Home inspection in southern Israel

When you walk into a new home, everything smells fresh... The aluminum, the windows, the shutters: all new and gleaming. But sometimes things are a little different. In the home inspections (bedek bayit) we have carried out in the South and elsewhere around the country, we have seen many contractors hand over an apartment with a scratched aluminum railing, paint stains and so on, on top of the other construction defects that at this stage are hidden from the client.

You should know that these defects, too, go into the construction defects report of the home inspection our company carries out. And as general knowledge, it is worth knowing the standards for glass railings.

Home inspection in the South: the rules for glass railings you did not know

Glass balcony railings are going into more and more projects these days. They look better and they are more practical. They let you enjoy the view without obstruction, but not when they are a safety hazard. Have you, too, just moved into a new apartment, and would you like to know whether the glass railing meets the standards even before you order a home inspection in Rehovot?

The rules for glass railings that you did not know are in this article.

You are welcome to read, apply and share.

1. The type of glass permitted in a railing is laminated glass (also called triplex glass).

This is the safest glass. It consists of two panes of glass bonded to each other by a transparent film that keeps the shards from scattering when the glass shatters. Tempered glass is not permitted under today's standards.

In most places each pane has to be at least 5 mm thick. But that changes with the size of the panes and with the way the pane is connected to the aluminum frame that holds it, or when the wind at the site is too strong. In those cases a stricter requirement is needed, as an engineer decides.

We worry less about the use of tempered glass, because it is used less today (except in a few public places). The thickness of the glass, however, is very important to check. In many projects we see shattered panes on balconies after a few years of use, and the high cost keeps the residents from replacing the glass.

To order a home inspection company in Rehovot, follow the link.

What else to check on the railing: height and fixing

2. The balcony railing has to be 105 cm high. No less. If something projects up to 4.5 cm from the floor, the measurement has to start from that projection upward (the same applies in every public institution where children spend time). On a balcony where the concrete base of the railing is used for sitting, the measurement has to start from the surface of that base.

These dimensions are not just a recommendation. They were adopted in the Israeli Standard as the result of various risk calculations combined with safety factors. So it is important to check for projections of one kind or another that children can climb on and, heaven forbid, put themselves in danger.

For that you do not need a home inspection company in the South: you can simply check with the tape measure found in every home.

3. The glass must be separated from the aluminum section that holds it by a foam gasket covering the entire contact area between glass and aluminum. In addition, there must be a handhold along the top of the railing, around its whole perimeter.

The foam between the aluminum and the glass is something contractors tend to skimp on. In many connections the required gaskets are missing, or they are not the right size. Unfortunately, as a home inspection company in the South, we hear almost daily about glass panes that fell from a balcony and nearly caused a disaster. A pane can fall because the foam that protects the glass from being worn by the bolt when the wind blows is missing.

To order a home inspection engineer in Rehovot.

A home inspection engineer in the South sums up

Glass balcony railings are going into more and more projects. They look better, they are more practical, and they let you enjoy the view without obstruction, but not when they are a safety hazard. As you have learned from this article, for the home to be safe, practical and comfortable for its residents, it is important to check the thickness of the glass panes (usually it should be 5 mm; in non-standard cases consult a home inspection engineer in the South), whether the height meets the standard once projections from the floor at the railing are taken into account, and whether the pane is held in the aluminum the way the standard requires.

Now it's your turn

So far we have shown you 3 weak points that may exist in your new apartment and could create safety risks. Now the stage is yours. What can you add? Is there anything else important you would add about checking a balcony railing, beyond the 3 points in this article? Please share it with us here, so that we can all learn and improve.

Your next step, to have the balcony railing checked for defects and to get a home inspection in the South, is to contact us for a price quote.

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