Shower enclosures Drainage and wastage systems and plumbing help, advice and answers

[mraich]

Hi Everyone. Can anybody throw some light on Shower Enclosures. We had a Shower Enclosure installed back in 1998 and I don't know what the panels are made of. Would they be glass or plexiglass? The reason I ask is because we just got a leaflet from FENSA stating that all glass in Critical Locations must be safety glass. The contractor who did the work for us did not identify the manufacturer of the shower surround and he is no longer in the area. Is there a way I can identify glass from plexiglass?
Many thanks.
mraich

[htg engineer]

Glass will feel like glass, plexiglass will feel like plastic. Knocking on it - you should be able to tell.

I wouldn't worry too much, it'll be toughened glass (as FENSA will call safety glass) - mine are and I only fitted them last year - it doesn't have to be perspex or plexiglass.


htg

[mraich]

[quote="htg engineer"]Glass will feel like glass, plexiglass will feel like plastic. Knocking on it - you should be able to tell.

I wouldn't worry too much, it'll be toughened glass (as FENSA will call safety glass) - mine are and I only fitted them last year - it doesn't have to be perspex or plexiglass.


htg[/quote]Thank you Htg Engineer. Your comments are much appreciated. I suspect that the standards over the last couple or few years may be higher than they were in 1998. I could be wrong of course. However, FENSA say that all safety glass must be visibly marked on the glass. I can't see any markings.
mraich

[plumbbob]

The regulations changed recently about what material a shower screen can be made of. I can't remember the exact date off hand, but basically it was decided that plastic enclosures were more dangerous if damaged than glass and so consequently are no longer available.

Toughened glass is stronger, but if is broken, shatters into a million pieces which fall to the floor and hopefully causes little harm.

Plexiglass or plastic on the other hand, is weaker, and if broken usually creates long shards that have the potential to cause serious injury. It also creates splinters that fly with possible risk of eye injury.