Frequently Asked Questions

Should you have any glass related questions, please call and we will endeavor to be of assistance.

1. What is your Warranty?
Truthfulness is our policy. Each product carries a separate warranty. Once installed (shower doors, thermal units, etc) we will stand by our installation for a period of one year. The product itself will carry a manufacturers warranty against defect from 1 to 5 years, depending on the product. Any offer from others of a life-time warranty in the glass industry is merely a sales pitch. Do not be fooled.

2. What is the best cleaner for glass and mirrors?
There are many good brands on the market. We sell an aerosol can that produces a foam- spray on and wipe off. Most economical glass cleaner is a mixture of 1/3 white vinegar and 2/3 water- wipe with newspaper. The newspaper does not leave lint on the glass.
On mirrors do NOT use abrasives, alkali, ammonia or acids as these destroy the silver backing.

3. Why do edges of a mirror turn black?
Most often it is in bathroom mirrors were moisture and contaminates in the air attack the silver backing causing discoloring and flaking. Soapy water or incorrect cleaning liquids accumulate on the edges of the mirror eroding the backing.
At Glass Depots USA we try to retard the deterioration by sealing the edges of the mirror.

4. What is the difference between tempered and laminated glass?
Tempered glass is a safety glass used in doors and windows were safety is a concern. It is manufactured by heating and then rapidly cooling the glass. This cooling process causes the outside surface to form a hard "skin" which is up to 7 times stronger than "annealed" glass. When broken, it shatters into small, less harmful fragments.

Laminated Glass is both a safety and security glass. It is made by bonding two pieces of glass together with a plastic inner layer called polyvinyl butyral. The plastic prevents the glass from separating when broken, which reduces the danger of serious lacerations.
However, laminated glass cracks much easier than tempered on impact.

5. Why do insulated or thermal glass units fog up?
All insulated units will eventually fail. Insulated glass is made using two pieces of glass bonded together with a spacer creating an air space in the center that produces the insulation. Even when properly installed, heat, cold, expansion, contraction, uv-rays and moisture eventually cause seal failure. Glass Depots USA provide a limited 5 year manufacturers warranty.

6. What are the different edges used on tabletops and desktops?
There are six basic types of glass edge finishes:
Seamed edge - merely removes the sharpness for safer handling.
Flat edge - a polished "square" edge.
Pencil edge - a polished round edge.
Beveled edge - a straight sloped edge from ½ inch to 1 ½ inch slope.
Mitre edge – similar to a bevel, but with a sharper end to the slope.
Ogee edge – similar to bevel sloped edge but with a curved slope instead of straight.