Cars have been one of the prime methods that people use for transportation in the modern world. We’ve had them for years now, and a lot of things have changed in their design and varieties along the way. But, one thing that remains constant is the need for visibility without sacrificing the car interior — and that’s what the windshield is for.
Originally developed as a way to keep out the wind or other dust particles out of the vehicle, the windshield has progressed past that feature and became fully functional, allowing everything from heat deflection to electronic displays.
But, like the screens on our smartphones, windshields are often prone to a surprising amount of impact and damage, whether they’re on the road or otherwise. That’s why auto glass replacement shops in Barrie have a couple of tips for you to follow:
Replacing vs. Repairing
Now, if you’ve ever had damage to any pane of glass, there are certain varieties of damage that can impact whether or not you can get it fixed or should just bring it for replacement. This includes things like:
- Impact damage, either to the actual windshield itself or a zone outside of it
- Stress damage, where the crack is caused by other means
- Chipping, where a piece or pieces of glass is sheared off the windshield
Each of these damage categories can be further subdivided into different types, like bull’s eyes, half-moons, combination breaks and so on, but for the purpose of this article, we’ll concentrate on how to deal with the damage instead of defining it.
The general rule of thumb for replacing a windshield is if the damage is too extensive and when repairs go over the price of replacement. For example, a straight impact towards the center or bits of windshield separating from the rest of the pane. This is usually the best practice when it comes to accidents since the car windows are often the first things to go — by design, as they can put the driver and passengers at risk if they aren’t being careful.
On the other hand, repairs should be fine if the damage is minimal, like small chips or cracks in the windshield. Glass replacement or repair services for auto vehicles are common, especially in urban areas where anything from driving past a construction site to a very unlucky bird can cause windshield damage.
How can I avoid this problem?
If you’re looking to avoid the problem of a damaged windshield altogether (repairs and replacement aren’t cheap after all), the best bet would be to get your windshield tested or treated with either an extra layer of coating or glass.
This functions more or less the same as your screen protector on your phone, but there are a couple of other handy features that you can add like heat reflectors and the like.
Of course, something else you can do is to just make sure that your car isn’t exposed to such threats to begin with. Making sure that it’s parked in a safe place, not driving under obvious hazards, and being careful with how you wash and clean your car are all good places to start.
