Storefront Glass Installation & Repair in Phoenix, AZ

Heat, sun and thermal stress cracks

A crack that starts at the edge of a pane and runs inward with no impact point is usually thermal stress. It happens when the center of the glass heats up in direct sun while the edges stay cool inside the frame, and it is common in Phoenix on dark-tinted or film-covered annealed glass, and on lites partly shaded by signs, columns or awnings.

Replacing a stress-cracked lite with the same glass often means replacing it again. Where the conditions call for it we move to heat-strengthened or tempered glass, which tolerates far larger temperature differences, and we check whether an aftermarket film or a dark interior backdrop is part of the problem before ordering.

Energy codes and solar control glass

Glass is the biggest heat gain on most Valley storefronts, and it drives the cooling bill. When a storefront is replaced as part of a remodel or a tenant improvement, the new glazing has to meet the energy code adopted by the city the building sits in, which in practice means insulated low-E glass in a thermally broken frame.

For existing storefronts that are not ready for replacement, solar control film or a low-E retrofit on the failed units can cut glare and heat gain. We will tell you honestly which option makes sense for the building, how long the current system has left, and what each choice costs.

Monsoon wind, dust and haboob damage

Monsoon season brings sudden wind, flying debris and dust storms. The calls we see after a storm are broken lites from debris, doors that were caught by the wind and torn off their pivots or closers, and storefronts where blown dust has packed the sill and weep system and water is now coming inside.

After a storm, the first job is to secure the opening with board-up or temporary glazing, the second is to measure and order the permanent glass, and the third is to clear and reseal the sill so the next storm does not do the damage again.

Doors that take the most abuse

In a Phoenix shopping center the entrance door is the hardest working piece of the storefront. Heat expands the frame and the door, closers lose their fluid faster in high temperatures, and pivots wear on heavily used doors. A door that drags, will not latch or slams shut is a security problem and an ADA problem.

We repair and replace overhead and floor closers, top and bottom pivots, continuous hinges, panic devices and locks, and we adjust doors so they close and latch at the right speed. When a door has been patched too many times, we replace it with a new aluminum storefront door or a frameless glass door.

What we do for Phoenix businesses

• Storefront glass replacement for broken, cracked and stress-cracked lites
• New aluminum storefront installation with low-E insulated glass
• Emergency board-up and temporary glazing after break-ins and storms
• Storefront door, closer, pivot and panic hardware repair
• Foggy insulated glass unit replacement
• Solar control and security window film
• Interior glass office fronts and partitions for tenant improvements

Areas we serve in the Phoenix metro

We cover the Valley, including Downtown Phoenix, the Camelback Corridor, Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale, Peoria and the Deer Valley and North Phoenix business parks. Permits and inspections are handled by the city the building is in, and we file with the right one.