replacing broken glass in your window

Do's And Don'ts When Your Car's Windshield Is Damaged

22 December 2015

Britney Simpson

If your car's windshield was chipped or cracked today during your commute to work, then it is very important that you take special care not to damage it further. You may be able to have the chip or crack fixed, rather than having to pay the higher cost of replacing the entire windshield, by simply following the suggestions listed below:

Don't Slam the Car's Door

If you slam the door of your car when the windshield has been freshly damaged, then the cracking can run down the glass or the chip can start to form additional crack areas. When your windshield is damaged, carefully close the doors of your car without slamming them to help prevent secondary damage to the windshield glass.

Do Open a Car Window

When your car's windshield is cracked, then you should open a window and leave it down if the weather permits you to do so. The open window will help to avoid pressure from building up when you close the door after entering and leaving your vehicle. This pressure can further crack the windshield, and you want to avoid this if you hope to patch the damage rather than have the entire windshield replaced.

Don't Allow Dirt in the Damaged Glass

If dust or dirt gets down into a chip or small crack in your windshield, then attempting to repair the damaged area may fail. The contamination will interfere with the chip repair agent's adhesion, and will make the repaired area appear cloudy.

Do Park Your Vehicle in the Shade

One of the worst things you can do for a windshield crack is to park your car in the direct sunlight before the crack has been repaired. As the sun shines on the glass it heats it up and the glass expands. This expansion can cause a small chip or crack to turn into an unrepairable larger crack. Keeping your vehicle out of direct sunlight will allow you to fix the damage rather than replace the windshield.

Don't Put Off a Professional Evaluation of the Damage

Finally, if your hope is to repair the damaged area on your car's windshield, then it is vital that you get the windshield's damage evaluated by an automotive glass professional as soon as possible. The sooner you get your car into the glass shop, the better the results will look and the cheaper the repair will be for your checkbook. Contact a business, such as Econo Glass Company, if you need glass repairs. 

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