The average family spends about 800 dollars on auto repair each year. How much have you budgeted to be able to make sure your car is running safely and properly? This is an important step in maintaining the welfare of your family and friends.
If you need a new windshield, you’re not being proactive about keeping others safe. Here are some key signs to look for to let you know it’s time replace.
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Top 9 Signs You Need a New Windshield
It’s possible you already know that it’s time. But you could be living in the dark about your windshield issues.
Your View is Obstructed
When you’re driving, it’s absolutely key that you can see clearly in your car and there are no blind spots. This might sound obvious, but some people are trying to drive with a discolored or chipped windshield.
If your ability to make split-second decisions is being hindered by the view in your windshield, you need to replace it immediately.
A New Season is Coming
You need to prepare your car for the seasons. During the winter months, your car has to combat all the cold, snow, and rain depending on where you live.
If hail or snow has affected your windshield, it could be time to get a new one. It could be as simple as your windshield doesn’t feel the same or look the same as it did before it endured that cold weather.
It’s Cracking Up
And not in a funny way. When your car’s windshield has cracks in it, the most dangerous thing you can do is still drive it in that condition.
You might be fine leaving your iPhone with cracks in the screen. But your car’s windshield is at risk of buckling and seriously causing you or your passengers harm.
You Have an Upcoming Safety Inspection
If your windshield is in anything less than top condition and you have a vehicle inspection of any kind, it’s undoubtedly going to fail.
Before you waste your time going through the vehicle inspection just to get a failure and be told that you must replace your windshield, fix the problem. That way you can save yourself both time and money.
If Patching Wasn’t Enough
If you secure the one spot in your windshield that you have identified as a problem area, the area could still get worse. If the crack is spreading, you need a new windshield entirely.
If you have a small amount of damage in your windshield that doesn’t seem major, keep careful watch over it to make sure it doesn’t spread. Still, it’s always safer to just replace it entirely.
You’re Missing a Part
Yep, missing any section of your windshield definitely means that you need a new one. You might think you can get away with patching part of your windshield with plastic.
That might be the case for a temporary windshield fix, but you’re going to face long-term problems. If you’re trying to heat or cool your car, it’s going to be virtually impossible.
There are Chips
The good news if you have a chipped windshield is that you might not have to replace the entire windshield.
If the structure of the windshield itself isn’t damaged and it’s only surface-level damage, then you could be in luck.
Chips are the easiest damage to your windshield to repair. These areas can be spot treated so that you don’t have to replace the entire windshield.
Of course, if your chip is very serious, it’s probably a good idea to get a new windshield entirely. Someone with professional experience will know the severity of the damage to your windshield and be able to advise whether or not you need to think about replacing the entire thing.
There are Scratches
Scratches on your windshield may look fairly harmless. But they’re basically impending doom for your car.
Waiting around with cracks in your windshield could cause serious damage over time. The damage can increase as pressure builds on the windshield. Gravity will take its toll on the cracks, and they could shatter at any moment.
The only exception is if your scratches are extremely surface level. Every windshield has a few imperfections.
It’s not difficult to tell what slight cosmetic issues are as opposed to a serious problem. If branches or any other object have come into direct, pressured contact with the windshield, it’s another story.
It’s Hazy
Windshields are treated with Poly Vinyl Butral for safety reasons. This is a plastic substance that affects the way your glass cracks.
If the windshield does, in any event, shatter, this makes the occurrence as safe as possible. The glass doesn’t shatter like normal glass might. Instead, it cracks into more rounded chunks so that the glass is less likely to harm anyone in the incident.
If you look at your windshield and notice that there’s a white haze lurking around the edges, that’s an indicator that the plastic treatment is starting to wear away and you need to get a new windshield.
If the plastic treatment is starting to separate itself from the rest of the windshield, you could be putting yourself in danger in the case of an accident.
Instead of shattering in small pieces and not caving inward, large sharp chunks could potentially hit you and your passengers without the added safety of this window treatment.
Replace Before it’s Too Late
It might be clear now that you need a new windshield. Get a quote in only thirty seconds from Glassnet. And when you’re dealing with car issues, you know that the faster that you can get things done, the better.
You can choose the exact type of windshield you need for your exact make and model of car. Basically, there’s no more simple way to get your windshield fixed without the hassle.
It’s not worth putting your life at risk hoping that you won’t eventually have to replace your windshield. Don’t bother with temporary fixes. Get your defective windshield replaced sooner rather than later.