While driving a car or SUV on the road, you remain exposed to a number of external elements. You never know when the tire of a passing vehicle picks up a pebble and it comes flying onto your windshield. As a result of this impact, the windshield of your vehicle can get a chip or crack. If something like this happens, what are you going to do? The first thing you should look for is a reliable auto glass company and schedule an inspection of the glass damage. But until the damage is fixed in a proper manner, you also need to protect the windshield. This is because a minor damage can easily expand into a major one due to impact or pressure.
At Magic Glass Repair, we always advise car owners to get the repairs done without any delay and safeguard the damaged glass until our technicians arrive to perform the job. While you wait for the repairs, follow these useful tips to protect your windshields and prevent the damage from worsening.
Park the Car in Your Garage or Other Shaded Areas
After you have noticed a chip or crack on your windshield, the first thing you should do is keep your car in a safe place. So, either park the vehicle in a garage or a shaded area near your home or office. Keeping your car parked in a garage offers multiple benefits such as protection against theft and vandalism. In this way, you also safeguard your vehicle against harsh weather conditions or very low and high temperatures and protect the broken windshield as a result.
When your car is inside a garage, it does not remain exposed to dust and dirt or the risk of falling branches. A chipped or cracked windshields can sustain further damages due to the impact of external elements.
If the front windshield or the rear window glass breaks while you are away from home or on a holiday, you should park the car in a shaded area. No matter where you are, your broken windshield needs protection. Whether it is snowfall or sunlight, you need to shield your vehicle against all those elements that can spread the chip or crack even further making the repairs expensive. It is also a good idea to cover your car or SUV with a full cover. The point is you should keep the windshield safe after it has sustained damage until repair is done.
Avoid Dramatic Temperature Shift
Car windshields are manufactured to withstand harsh weather conditions like heavy winds, hail, snowfall etc. But, even most of the high quality automotive glasses are also vulnerable to chips and cracks on a scorching summer day. Actually, automotive glasses can tolerate high temperatures, but the problem begins when temperatures begin to fluctuate on an extreme level.
Expansion and contraction due to extreme shifts in temperature can lead to chips and cracks on the windshield. So, car owners must avoid such dramatic temperature shifts to prevent the auto glass from severe damage. Safeguarding the auto glass from too low or too high temperatures also increases the lifespan of the glass. Often, people park their vehicles in an open area because parking space was not available. If you park your car in direct contact with sunlight, the chances of worsening the auto glass damage will be higher as soon as you switch on the car’s AC at the highest level. The dramatic shift of temperature in this way causes more damage to a front windshield or rear window glass that already has a chip or crack.
Another instance of dramatic temperature shift is seen when there is prompt heavy rainfall on an extremely hot summer day. If you happen to be in such a situation, the extreme change in temperature will take a toll on the broken windshield. So, the best idea is to avoid any situation where you think dramatic shifts in temperature can occur in order to protect your damaged glass.
Limit Your Driving Time
One surefire way to give protection to your damaged windshield is limit your driving time as much as you possibly can. Though you may need to use the vehicle to perform obligations that can’t be avoided, you should always try to drive less until the damage in the auto glass is repaired. This is because the less you drive your car, the lower the risk of further automotive glass damage. In the case of severe damage, you will require a full windshield replacement. Getting a new installation altogether will increase the bill and you may need to pay out of pocket.
If you have essential tasks that cannot wait, it is best to avail yourself of a same-day windshield repair service. For the residents of Austin, TX, Magic Glass Repair is an ideal company to get the repairs done on the same day. This will allow you to go about your daily routine as soon as the repairs are completed, without waiting for many days and hampering your necessary tasks.
Another option is to rent a car when you have something urgent to do. Use car rentals until your auto glass is repaired.
Take the Route with the Fewest Bumps
Does your car have one minute or multiple chips? Whether the damage is minor or major, it is always advisable to keep off bumpy roads. Even immediately after a car windshield repair or new windshield installation, you should avoid driving on the roads that are bumpy and uneven.
Never ignore a damage, even if it is simply a ding or a small chip. If you continue to drive on an uneven road, the windshield damage can expand due to pressure or impact. If the damage worsens so much that it becomes unrepairable, you will need to replace the broken glass with a new one. Even after your broken auto glass has been repaired, you need to give it time to cure and avoid driving on bumpy roads for some time or many repair issues may arise.
