Ever had this happen? My shower door just suddenly exploded out of the blue.

[Ron Obvious]

We weren't even using the shower, nor had we suddenly heated the house up from near freezing or anything.

I was nearby, errm, reading, when suddenly, and totally without warning, the shower door next to me exploded with a huge bang in a very bowel evacuation-inducing fashion.

I haven't heard about any earthquakes (we're in the PNW) or tremors recently. Maybe the house just settled or else it's evil spirits.

It's safety glass so it didn't take my head off or anything inconvenient like that, but there are some tiny bits of glass on the floor now and in the tub.

Time to buy a Shop-Vac and call in an exorcist.

[LiberalEsto]

1. Yikes

Attack by miniature drones, perchance?

[MicaelS]

2. Yes, it happens.

Consumer Beware: Glass Shower Doors Can Shatter Suddenly

In 2011, manufacturer Kohler Co., for instance, had to recall approximately 100 of its shower doors after consumers reported that the doors were shattering.

The problem occurs with tempered glass, which manufacturers use because of its safety value. However, Mark Meshulam, a window expert, says that pre-existing damage and imperfections are both factors in the doors' spontaneous shattering.

"The number one reason glass doors break is because of some form of damage to the glass around the edges of that door," Meshulam said. "The number two reason would be through inclusions, microscopic imperfections that grow into a larger crack internally to the pressure layers. Those pressure layers eventually cause the glass to just shatter."

Consumers who have experienced this issue should call their door manufacture and report the incident to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

[Ron Obvious]

5. Thank you so much!

It IS Kohler, and it IS tempered glass. I will be following up on this.

[MicaelS]

7. Glad to help. n/t

[Hoyt]

3. I had the rear window in a car blow out like that. Sounded like a shotgun went off. But, a shower

[Duer 157099]

4. Thanks

::grumbles and adds another item to the list of shit I have to worry about now::

[Ron Obvious]

6. Cool!

My work here is done.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

8. That must have been very startling.

At least you were in a convenient place for being very startled.

[MissMillie]

9. What the heck did you eat??????

[Ron Obvious]

12. Gunpowder, Alka Selzer, and Cayenne peppers. Why?

Mrs. Obvious ran in, all furious, shouting "What the HELL were you doing in there?!"

And me as innocent as a... as a really innocent thing.

[eppur_se_muova]

10. Unfortunately, tempered glass will do that.

Had that happen in a station wagon, and a rental truck.

The manufacturing process actually traps stress inside the glass; when the glass is too badly damaged (often only by one final scratch) it's all released at once: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toughened_glass

[Ron Obvious]

13. I learn something every day here...

I had NO idea....

But at least it seems the house isn't about to slide off its foundations or anything. That's a relief.

[HarveyDarkey]

11. Next time don't put it in in the blue...

Lesson learned.