When you think of a vehicle, you think metal and wheels but there’s a lot of glass too. The glass used in a car is very different from the glass panes in your home’s windows. This glass is also known as safety glass. One way of describing it would be to think of it as two layers of glass laminated together. This lamination keeps the glass form shattering and allows you to see through it even if there’s a crack or two. However, driving with a damaged windshield is very risky. You might ignore a small scratch but here are a few instances where you will need the help of mobile window repair Tulsa professionals.
Deep chips
A chip can be defined as an instance when a small portion of the glass breaks away as a result of impact with a foreign object. A chip can be microscopic enough to be ignore or large enough to affect your field of vision. If the glass chips away so much that it penetrates the inner plastic layer, it could become the starting point for a crack. It is best to address all chips as early as possible.
Cracks
Cracks in the glass are much more distinctive as compared to chipped glass. You’ll see it as a line where a piece of glass has started to separate itself from the rest. Cracks usually start out small. Sticking a piece of tape over a crack is a temporary solution but it doesn’t do much to keep the crack from growing. As it heats up in the afternoon, the glass expands, As it cools down at night, the glass contracts. You will probably not notice their expansion and contraction but the process will make a crack grow bigger and bigger.
Similarly, a grain of sand or dirt may get lodged in a crack. This too can aggravate the issue. Then there is the effect of going over potholes and speed breakers to be considered. These jerky movements cause repetitive stress that makes cracks in the glass worsen.
When you’re contemplating getting your windshield repaired, you must also consider the location of the damage. A crack on the co-driver’s side can be ignore for a while but if you notice a crack on the driver’s side, you need to contact a mobile window repair Tulsa expert as soon as possible. Small chips and cracks can be repaired but if there crack has grown beyond a certain size, the glass will probably need to be replaced.
Repair vs Replace
Replacing a windshield is undoubtedly a comparatively expensive affair. You’ll probably want to repair the windshield whenever possible and replace it only when necessary. Now, if there’s a big boulder that fell on the glass and crashed it; there’s no doubting what needs to be done. But, what about in other instances.
Sometimes, small chips and cracks can repaired. At others, the glass will need to be replaced. Usually, glass is replaced if there are 3 or more cracks. Glass must also be replaced if it has a crack longer than 14 inches in length. This is because glass tends to lose its stability once it has seen a certain amount of damage. If not replaced in time, a relatively small stress may destroy the windshield completely. You’ll also have to replace the glass if the damage is near the edge of the windshield.
If you’re unable to see through the windshield, you’re at a high risk for an accident. This could put your life as well as the life of others at risk. For this reason, any damage to the driver’s side glass usually results in the need t replace the glass. This is important as repairing glass can often leave behind residual markings. Sometimes, repairs can also discolor the plastic layer between the glass panes – another reason to replace rather than repair.
Doing it the right way
Today, glass replacement kits are available commercially as DIY kits. This means that anyone who’s good with their hands can attempt to replace the car’s window on their own. However, your success isn’t always guaranteed. There’s also no warranty that you won’t break the glass when installing it or cause more damage to the car’s body. Hence, if you want assured success, it’s best to call out to a mobile window repair Tulsa professional. You are assured to get the best possible service and your vehicle will run as smoothly as it did earlier. The service is priced at affordable rates that makes it a much better choice than attempting the replacement on your own. Remember, it’s always better to spend for professional service rather than pay more to repair your mistakes.
