Auto glass is made up of many different elements, each with a specific job to do. They can all be broken down into smaller jobs that need to be tended to when needed and repaired. While the windshield is the largest element of the Oceanside Auto Glass system, it’s not the only one to keep safe and secure. Here’s a look at all the different pieces of auto glass and what they can do for your car.
Windshield damage will compromise driver safety as well as the structural integrity described above. This makes it very important to look at the windscreen, cracked or chipped windshield, as well as other cracked/chipped glass, on a regular basis for potential problems. When your auto glass is damaged or broken in any way, you must contact an auto glass expert or your insurance provider to arrange for repair or replacement of the broken part. Otherwise, you risk further injury or even death due to compromised structural integrity of your car. If a damaged windshield was not replaced, the possibility exists that the integrity of the glass might have been compromised and the risk of an accident increases significantly.
Cracked or chipped auto glass also poses a hazard by making it easier for other drivers to slam into your car. A small chip in a windshield or one that has been cracked or broken could easily penetrate the laminated plastic that wraps around the glass, giving a soft, but sturdy, grip on the car. At the same time, this soft, but sturdy grip gives other drivers a way to crash into your car through the windscreen. In some cases, this problem can cause significant damage to your windshield.
Even minor chipping and cracking often poses a hazard when it rains or snows. These types of damages are particularly dangerous because they create an opening through which rain or snow can pass. As this water passes through the auto glass, it may be partially absorbed, expanding the crack or chip in the glass until more damage occurs. This can result in impaired vision and increased risk of auto glass failure during the rainy or snowy season. While windshields can be repaired after small cracks, larger cracks or chipfalls often require windshield replacement.
Another reason to call on experienced auto glass specialists is that some damages are not easy to spot and may seem less significant than they are. For instance, a small dent in a windshield may appear as just a scratch, but it could conceivably be a symptom of a more serious problem, such as broken glass or cracked resin. In these cases, you would need to visit a glass repair shop to get your car repaired instead of taking it to the auto glass store, where you may risk the added expense of replacing the windshield. However, if the repair shop determines that the scratch is simply from road debris or dust, they may be able to make an adjustment to your windshield at no cost.
Even more common than small chips, cracks, and chips are pieces of shattered glass. While drivers can take preventative measures to avoid the biggest threats to their windshields, such as avoiding abrupt movements while driving or carefully watching the cars in front of them, large chip or crack attacks are often a lot harder to spot. Often, chipped glass can be removed by a trained technician without requiring any damage insurance, by using a special glass cutter. Once the piece of glass has been cut, however, it will all need to be inspected and replaced. If the damage is too extensive, windshield replacement may be necessary.
Some chips and cracks can also be repaired with an epoxy resin, but these are much more common with large, unsightly cracks, rather than the small chips made possible by sealants. Typically, a chip that is less than three millimeters in length is considered small, meaning that a sealant is not required. Smaller cracks, however, may require a chip repair, as using a sealant may not be strong enough to hold the weight of the broken glass, or it may leave some small gaps. In this case, contact a windshield repair technician to get the job done right. Typically, this type of repair job only requires one visit to the facility, as opposed to several visits to a windshield repair shop, so it is a considerably cheaper repair option for both the vehicle owner and the technician.
Sealing the crack or chip before installation is essential, as the sealant will create a thicker layer over the entire damaged surface area. A chip that can be filled in with a sealant will have a much thicker coverage area than a non-sealed crack, which allows for added protection against further damage. The thickness of the application will also vary depending on the chip’s size and the amount of time needed to apply the sealant. However, a properly sized and applied sealant will provide much better protection from hail damage, road debris, heat damage and prevent rain, snow, and cold air from reaching the glass during the winter months. A professional windshield repair technician can help determine the exact condition of the glass you have and recommend a specific application that addresses the issue.