Thursday, May 23, 2013

How to Insulate Windows



We love having windows in our homes. They provide beautiful natural light and fresh air when the weather is nice. However, windows are not a great way to insulate your home from the weather outside, whether it’s from the heat or cold.

Instead of doing away with windows altogether (because nobody wants to do that), we’ve compiled a few ways that you can insulate your windows to help regulate the temperature of your home.

Weather-stripping: Even if you’re a new homeowner, you’ve probably heard of weather-stripping before. Not only does it keep out, that’s right, extreme weather, but also seals your windows completely closed and can lower your heating and cooling bills up to 20%.

Blackout curtains not only diminish heat and cooling loss, but cancel out noise and light too!
Blackout Curtains: Blackout curtains are actually multi-purpose, and tend to be on the inexpesive side. They keep your home from losing up to 25% of the cool or warm air that you want inside. However, they can also cut down on outdoor noise pollution by almost half. It’s a win-win!

Energy Film: Unlike blackout curtains and weather-stripping, energy film tends to be more expensive. Energy film has increased transparency, and you can actually use it with blackout curtains to really cut down your heating and cooling bills to practically nothing.  

Storm Windows: Storms windows are a sort of all-in-one product. As you can probably guess, they help protect your windows from damage during a storm, but they also can placed on either the interior or exterior of your windows to prevent heat or cooling loss. If you add a low-e coating, which we do at Santa Fe Glass, your windows will be even further insulated. 

There are so many ways you can insulate your windows to keep heating and cooling costs in your home as low as possible, but we think we’ve given you a great head start with some of our favorite options!

Monday, May 13, 2013

How To Clean Up Broken Glass... With Bread

When you break a glass item on the floor, cleaning it up can certainly be a pain. You have to break out the broom, then the vacuum, sometimes even the mop, and even THEN you don't always pick everything up.

Instead of being worried that you've left some microscopic shards behind, we're discovered a very.... well, interesting technique to make sure you've grabbed every little piece, and you might be surprised to learn that it's already in your pantry.


That's right, bread. Not only can you use it to pick up glass shards that you might have missed while sweeping, but leave the loaf out and treat yourself to a sandwich when you're finished cleaning the kitchen!

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Denver Emergency Commercial Glass Repair

When you have a broken glass window or door at your Denver area business, it is critical to get it repair immediately! Broken windows and doors can cause a safety concern for your employees and customers. It is also a security issue as a broken window or door is an invitation to criminals to get in. If the glass in your company's windows or doors is broken, call the commercial glass repair and board-up specialists at Santa Fe Glass. We offer businesses throughout the Denver metropolitan area 24 hours a day, 7 days a week emergency glass repair and board-up services.

Broken glass at you business can happen for a number of reasons. Vandals, bad storms and accidents are some of the most common reasons for broken glass doors and windows. Santa Fe Glass specializes in commercial glass repair and board-up services. Our glass professionals understand the intricacies of commercial glass and are able to make repairs as soon as possible. When you have broken glass in your Denver metropolitan business, make the first call to Santa Fe Glass at 303-777-4491.

Benefits of Glass Repair and Board Up Services From Santa Fe Glass

The only question you have as a business owner in the Denver area when you have broken glass is how do I get it fixed as soon as possible? The answer is easy...Santa Fe Glass. When you call us, we sill immediately dispatch one of our commercial glass experts to make the needed glass repairs or install temporary board-ups to secure your company. The glass that we use in the replacement will meet or exceed your previous glass type.

Other benefits of using Santa Fe Glass for emergency commercial glass repair include:
  • Experienced Glass Repair and Board-Up Professionals
  • A Family Owned Company
  • 24 Hours a Day, 7 Days a Week Emergency Service
  • Experts in Commercial Emergency Glass Repair
  • Affordable Glass Repair Rates
  • Complete Cleanup of All Glass and Broken Business Materials
No matter the time of day or day of the week, Santa Fe Glass will be there immediately to make repairs and get your business back to normal and secure.

