What To Know About The Exploding Glass Shower Door Phenomenon

You might have heard media reports describing how shower doors have shattered spontaneously inside homes. While there are rare cases of the door exploding while homeowners are inside the shower, most of these incidents have happened late at night, when the homeowners were fast asleep. Either way, you worked hard to choose the perfect door for your shower, and it can be frightening to think of that door turning into a possible nightmare. It is also understandable if the reports make you think twice before choosing glass shower doors altogether. But the phenomenon itself is far from being a lingering rumor; it's actually true.

The reason glass shower doors "explode" revolves around the nature of tempered glass, which is the material used in shower doors. Tempered glass is designed in a way that keeps it under large amounts of surface-level compression, as well as a lot of internal tension, which gives the glass its characteristic strength. But any disturbance in this balance can cause an instant release of that energy. This is why homeowners report a gunshot-like sound rather than gradual breakages in the glass. Although it can be hard to pinpoint the exact root cause behind glass doors spontaneously shattering, there are a few fundamental issues that can increase the probability of this happening. 

Glass shower doors can shatter as a result of incorrect installations, drastic changes in temperature, or impurities in the glass. However, you must realize that such events are still quite rare. Efficiently monitoring glass before and after installation and following a few basic safety protocols, such as not exerting excess pressure on the door, can help you put your fears to rest.

While shattering may seem like a spontaneous event in these cases, a series of small issues may have lead up to it. Even before installation actually takes place, the glass can get chipped during manufacturing or transit. There could also be a defect in the quality of the glass itself. Such cracks or nicks can stay hidden from view and increase the stress inside the glass. This stress can be amplified with drastic changes in temperature, until a point comes where the glass shatters.

Incorrect installations in the hinges or frame can damage the edges of the door, which can cause the glass to shatter. Glass is susceptible to changes in temperature, so it constantly expands and contracts throughout the day. If, however, the door frame does not allow the glass enough room for expansion at a certain point, the glass can shatter. Shower doors can also suddenly fall off the hinges if they are not installed properly.

Furthermore, the tempering process itself, as mentioned before, can make glass vulnerable to mechanical stress from certain angles. While the heating of glass makes it more robust against direct impact, sustained damage from other directions from day-to-day use can build up stress over time. Lastly, there is also a case of certain imperfections in the manufacturing process that can cause shower doors to shatter. Nickel sulfide, in particular, can get added during the production of glass. These inclusions remain at relatively high temperatures within the glass, and once they eventually cool down, they increase in volume and cause the glass to break. However, this phenomenon is extremely rare.

Hiring licensed professionals to install your shower doors is a no-brainer. But you should make sure that the glass being used is up to standards, with the right Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) certifications. Although there can be rare instances of defects in glass occurring during the manufacturing process, tempered glass is still the best type of glass for shower doors. Even if it breaks, it is designed to shatter into safer, cubed fragments rather than large, sharp shards, which can be much more dangerous. Avoid cheap, low-quality imports or annealed glass, which is used by some manufacturers to cut costs. 

Another thing you can do to prevent the possibility of glass doors exploding is to check the glass during installation for chips or cracks. You should also carry out these checks regularly (about once a year), particularly around the edges. Check the bolts and fitting as well to make sure the frame is still intact. 

At times, exerting too much pressure on the door handle can put strain on the glass, so refrain from leaning on the handle for support if you have a glass door. If you're renovating from scratch, do not install a grab bar on the shower walls or door, since the glass can not stand the pressure of body weight. If you're still worried, you can also consider installing a safety film over the glass to prevent any chance of injuries in case of explosions. When you install a film, even if the glass breaks, the shards should stay inside the film and not scatter around.