What is Turtle Glass?

We consider ourselves lucky to live along some of the most beautiful beaches in the world here on the Gulf Coast. To help protect the wildlife that lives on our shores, consider installing turtle glass windows and doors in your beach-front home.

Sharing the Beach with Sea Turtles

If you’re like us, you just can’t imagine living anywhere other Florida. A large factor in our love for this beautiful state is the easy access we have to world-class beaches. Indeed, living in a Florida beach house is a joy that many people dream of their whole life.

Our beaches are also home to many species of spectacular wildlife. In particular, sea turtles are drawn to our beaches to find their ancestral nesting sites. They travel the ocean currents for most of their lives, but eventually return to nest along the same stretch of sand from which they themselves were hatched.

Bright Light is Dangerous to Sea Turtles

When sea turtle eggs hatch in the warm summer months, the baby turtles dig their way out of the sand and head for the ocean. Normally, they are guided by the light of the moon to crawl to the ocean waves where they will hopefully grow to reproductive age and begin the cycle again. However, with the large number of homes and businesses that are now found along the beach, the turtles can become confused by the multiple sources of light.

When owners of ocean-front homes have lights on at night, standard windows and doors allow the light to shine through to the beach. Standard glass can also reflect light from any nearby fixtures or the light of the moon. Rather than using their limited energy to get to the water, the newly hatched turtles can exhaust themselves crawling towards these bright sources of light on the land. This leaves them drained and exposed to predators, and reduces the numbers of hatchlings that survive.

Keep the Beach Dark with Turtle Glass

To prevent this tragedy, many Florida counties have adopted regulations to limit the amount of light that falls on known and potential sea turtle nesting sites. Known as the Sea Turtle Protection Code, these regulations include a provision regarding the glass on beach-facing windows and doors.

To limit the light that reaches the beach, many people install what is commonly called “turtle glass” on ocean front openings. Treated with a special coating, turtle glass limits reflective glare from outside sources as well as how much light is transmitted through the glass from the interior. Specifically, turtle glass has a Visible Light Transmittance, or VLT, of 45% or less in the visible light spectrum.

Installing turtle glass on beach buildings not only keeps the turtles safe, but can help to keep your home cooler and prevent fading of interior furnishings, too!

Call Lee’s Glass to Learn More About Turtle Glass!

To find out more about the wildlife-preserving benefits of turtle glass, give a call to the specialists at Lee’s Glass & Window Works. We’ll explain the available options and provide you with a free estimate.