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Windshield Repair or Replacement
Having trouble with your windshield. There may be several questions in your mind.
Should I Repair or Replace my windshield?
What is suitable for my case?
You are at right place
In this article, we will try to clear all your doubts regarding auto glass. We will discuss different types of damages, which generally occurs to it. We will also talk about should you replace or repair your windshield.
At the end we will also suggest which kind of replacement (if needed) you should opt for.
Let’s start.
What is Windshield?
A car windshield is not a regular piece of glass. It actually made up of two layers of glass sandwiched around Poly Vinyl Butyral (PVB) or Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA). It is generally also known as laminated glass.
Why we require a good auto glass?
We require a good quality auto glass because
- It is responsible to around 45 to 60% of total cabin strength. A good windshield can bear up to three consecutive rolls in case of any accident.
- A good windshield can bear up to 1.5 times of the vehicle weight.
- It has built in UV rays protection.
- A good windshield not only protects us from direct wind and foreign objects but also provides us insulation from harsh external environment and maintains comfort level.
- It also reduces external noise like that of road traffic and horns.
Types of defects in windshield
There can be several types of damages, which our windshield generally has. Some of them are.
- Bull’s eye: It is a clear, separated, cone size damage.
- Half-moon: It is a semi-circular damage around impact point.
- Star: It has several distinct fractures and rays coming out from the impact point.
- Combination: Any damage that combines two or more types mentioned above.
The other types of defects that also exists are starburst, angel wing, straight line and crack.
How a windshield repair works?
In a typical windshield repair the mechanic injects a curable resin into the outer layer of the chipped glass of the windshield to restore glass.
For doing a windshield repair a very trained mechanic is required. Finishing of the work depends on the skills of the mechanic.
Repair or Replacement
Either to replace or repair the windshield totally depends on the size and depth of the damage and its location in the windshield.
It varies from case to case and is also dependent on the skills of technician.
Damage in the critical sight area
Any damage or even a properly repaired break on the critical sight area of driver can be distracting.
A critical sight area is the area of auto glass, which is in between the eyes and the road. In this case the only option is to replace the auto glass.
It sometimes also depends on the governing law of the state. In many states it is mandatory to replace the windshields, in which crack lies in critical sight area.
In any case always get your damages repaired by a qualified technician.
Windshield replacement Options
If you decide to replace your auto glass always choose a best one. Never compromise on quality.
Here are some types of glass replacement. We will discuss each type in detail.
Types of replacement
- Dealer glass
These glasses are sold by the authorized dealers. They are the same glasses which you get from OEM (original Equipment Manufacturer). It has vehicle name stamped on it.
Due to company stamp it is costly.
- OEM Glass
They have same specification as dealer glass, the difference is they do not have company name stamped on them.
They are the best because they have same quality as dealer glass but in less price.
- After-market Glass
These types of glasses are made by independent companies. They are cheaper but have comparatively poor quality.
This can not be your best choice.
We hope that now you can visit to the auto glass repairers like a pro. Take your best decision which is safe and economic to you.
Post and Featured image source: By Daniel Ramirez – originally posted to Flickr as Car with Broken Windshield, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5702905