Has your windshield seen better days? As hard as you try to keep your windshield crack-free, those auto glass gremlins will have their say—you can count on it! You will need windshield repair or replacement sooner or later!
Let’s take a look at the many ways your auto glass can get damaged:
Hail, rocks, debris. There’s very little you can do about any of these except slow down and avoid them when possible. Whether it’s a construction truck ahead kicking up rocks or dropping debris, pebbles airmailed by oncoming vehicles on a dirt road or hailstones battering your car, it’s often the speed of your vehicle running into the projectile that determines the level of damage.
Poor construction and installation. Shoddy workmanship and low quality materials may mean you’ll need premature windshield replacement. Make sure you have only reputable windshield repair and replacement professionals work on your car!
Accidents. A baseball gets away from your kids… a zealous swat at a horsefly on your burning-hot windshield… or a small fender bender; these are all things that can crack your windshield. Time for windshield repair or replacement!
Temperature extremes. We know a thing or two about those in Western Canada! Severe temperature extremes make auto glass and surrounding materials expand and contract at different rates, causing stresses in the glass. This can lead to cracks and the need for windshield repair or replacement.
Why you should get those cracks fixed ASAP:
Reduced visibility. Windshield cracks in your line of sight seriously reduce visibility. And windshields covered with minute salt and pebble damage are a glare nightmare in bright sunlight or while driving at night.
Structural safety. Most cars built this millennium integrate the windshield in the overall structural strength of the vehicle. Driving with a cracked windshield means your roof is more likely to cave in in the event of a roll-over.
Cost. Small cracks are usually an easy and cheap fix—a pro can do it in thirty minutes or less. But wait too long and that small crack is likely to spread and make the windshield irreparable—and expensive to replace!
Discolouration. Cracks will get stained with dyes from windshield washer fluid and dirt your wipers grind in—fix them early and the repairs will be almost invisible… wait, and the repairs will likely show discolouration.
Have questions about auto glass and windshield repair or replacement? Contact us at All-West Glass! With 19 locations throughout Western Canada, there’s an All-West Glass near you!