Damaged windshields are unsightly and aesthetically unpleasant. They also jeopardize car owners’ safety. Your auto glass can be damaged by different factors, including temperature changes, collisions and accidents, and projectile impacts.
Most of the damages can be fixed professionally by simple repairs. However, when the damage is too large, you may have to invest in something more than repairs and probably get the entire windshield replaced. It helps hire a professional auto glass company like Imperial Auto Glass for such major tasks.
One of the biggest causes of windshield damage is temperature. Experts with experience can detect when this is the cause of windshield damage and recommend the perfect solutions. Usually, the expansion and contraction of glass happen mostly due to temperature variations.
Whenever temperature differences inside and outside the car increase rapidly, the windshield may be affected. These changes make it possible to hear a crackling or chipping sound. The glass may not break instantly, but unfortunately, this means that it starts to weaken structurally. The impact is gradual, but it is almost always irreversible.
Effects of Cold and Hot Temperatures on Auto Glass
Staying comfortable may cost your windshield’s structural integrity in the long run. Most drivers will switch on the AC to keep the interior cool when the outside is hot and switch on the heater to keep the interior warm when the outside temperatures are frigid.
This is great for personal comfort but bad for the windshield. In most cases, the changes happen gradually and are almost impossible to catch. It takes a trained eye to realize and point pit what could happen. Besides that, you need a regular windshield inspection to point out such changes before they are beyond repair.
Cold Air Contracts the Auto Glass
Extreme temperatures will put some stress on any auto glass. Cold temperatures, for instance, affect the windshield’s metallic parts and the sealant holding the glass together. The extreme cold temperatures affect the glass too, and may lead to cracks and chips.
This makes the glass more fragile, exposing the driver and vehicle occupant in case of a strong impact, such as an accident. The glass may end up in fractures and not offer much protection as it should.
Heats Cause the Glass to Expand
Most people’s first instinct when it is still cold outside and they have to use the car, is to turn on the heat and the defrost mode to eliminate the fog and snow quickly. While this often works, it is not the safest thing to do. The same happens to the windshield glass, just as an ice cube cracks when hot water is introduced. The impact on the glass may be slow and almost inconspicuous, but that does not mean it is non-existent.
The constant changes between hot and cold weather on the windshield are working against you. This could cost you the windshield in the long run. Consider using other means to help warm you up instead of the sudden temperature variations, as this damages the glass.
You should also request professional auto glass repair services as soon as you realize that your windshield is developing some problems.