At ATM Mirror and Glass, we feel that any purchase made for your home or business should be taken seriously. We are not looking to confuse our clients with industry jargon or provide our clients with something other than what they expected- which is why we provided this F.A.Q. (frequently asked questions) list.  For our glossary of commonly used industry terms please click here.

Shower Enclosure F.A.Q.

Q: What is the difference between a framed vs. frameless enclosure?

A: A framed enclosure utilizes metal around the perimeter of all glass panels, the header (or top piece), and sill (bottom). Metals used are generally either aluminum or brass. Glass in a framed shower or tub enclosure is generally 3/16" or 1/4" thick. Click here for views of this type of enclosure.

a frameless enclosure utilizes minimal amounts of metal. The glass panels butt against one another without the use of metal, and depending on application and/or preference, a header (or top piece) is not necessary. Often there is minimal use of metal along the sill area as well. There is of course, some metal necessary for structural reasons- clamps or u-channel, hold glass panels at either the top or bottom and on sides- but are non intrusive in appearance. In a frameless shower enclosure the glass is 3/8" or 1/2" thick, this is also known as "heavy glass". The glass in a frameless sliding shower door/tub enclosure can be 1/4" thick.

Q: I have heard that frameless shower doors can be dangerous.

A: False. Although they use less metal then say a framed door, they are by no means any more dangerous. Glass, although in certain states, can be quite fragile, on its edge is extremely strong. Frameless Shower enclosures (just like framed doors) utilize tempered (or heat-strengthened) glass. Once glass is tempered, two things happen: glass becomes incredible strong and it also becomes a safety glass. Tempered glass, should it break, will shatter into small parts- thus reducing the risk of injury. Frameless doors also use 3/8" or 1/2" glass, which is exceptionally difficult to break- especially when tempered. So, either a framed or frameless door, when installed by a qualified technician/glass handler, will assure fortification and safety.

Q: I have a shower door that no longer fits in my newly remodeled bathroom, can I have it "cut-down"?

A: Unfortunalty not. Once glass is tempered, it cannot be cut. Should you even be able to score it with a glass cutter, it would break or "blow-up" into millions of little pieces. This is a safety-feature of tempered glass. You would need to buy a new enclosure.

Q: When should I call someone to come to my home to measure for a new enclosure?

A: The technician can come to your home once everything is done. This would include: all tiling and shower door sills (or saddles). The glass business is an exact science. We measure to the 1/16" of an inch, taking into account any areas that might not be plumb or square. This is to not only guarantee a perfect finished job, but to assure that all of the glass panels etc..fit properly. Unlike some other building materials, glass cannot be altered (especially once it has been tempered) nor bent etc. to be "made" to fit.

Insulated Glass F.A.Q.

Q. The glass in my window has broken, but it looks as though only one of the panes has broken, the other is still intact, can I just repair the one side?

A. Unfortunately not, insulated glass comes as a vacuumed sealed unit. For the glass to retain it's insulating properties the "seal" is the vital factor. If the seal fails -such as in a case of a breakage, you must buy a whole new insulated unit. A qualified glazier will be able to change the insulated glass in your home or business without having to replace the window itself (i.e.. Sash-see definition below).

Q. I have insulated glass in my home/business, it appears to be "dirty" inside the glass, is there a way to clean this?

A. Again, as in the case of the breakage mentioned above, the seal is the key factor. Insulated glass is indeed one of your home/business's items that need to be maintained. After years, the seal in insulated glass will fail (ATM Mirror & Glass offers a 10 year seal warrantee). Once this seal fails, moisture (condensation) will accumulate on the interior of the glass. This condensation may even appear to go away at times- which is directly related to environmental factors (position of sun, season, temperature). If you notice fogging inside of your insulated glass, the seal has failed, and the glass has lost it's insulating properties. You need to replace the unit.

How do I know that I am dealing with a professional glazier?

A professional will comply with all safety glazing requirements or other specialty glazing requirements where stated by code (i.e. Doors, shower enclosures, various storefront/mallfront applications etc.)

A professional will willingly providse assistance regarding any questions or comments clients may have regarding installation, materials or other job related information.

Will provide list of contacts and/or photos of jobs completed upon request and arrange for a completed project jobsite visit if requested.

Will be licenced and insured to work in the county where the work is being requested.