Being just a little biased, I was disappointed in the 2020 study of “Best and Worst Places to Retire,” published by the personal finance website Wallethub.com. In this most recent report, Scottsdale dropped from the third to the sixth-best place to retire behind four cities in Florida and Charleston, South Carolina. I’m a bit of a weather snob who detests humidity but loves the dry heat and prefers the desert Southwest to anywhere else in the world, so I’ll stay right here. And, oh, by the way, Scottsdale ranked second in the “quality of life” metric to only Fremont, CA. More on California in a moment.
In this most bizarre of years, it seems there are a lot of like-minded people around the country.
The ScottsdalePopulation Explosion – Continues
With more than 265,000 residents in 2021, Scottsdale achieved its highest population ever, growing by over 22% since the 2010 census. During the ongoing pandemic, Scottsdale was the top city in the U.S., with 68% more people moving in than moving out. Where did they all come from? People exited more populated states, with a higher spread of COVID-19, such as New York, California, and Illinois. California alone saw 64% more people relocate out of state. It seems they all moved to Scottsdale – driving up home prices in the Valley by 11.7% in the past year. It hasn’t been unusual for certain highly desirable areas to see home prices go up by more than 20% – 30%.
Scottsdale’s Quality of Life & Activities
In addition to “Quality of Life,” Scottsdale also scored very well on the “Activities” metric in the Wallethub study. Without exhibiting too much prejudice, I challenge the finding that any of the cities ranked ahead of Scottsdale have over 200 golf courses, access to the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, the charm of Old Town, and our unique activities:
- Although CDC guidelines prevail this year, the Waste Management Open was played – albeit to a socially-distanced, mask-wearing, limited crowd.
- The Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Auto Auction will also take place with some limited access and temperature readings upon entry.
- Spring training will come to the Salt River Fields, although occupancy will be restricted and masks required.
Scottsdale’s Sunny Skies and Warm Temperatures
We enjoy nearly three hundred days per year of the sun in Scottsdale. All the better to hit the links or the many hiking trails and take in a Spring Training game. The combination of sunny days and warm Spring temperatures adds to Scottsdale’s allure, referred to as the “Most Livable City in the U.S.” for years by the City Council.
In 2020 it was Scottsdale’s Sunny Skies and Searing Temperatures
Unfortunately, those warm Spring days can turn into searing Summer temperatures. That phenomenon was certainly in evidence in the record-setting heat wave of 2020. Consider the following, July was the hottest month ever in the Valley, only to be outdone by August, the new hottest month ever with an average temperature of 99.1°. Other fun facts about last summer in Arizona:
- 172 days at 95° plus, a new record.
- 145 days at 100° or more, a new record.
- 102 days at 105° plus, a new record.
- 53 days at 110° or more – 110° plus is really hot even in the dry heat. A new record.
- 14 days at 115° plus – what can we say other than it was a new record, and it was hot.
Even for the most devout desert-dwellers, 110° or more is hot. At 110°, the inside of a car can reach 160° – 170° or more, and the combined effect of sun and heat can wreak havoc on your auto glass. Perhaps that’s the reason Arizona leads the country in windshield replacement – and why Scottsdale leads Arizona in auto glass repair.
The excessive sun and heat in Scottsdale, nearly every other day throughout the year, put your auto glass at considerable risk.
Scottsdale Risk Factors for Windshield Replacement
In 2015 the local Fox News channel did a piece on “Arizona Leading the Nation in Auto Glass Repairs” and coined a favorite phrase about state highway 101, “it’s like driving through an asteroid belt.” Highway 101 is the primary semi-beltway that runs through Scottsdale, connecting I-17 in the north and west to 202 in the south and east.
Photo courtesy of Arizona Republic
The 101 features some of the state’s most creative Native American artwork on its retaining walls and an endless supply of rocks, stones, and gravel along its roadways. Note the photo above; almost as prevalent as the artwork are rocks, a lot of rocks ready to be projected at your windshield.
Other factors contributing to Scottsdale’s auto glass dilemma include our seemingly endless number of construction projects, both residential and on our roadways. All those transplants in 2020 need places to live and more traffic lanes to ease congestion. In Scottsdale, construction equals debris and more fodder for windshield projectiles.
We also have more than our fair share of big rigs adding to the nearly 200,000 vehicles on 101 each day. Follow an oversized vehicle too closely, and your odds of needing a windshield replacement increase exponentially.
An informal and unofficial survey indicates that the 101 in Scottsdale has more debris falling from construction vehicles (or landscaping pickup trucks) and more torn and shredded tires on the pavement during the summer months than any highway in the U.S.
What to Do in Scottdale When Your Windshield is Damaged
Note, we didn’t say if your windshield is damaged in Scottsdale. If you drive in Scottsdale long enough, and a damaged windshield joins death and taxes as a sure thing. Although fourteenth in population, Arizona leads the nation in windshield insurance claims.
A major issue compounding windshield damage in Scottsdale is the propensity for any chip or ding to rapidly expand due to our heat, cracking, or shattering the windshield to where a replacement is necessary. The prudent thing to do with any glass damage in Scottsdale is to contact an experienced, reputable, and local auto glass company such as SunTec Windshield Replacement Scottsdale.
Why SunTec Windshield Replacement?
Experience in the industry should be one of your first considerations in selecting an auto glass company. Professional local companies, like Scottsdale’s SunTec, have been online for long periods of time and understand the state process for auto glass repairs. Fraudulent windshield claims are a significant issue in Arizona, so a reputable company is paramount to ensure you and your insurance provider get what you pay for. Scottsdale’s sun and heat present unique challenges in the materials and adhesives required for a windshield replacement. SunTec is locally owned and operated, with technicians who are trained specifically for Arizona windshield installations.
SunTec services in Scottsdale include:
- Mobile service anywhere in the Valley – often the same day as requested, and never a service charge.
- SunTec technicians are experienced in more than just windshields and can handle any auto glass repair. We also do window tinting.
- SunTec is a preferred partner of the insurance companies in Arizona – we handle the entire process for you.
- SunTeconly uses OEM and OEM Equivalent glass and materials to ensure a perfect fit and finish for your vehicle.
- SunTec offers cashback rebates for those with comprehensive insurance – and the best prices in the market for those without glass coverage.
Hopefully, this information will help Scottsdale drivers stay safe and reduce their auto glass and vehicle repairs. Avoid freeways in many areas of Scottsdale if you can and know what to look for in a local professional windshield replacement company.
