Tempered Glass vs Ceramic Glass

When shopping for a direct vent fireplace one of the most important things you should consider is the type of glass that the unit has on it. Because the glass panel is fixed and must remain in place for its closed combustion system to operate you want to make sure you have the correct type of glass for your situation. There are 2 types of glass available, ceramic glass or tempered safety glass. Depending on what you intend to use the fireplace for will help you determine what type of glass is right for you. First you must decide what you want the fireplace to do. Do you want this as a primary heat source or are you looking for a decorative addition to your room? Or do you want a little of both?

Here is some basic information regarding each type of glass.

Ceramic Glass

Ceramic glass is mechanically a very strong material; it can sustain repeated and quick temperature changes and high amounts of heat, up to 1000° C. without breaking. It is impervious to thermal shock. There is very little glare and the glass can be made nearly transparent. Originally it was developed for use in the mirrors and mirror mounts of astronomical telescopes, these materials have become known and entered the domestic market through its use in stove cook tops, as well as cookware and bake ware.

Tempered Safety Glass

Tempered safety glass is made through a process of extreme heating and rapid cooling. This process makes it harder and four to five times stronger than standard glass. This thermal process also makes it heat resistant. Typically safety glass is used in the windows in ovens and shower doors. Tempered glass is unique in the way that it breaks. If any part of the panel fails the entire panel shatters at once. It will shatter into small oval-shaped pebbles which eliminates the danger of sharp edges. Because of this, along with its strength tempered glass is often referred to as safety glass or tempered safety glass.

So, what does this mean to you and your decision to buy a fireplace?

If you are looking for a heat source, ceramic glass is going to be a better solution. Like stated above, tempered glass is used in oven doors. It is made to keep the heat into the chamber. So, ceramic glass will allow more heat to pass though it which will put more heat into your room.

On the other hand, if you are looking for a decorative appliance where you do not want the heat to come into your room, then tempered glass would be the better option. Although because tempered glass is rather reflective you can see it easier on the fireplace. As pointed out above ceramic glass was originally intended for use in telescopes, due to low amount of glare and the fact that it is nearly transparent it will give you a better view of the fire and logs in the fireplace.

One thing that you will notice about ceramic glass is that it is considerably more expensive than tempered glass is. So, if you are a builder looking to add a decorative fireplace or remodeling and looking for a cheaper solution, a fireplace with tempered glass is most likely the best option for you.