The cold air can have an impact on every part of your car, including the windshield. If your windshield is cracked or chipped, the cold air can make the situation worse. To help you understand why now is the time to fix your windshield, here is what you need to know.
What Happens to Your Windshield in the Winter?
During the winter months, you are most likely using your heater to stay warm. Unfortunately, your attempt to stay warm in your car could be damaging to your windshield. The pressure from the inside of warm air combined with the cold air outside of your car can cause thermal shock. The shock can cause a crack to grow into an even bigger problem.
Thermal shock can also be a safety hazard for you and your passengers. The windshield is a part of your car's safety system. In the event of a rollover accident, the windshield is supposed to help support the roof so that it does not collapse. If your windshield is cracked, it is structurally weakened.
The cold air outside even makes it more difficult to repair your windshield. Resin is used to replace and repair a windshield. In order for the resin to cure properly, the technician has to be able to keep it warm until it is stable. Depending on the temperature, keeping the windshield warm can be a challenge. Even with the help of a UV lamp, it will take the technician longer to finish the repair. Therefore, it is better to get your windshield repaired before winter.
Can You Repair the Windshield Yourself?
Although windshield repair kits are readily available at your local auto store, you should not necessarily buy one for your car. There are a number of risks associated with attempting to repair the glass yourself.
For instance, incorrectly used resin can lead to a buildup of moisture in your windows. The buildup might not seem like a big deal now, but on cold mornings, it can leave your windows foggy. Defrosting your window will be particularly challenging.
In addition to this, if you fill a crack or chip with too much resin and fail to properly level it, your windshield wipers could have trouble going back and forth on your windows. As a result, you could end up needing new windshield wipers sooner rather than later.
Schedule a consultation with an auto glass repair technician or other company that does glass repair in your area to discuss other reasons that now is the time to repair your windshield.
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