5 Situations that Call For a New Windshield

18 Oct 5 Situations that Call For a New Windshield

The idea of a “regular day” has steadily become to associate itself more and more with busy schedules. More often than not, we need to be everywhere at once, so a crack or chip in your auto glass might not seem like a priority. However, when you need a new windshield, it is crucial that you don’t delay.

Sure, you can look at that tiny chip on your windshield and decide to ignore, but it’s only going to cost you down the road. In fact, it’s not just a cost in dollars either, because auto glass damage significantly affects your safety too.

When you’re driving, you want to see everything that’s in front of you crystal clear. Of course, this applies to everything behind your vehicle too, so you must assure that your mirrors and back windshield are pristine as well. Still, the greatest risks will be in front of your car.

As such, if your field of view is obstructed by a crack, this isn’t just a danger to yourself, but any other passengers you might have with you. It takes just a split second for something tragic to happen, and if that crack has been on your windshield for a while, things can quickly become more problematic.

But, let’s get into some specific circumstances.

Flying Debris On The Highway

Unfortunately, it’s more common for us Texas residents to have to think “I need a new windshield” than for people in other states. A big part of that is simply our climate. Since it’s more arid out here, stones and pebbles are easier to be picked up by the wind.

Once they’re eventually thrown onto highways, they further get bounced around by speeding cars. Surely, enough, one of them eventually ends up stuck in your windshield, and you end up with a chip or a crack that slowly spreads. And it doesn’t stop spreading either, not until it reaches the corners of your windshield, and completely compromises its structural integrity.

A Vehicle Inspection

An upcoming vehicle inspection will be the cause of quite a headache for you if your auto glass isn’t pristine. In fact, by Texas law, you can be fined for auto glass damage. It’s our suggestion that you don’t let the authorities motivate you into a replacement procedure.

Flying Baseballs And Other Collateral Damage

If you’ve lived in the San Antonio area for a while now, you’ve grown accustomed to needing a new windshield from time to time. It’s part of our life here, and we’ve come to expect flying pebbles causing us troubles.

However, your car’s glass isn’t always safe when the vehicle is parked either. Running baseballs, while they might not instantly shatter the windshield, can leave a sizable crack. If you’re lucky and it’s less than ⅛ of an inch deep, or less than 3 inches long, then it should be repairable. More considerable damage warrants a replacement though.

That’s because cracks that are too severe cannot be repaired safely. The problem will eventually resurface, and you’ll have ended up just wasting time, or even money out-of-pocket.

Temperature Extremes

Glass, even laminated safety glass like windshields are, are subject to contracting and widening due to temperature. It’s not noticeable with the naked eye of course, but it’s nonetheless happening.

Now, consider that your windshield is usually between our burning hot sun and your AC. This gradually causes its structural integrity to degrade, making it more susceptible to crack easily, or in the case of a collision, even break safely. In some cases, deteriorated enough windshields can even burst inwards during a collision, further endangering you and your passengers.

A Faulty Repair Or Replacement

So you’ve decided to have your auto glass issues solved, but by a second-rate shop, or just by someone that said that they “can do it better or cheaper”. Sometimes it is indeed true that windshield replacement costs can go a bit high, but this varies a lot. Depending on the model of your car, the size of the windshield, and so on.

Repairs as well vary in price depending on the severity of the damage, so there isn’t a general rule of thumb here. However, it is always more worthwhile to go for a professional shop from the get go. People that work with first-rate suppliers, respect OEM specifications, and of course, accept your insurance.

Moreover, if you’ve chosen a second-rate option, you might not even be aware that your windshield installation or repair has been done poorly. In the case of a replacement, it is imperative that the piece of auto glass suits your vehicle absolutely perfectly. Otherwise, there will be uneven pressure, which is in itself a cause of cracks and chips.

Likewise, if during a windshield repair procedure, the specialized resin isn’t inserted into troubled spots exactly right, the damage can resurface.

Let Us Handle Your Auto Glass Issues

Getting rid of this troublesome “I need a new windshield” thought is actually really easy. If you live, or are even just visiting anyone in the San Antonio area, give our friendly customer care team a call at (210) 340-2588.