When stained glass windows are a part of your property, the right ventilation is a necessity. Hot and cold temperatures can cause the glass to expand and contract often leading to cracks. Throughout the days, weeks and months following, cracks can grow and end up shattering the entire piece.
Proper and maintained ventilation however, can help counteract changes in temperature and weather along with other factors like condensation that can have a negative impact on stained glass.
A ventilator includes protective insulated glass that exists on either side of the stained glass. This glass, protects the stained glass from the cold outside while at the same time also protects against the warm temperatures inside. Instead of the conflicting temperatures affecting the glass at the same time, the ventilator keeps them separate. The channel created between the actual stained glass and outer protective glass helps catch condensation as well as prevent air and water from touching the stained glass.
Thermal strips throughout the ventilator keep the stained glass window in one piece by reinforcing its structure. Three rows of weather-stripping materials makes sure that no matter if snow, rain or ice is falling from the sky, the stained glass window will remain unaffected. Maintaining the ventilator also means maintaining the stained glass.
Over time, parts of the product may need to be replaced, especially in areas with extreme climates. However, replacing pieces of the ventilator or even the whole unit, is more cost-effective and much more easy than having to replace the stained glass window itself. Not to mention, these windows can be irreplaceable depending on when and where they were created.