Contact Santa Fe Glass

When you have a glass window or door broken in your Denver metropolitan business, make the first call to Santa Fe Glass. We will immediately dispatch one of our professional glass repairmen and get repairs and new glass installed. Call us at 303-777-4491 to learn more about our commercial glass repair and board-up services. You can also reach us with any commercial emergency glass repair and board-up service questions that you may have through our Contact Us page.

Thursday, May 2, 2013

How to Reduce Noise from Windows



Windows are a great way to allow natural light and fresh air into your home while enjoying the outdoor scenery. It’s become popular for people to have over-sized windows installed in their home to better connect with the outdoors, sometimes even requesting entire walls of their home be made of glass. And while glass is undoubtedly beautiful, it’s also undoubtedly thinner than a wall with insulation in it.
 
What does this mean for a home or business with many windows, especially large ones? Noise, and depending on where you’re located, there could be a lot. Whether it’s an apartment located downtown, a home on a street full of kids, or a company in the middle of the business district, windows allow more outside noise to be heard inside your home, even if they’re closed. And by seeping through your windows during work hours or the middle of the night, outside noise can quickly become a disturbance.

Soundproofing your windows is essentially the best option to keep your home nice and quiet without sacrificing your beautiful view. However, ‘interior soundproof glass’ can be very expensive, making it a luxury that not everyone can afford. However, there are a couple of options that are less expensive and will block noise just as well. 

Double Paned Glass

The easiest and least expensive way to cancel out noise from your home is to switch out your single-paned windows for double or triple pane windows. In one of our previous blog posts, Double Pane v. Triple Pane Windows, we discuss the pros and cons of double v. triple pane glass. Either one you choose will block out more noise than single-paned windows without a doubt, but of all the options to soundproof your home, this tactic tends to be less effective than others.

Laminated Windows

If you want a step up from simple double-paned windows, laminated windows are a popular choice to block noise as well. Laminated windows consist of a thin plastic strip sandwiched between two glass panes. The process of placing the laminate in between panes makes the glass sturdier, which in turn, makes it vibrate less. This reduces the amount of noise that your windows will let into your home. Unlike double-paned windows, laminated windows can run on the expensive side, however, you can actually make them yourself, which can greatly reduce the cost.

Thick Glass

Another idea, and it seems obvious, is to replace your windows with a very thick glass. A single-paned window doesn’t always mean flimsy and that it allows noise, especially when you’ve opted for thick ones. Due to the thickness and the fact that these windows use only one pane, the amount of vibrating from noise is GREATLY reduced, perhaps more than any other option. To get the maximum amount of protection from thick glass, make sure you choose windows that are twice the density of regular ones.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

How to Polish Your Car’s Windshield



When it comes to cleaning your car’s windows, sometimes the traditional soap and water scrub just doesn’t bring out the sparkle you’re looking for. That’s why you should polish your windows every once in a while. Not only will it keep them sparkly and smooth, but polishing your car’s windows, the windshield especially, keeps them very clean. 
 
Polishing your windshield actually buffs out the pitting and small dents caused from driving that can make seeing while driving difficult, so it’s actually something important to do for your safety, not just for looks.

To see if you need to polish your car’s windshield, place your hands in a large plastic back and runs your hands across the windshield. If the glass feels gritty and bumpy, almost like sandpaper, you’ll know it’s time to polish the windows. 

For this project, you’ll glass polish specifically made for cars. You can find this in any multi-purpose store, or better yet, a hardware store. You can also find the other items you need there, which are a glass-polishing disc and a high-speed polisher. Lastly, you will need a microfiber cloth. 

Make sure your polishing disk is dry before applying any product to it. Once you’ve made sure it’s dry, place a quarter-sized amount of polish onto the polishing disc and set the speed of the polisher to 1,000 rpm. 

Work on half of the windshield at a time to make sure you don’t miss any spots. Move the polisher up and down the glass, being careful to get every corner and crevice. Once you’ve cleaned one side of the windshield, move around to the other side of the car and polish the rest.

