Tag Archives: Windshield Repair

Windshields: When and Why to Repair

When it comes to your vehicle, the safety aspect is obviously one of the main factors. The auto glass and windshield of the car makes up part of the framework of the vehicle and when damaged, it poses a threat to the passengers and drivers.

Many drivers don’t realize that their auto glass components are damaged or ignore the small cracks that they do notice. When it comes to any type of damage, small or big, your windshield requires a repair to be done. With companies like Wizard auto glass, you are able to obtain an affordable repair quote while getting top quality windshield service done.

Learn about why damages happen, when they do, and why you should repair as soon as you notice them.  

Why do Windshield Damages Happen?

Multiple reasons come up that can affect the windshield and auto glass of your vehicle. Depending on the season and the environment that you drive in, you may be prone to some factors more than others.

Construction work and heavy weather conditions definitely play a huge role in these incidents as heavy chunks of hail and debris from the road often find themselves damaging the auto glass. Without careful driving during these conditions and in those environments, incidents happen quite often.

Without noticing, sometimes chips will form from small contacts with debris that do not form cracks. Over time, it can split into a pattern of tiny chips which then grows into a larger problem. If noticed earlier on, they can be fixed with minor costs, thus avoiding big replacements or repairs.

Why do Windshield Cracks Spread?

If small chips turn into minor cracks into auto glass and windshields, they will also continue to spread if not fixed immediately. There are two common reasons for this: mother nature and normal wear and tear of the material.

A windshield is naturally able to withstand debris and light contact with other objects, but when there are chips or even cracks that have appeared on the auto glass, it becomes much more susceptible to damage. Especially since glass contracts and expands in different temperature ranges, the weather plays a huge role in that. Mother nature and its wind, rain, and sun, assists with the expanding and contracting of the glass. When this happens, and cracks already exist in the glass, it leads to more damage.

In addition to that, large winds can pick up debris that can either increase the cracks that are in the auto glass or it can get lodged in the crack. If this happens, covering it up with tape until you get it to an auto glass repair centre would be ideal.

Cracks also tend to get bigger because of nature causes. When you’re driving over speed bumps or uneven roads with potholes, shutting your door a little too quickly, or hitting your brakes too hard, that can have an impact on your auto glass. If there is a significant crack, it will leave a negative effect. These are regular occurrences on the road which is why having a compromised windshield makes it more difficult to drive normally.

When do you Repair?

Based on all of these situations, repairing immediately is the ideal solution. Anytime that you notice a chip or a crack is reason to get it fixed. Reason being, with weather factors and normal driving already becoming hazardous to an already compromised windshield, you should not wait for it to get worse.

See a crack in your windshield? Contact our team to get an affordable repair quote and get back on the road as soon as possible!

Auto Glass Repairs and Car Accessories

Your car has many safety features to keep you and your passengers out of harm’s way, one of which is the windshield. Your windshield is actually much complicated than you think. It’s not just one big piece of glass, but it’s actually made of two pieces with a layer of resin in between, to prevent glass from shooting out if it were to be shattered in an accident. The reason it’s so important to book an auto glass repair in mississauga right after a crash is because after the windshield is cracked, the structure of the windshield is compromised and will no longer protect you in a crash.

Due to advancements in technology, many other safety features have probably been installed in your car, and they’re also vulnerable to major damage in the event of a car accident. This means you should be expecting your auto glass repair to cover the repair and calibration of these extra parts. You might be wondering “What features should I be looking out for?”, well we’re going to go through many of the common car parts you should pay attention to.

Note

The accessories in a car vary between models, year, and brand. The technology in a car is unique to each brand and pricing, and your auto glass repair mississauga will depend on what parts need to be repaired or replaced.

Shade Bands

A shade band is the area at the top of the windshield that is tinted, it’s general purpose is to block the sun from disrupting your vision. They are also known as sun bands and are typically 5 inches wide. Not all cars will have a shade band, but if you do, it will probably be found in a black dotted pattern, or a blue tint. Make sure your shade band is restored during your auto glass repair in mississauga, as you don’t want any sunlight disrupting your vision of the road.

Heated Glass

A recent addition to newer car models is the option of heated glass. The heater can be found where the wiper blade mounts are, it’s purpose is to help remove ice or frost from your windshield. This feature is extremely useful during the colder months, and you should make sure that it is not damaged after an accident, and to properly seal it with industry-grade adhesives if it is.

Lane Departure Cameras

These handy cameras are made to detect when another driver is leaving their lane, and to warn you to watch out. They’re found in more modern cars, and generally have a section in the top corners of the windshield cut out for them. If your windshield were to be damage near these areas, make sure the camera still functions, and that it’s position hasn’t changed. Also make sure the glass surrounding the cameras maintain their integrity.

Acoustic Glass

Unlike regular glass, acoustic glass dampens all sound that passes through it. This is useful to reduce the noise from your engine, and general road noises. If you don’t know whether you have acoustic glass or not, knock on your windshield, a hollow noise will mean it’s regular glass, and a more solid noise means you have acoustic glass. If you are getting your windshield replaced, you may want to specifically ask the auto glass repair for acoustic glass if you would like the new windshield to retain the same benefits as your old one.

Auto-Dimming MIrror

These unique rear view mirrors are very handy for driving at night, as whenever a car behind you turns on their high beams, these mirrors will automatically darken. Another difference between these mirrors and general rear view mirrors is that they are mounted on a different spot on the auto glass. If you ever get a crack near the area of the mount, make sure it is properly repaired by an auto glass in repair mississauga, otherwise the crack could spread and dislocate the mount.

Rain Sensors

Recently, car companies have been installing rain sensors in their newer models, which automatically turn on your windshield wipers if it starts to rain. Make sure this isn’t damaged if end up getting into an accident. On a side note, make sure to inspect your car’s wiper blades, as torn or faulty ones can scratch your newly repaired auto glass.

Are you unsure on whether these feature were damaged in your latest car crash? Book an auto glass repair with Wizard Auto Glass, and our experts will handle your it.  Call us at (905) 564-5330 or get a free quote.