn’t mean its effects do you good. While it has proven an integral part to life as we know it, it also causes a lot of damage. We’ve listed some of the ways UV light affects your body:

 

It damages your DNA:

UV light also gets referred to as UV radiation. Like all radiation, it destroys the chemical bonds inside your DNA. This often causes premature aging of the skin. Also, scientists have proven a strong association between UV rays and skin cancer.

It makes your skin produce melanin:

UV radiation causes your body to produce melanin to protect itself. While this may give you a nice looking tan, this protection doesn’t provide 100% effectiveness.

It causes eye damage:

UV light hitting your eyeballs for long periods of time can cause them damage. Damage gets created this way similar to the way it gets created in skin. It commonly gets referred to as “snow blindness” because it can even get caused by the reflection in the snow.

 

Remember to use sunscreen when exposed to the sun for long periods of time. If you want solar screen installation to help protect you from UV light, Armstrong’s Glass and Mirror can help. For more information, give us a call at (817) 937-6267.