Repeat this step two times. By repeating the process, you’re working the polish into the glass, which will make your windshield incredibly smooth and clear. 

Once the polish has been worked into the glass, use your microfiber cloth to wipe away any excess residue. Then, examine the windshield from the inside AND the outside to make sure the glass is polished. If it isn’t completed to your liking, repeat this process again. 

Once you’ve completed the outside of your windshield, repeat the entire process on the inside. While it may seem like a lot of work, polishing the windows of your car is an important process, and it’s one many people neglect. 

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Why Glass Partitions Boosts Productivity in the Workplace



It’s no secret that when employees are happy in their workplace, they tend to be more productive in their jobs. That’s why companies are constantly looking for new ways to re-vamp their work space and create the ideal layout for optimal business. One of the best ways to do this is to create a semi-open floor plan while still maintaining personal privacy for employees. 

While there are a number of ways you could create this ideal floor plan, glass partitions are by far the best way to attain this goal, and for a number of reasons. 

Non-Claustrophobic Layout

Glass partitions are the perfect way to break up a workplace into individual work spaces without boxing employees into tiny areas. Often times, offices with lots of walls and private offices make workers feel as if they’re working in a stuffy, boxed in environment.  Glass creates a very different effect, establishing personal areas without a closed-in feeling. Even if you put glass partitions in every spot where regular walls once stood, the result will be one that employees will respond to. 

Better Lighting

Most people would agree that light has a direct effect on people’s emotions and moods. Even in small areas and tight spaces, studies show that workers are much happier if sunlight is able to steam through a nearby window. However, the only people who tend to benefit from these are, of course, people whose desks are near windows.

Glass partitioning opens up the office and allows sunlight to continue to stream throughout the work space without getting blocked or cut off by solid walls. More people will get to experience the shining sun and thus, tend to be happier and more productive. 

Not only does more sunlight lift people’s moods, but it will also save your company on lighting costs, as you won’t have to depend on electric lighting as much. 

Enhanced Communication

Already we’ve discussed that glass partitions allow people to feel more free and uplifted in their workspace, which in turn, makes them happier people. This, along with the fact that glass partitions give co-workers better access to each other, makes for better overall office communication. 

Giving co-workers the ability to see each other more during the work day is a great way to enhance communication between everyone in the office. They’ll be more likely to talk to each other and collaborate on ideas, which will no doubt increase productivity. Working on projects and presentations is much easier when a small piece of glass is your only barrier. It cuts down on walking aimlessly around the office, trying to find the person you’re looking for, and gives employees the ability to get information much faster from each other. 

Glass partitions also increase productivity because employers are more easily able to keep an eye on the office, making sure work is getting done. While employees may use walls and private offices as a way to get a little more privacy, there’s no question that everyone is more productive when they can be seen from all angles. 

With all the great reasons there are to get glass partitions in your company’s office, there’s no need to brainstorm any more. By making a simple change in the office with glass partitions, you can make a huge difference in your company’s productivity.  

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Entry System Installation by Santa Fe Glass

Santa Fe Glass is proud to offer affordable prices, friendly customer service, and a wide variety of commercial security products to our customers.

Whether you’re a Denver business owner looking to increase the security of your office and employees, or a home builder, contractor, or manager of commercial homes looking for high quality security products, Santa Fe Glass has everything you need.

 Some of the Denver commercial security products we offer include:

  • Entry System Sales and Installation
  • Door Hardware
  • Door Locks
  • Door Hinges
  • Metal Door Sales and Installation
  • Panic Hardware
  • Alarm Locks
  • Door Closers
  • Door Stops and Holders
  • Kick Plates
  • Deadlocks 
Let us help you complete your next job or project in Denver with our cost effective security solutions, including a new entry system, metal door, or a variety of door hardware, from hinges to locks.

Call Santa Fe Glass today at (303) 777-4491 to learn more about our entry systems, door hinges, metal doors, door hardware, and door locks.