As a wise car owner, you should use your brains when it comes to safe and smooth driving both before and immediately after a windshield crack repair and a car windshield replacement. If a road has potholes and pits, you should better avoid the road and take a route that is safe and even.
Also, you should drive the car at a slow speed, so that you don’t have to apply sudden breaks when you want to stop.
Cover the Damaged Glass Area with a Piece of Clear Tape
If the chip or crack on your windshield is left open and uncovered, dust particles and debris might enter into it and get trapped inside. This will create problems when the technician starts to repair the damage.
If you plan for a successful repair, you should make sure dust and debris do not get stuck inside the damaged area. Many car owners use temporary adhesive to cover the chip or crack. Some people use ordinary glue or nail polish to keep the damaged glass area covered. But the most ideal way to cover the damage area and protect the auto glass is to use a piece of clear tape while you wait for glass technicians to come and repair it at your home or office. It is easy to remove the clear tape when it is time to repair the chip or crack on the glass. Transparent tapes are a better option because they do not construct the driver’s vision.
Many people apply super glue to the damaged glass area. Do not make such a mistake, as it will become difficult for the technician to completely remove the glue in order to perform the repair procedure. So, simply use a piece of clear, transparent tape to cover and protect the chip or crack. For more expert tips in this regard, reach out to one of our specialists at Magic Glass Repair.
Read more about Windshield Repair Process
Avoid Washing the Car
While your windshield is broken, you should avoid washing the car or SUV among other necessary precautions. Giving your car a wash in this condition can create a number of problems. If water enters into the damaged glass area, the chip or crack can expand further needing a windscreen replacement. Not only that, the force of the water pump puts pressure on the already broken glass. As a result of the pressure, the windshield can sustain severe damages.
Whether you wash the car manually or through an automotive machine, the possibilities of worsening the damage will always be there. If you really think your vehicle needs a wash, you should use a dry piece of soaked cloth to clean the vehicle. Also, safeguard your windshields from rainfall.
Adjust Your AC Slowly
If the difference between the temperature inside and outside of the vehicle goes to an extreme leve, it will take a toll on the broken auto glass. That is exactly why you need to exercise caution when turning on the air-conditioning in the vehicle. When there is a sudden shift in temperature, it causes the automotive glass to expand and contract, leading to further damage to the glass.
Suppose you park your car in the open during summertime and then when you come back, you turn on the vehicle’s AC at the highest level. Likewise, leaving the car for many hours in chilly weather and then turning on the heater when you get back to drive again should be avoided. In both cases, there is a huge difference between the inside and outside temperature. This kind of extreme temperature change does not just worsen a pre-existing chip or crack, but it also increases the chances for the automotive glass to get new chips and cracks.
Always remember not to turn on the AC or the heater at the highest level while you wait for a windshield repair. If you do start the air-conditioning, start it slowly at a moderate level. And then you can go on to increase the level gradually as per your comfort level. If you follow this practice, you will see that it does not have an impact on the front or the rear windshield of your vehicle.
Close the Vehicle Doors Softly
While you await a windshield repair, you should definitely remember to close the doors of your car, SUV or truck softly. Many people have a habit of closing the door with a bang. Whether it is you or other members of the family, you should see to it that the doors of the vehicle are not slammed. When the door shuts with a bang, air pressure is created inside the vehicle. As a result of this, the windshield starts to vibrate and the damage expands as a result.
Banging the car door takes a heavier toll when the damage on the windshield is a big crack or several chips. So, you should never take any glass damage lightly and take all the necessary precautions.
Hopefully, these tips will help you a great deal in protecting the damaged windshield and other auto glasses fitted in your vehicle. Most minor chips and small damages can be repaired, if you do not let it spread further across the windscreen. If you plan to avoid an auto windshield replacement, you should definitely take all the necessary precautions to prevent the damage from getting worse.
Talk to an Auto Glass Repair Specialist
If you still have a question or want to schedule an inspection of your broken windshield, feel free to get in touch with one of our experts at Magic Glass Repair. Our company provides auto glass and mobile windshield repair and replacement services in the greater Austin area including Travis County, Hays County, Bastrop County, Williamson County etc. Our technicians are well-trained in windshield fix and new glass installation for all makes and models of cars.
Our mobile auto glass repair and windshield glass replacement are available to you at no extra cost. For your free consultation and estimate, You can reach out to us via a phone call.
Leave A Comment