The windshield of your car does as much when it comes to visual navigation as your vehicle’s engine does when it comes to getting you around when you’re driving out. No wonder why car racing events, like the NASCAR Xfinity Series, place so much importance on the integrity of the participating vehicles’ windshields. That being said, the windshield needs to be free of defects, trustworthy, and sturdy.
The problem is that big red flags of compromised windshields tend to be only ignored by many truck and car owners. That’s primarily because they worry about the hassle and cost associated with fixing or replacing the auto glass. Ignoring such a problem, however, will only cost you more, later on, not to mention the danger it poses to you and your passengers.
Not sure if you’re already overdue for auto glass replacement? Here are easy-to-detect signs that tell you it’s time that you think about windshield replacement or repair:
- White Haze Around The Edges
A thin plastic layer known as PVB or polyvinyl butyral is commonly used to treat windshields. It prevents the glass in cars from shattering when a high-impact collision occurs. You need to maintain such a crucial safety feature. One sign that the PVB material is starting to come off is the haze that surrounds the edges of the auto glass. It’s important to call a professional auto glass repair and replacement company, like Discount Auto Glass PDX, to fix the problem when haze happens.
- The Glass Is Blocking Your View
There’s no such thing as a ‘tiny’ or ‘little’ discoloration, crack, or chip when it comes to auto glass. If you mistake a little chip in your windshield for another vehicle in your ‘blind spot,’ it may result in an over-correction that can lead to a total-loss wreck or, at least, a fender-bender. As you know, your ability to drive depends so much on your ability to come up with split-second decisions.
Your vision can also be distorted by cracks, especially spiderweb-like impacts, in adverse weather conditions. If you put off auto glass replacement, then, your limited ability to see your surroundings in blizzards and storms could be further compromised.
- Heavy Windshield Pitting
Over time, windshield pitting naturally occurs. Exposure to roadway chemical contaminants, extreme temperature changes, frequent driving in dusty or sandy roads, sleet, and rain are the different factors that cause windshield pitting.
The problem with heavy pitting is that it can increase the risk of drivers getting into accidents by greatly reducing your visibility and scattering reflected light. While you’re driving your car through a busy street, the glare that windshield pitting causes can blind you. Schedule a windshield replacement or repair soon if you think that you’re having a heavy windshield pitting problem.
If you live in California, for example, you can look up auto glass replacement in orange county and go from there. When it comes to the importance of driving safety, every second counts.
- Missing Windshield Part
A surprising amount of truck and car owners still try to ‘make do’ with quick fixes, such as tape and clear tarps until they can finally decide to call a windshield replacement shop even for this more obvious auto glass problem. What they don’t realize is that there’s more to a windshield than just keeping inclement weather and spiders out of their vehicles.
A windshield provides significant structural support to your vehicle’s frame. That means your car’s frame can end up sagging if you neglect to replace damaged or missing side windows and windshield promptly. Prolonged sagging of the car’s frame can also potentially cause issues with glass alignment by the time you’ve decided to have it replaced.
- Internal Glass Damage
Checking for damage inside the glass is essential if you own a relatively old vehicle. Try to feel any raised edges or cracks by running your fingers along your windshield from the inside. Generally, unlike external cracks, internal glass damage can’t be repaired. Getting your windshield or side windows replaced is the only way to get around it.
- Improperly Installed Windshield
It’s possible to have a car windshield that’s poorly installed. How does this happen? Well, some car technicians neglect wearing gloves during installation. As a result, glass adhesive bonds with the car poorly.
Failure to use a primer and other proper bonding agents is another problem. Examine the molding and make sure it’s straight if you want to check whether or not your windshield was installed correctly. Visible adhesives and loose fittings can be signs of poor installation, although hard to detect.
- The Wasn’t Kind
Winter can be rough on your vehicle, just like how it’s pretty hard to endure for humans. Cold weather can easily spell disaster for your car’s glass due to hail, salt, or heavy snow’s temperature pressures. Continued temperature fluctuations can only widen your side windows’ or windshield’s fissures and breaks. Your windshield can even be destroyed in extreme cases because of hot or cold temperature fluctuations. You don’t want to take any chance of these occurring while you’re driving down the road.
- Inspection Renewal Is Fast Approaching
If there are large damages to your car’s windshield or side window glasses that may affect your view, such as sharp edges, cracks, or chips, your vehicle will fail during a safety inspection. That’s why it’s always smarter to replace your windshield prior to an inspection renewal rather than you hoping that the damage isn’t extensive enough for it to trigger a failure. Not only you can prevent delay, but also avoid additional fines and fees from expired stickers and failure by following this step.
- Second Thoughts About The Quality Of A Previous Repair Or Replacement
Not all auto glass companies produce the same results, and vehicle owners, sometimes, find out about it the hard way. You might find that the previous shop you’ve paid for the repair or replacement of your car’s glass isn’t willing to really stand by their work if you notice installation problems, such as leaks and wind noise after your new glass windows or windshield has ‘settled in.’ Find a dependable service provider to get the windshield you really deserve and can count on.
Conclusion
Knowing the abovementioned signs will help you in determining whether or not your vehicle is due for auto glass repair or replacement. To ensure your and your passengers’ safety, it’s crucial to have a high-quality auto glass. It can save your life for sure!
