The Importance of Caring for Your Car Windscreen

Most car owners don’t think about the importance of their windscreen. They think of the windscreen as a large window on their car that lets them see outside. The windscreen is a highly important aspect of your car which is why it deserves the same attention as changing your oil and rotating your tires. If you get a chip or crack in your windscreen it should be immediately repaired just like you would immediately replace a flat tire.

Your car windscreen has several functions. First of all, a windscreen allows you to watch the road ahead of you without coming into contact with dirt, garbage or wind that is rushed at you while you are driving. A windscreen also helps protect the driver and passenger of the car during an accident. Without a windscreen the airbags would not properly deploy. If a car did not have a windscreen the airbag would open upward. By having a windscreen the airbag opens towards the driver and passenger. Car windows also serve the function of keeping people inside the car. They prevent body parts, especially the limbs from hanging outside the car during an accident. Having windows and windscreens prevents many fatalities in car accidents.

A windscreen is actually made up of two glass layers. In between the two glass layers is a plastic which serves as a glue to hold the pieces together. Not only does this plastic hold the two glass layers together it also prevents glass from flying everywhere if the windscreen does crack. There is also a black border around the windscreen that protects the glue from the suns rays. Without this border the glue would melt from the rays of the sun and the windscreen would not hold to the frame of the car.

A windscreen has to be properly installed. If there is even the slightest fault in installation the integrity of the windscreen is altered. During production of the car computers are used to properly align and place the windscreen. After the installation a cars windscreen will be cured for a long period of time so that the molding will properly dry and the windscreen will have been installed with the highest of quality.

If your windscreen needs to be replaced it is important that you find a good car window repair service. The replacement of a windscreen is just as, maybe even more, important then the original installation. First of all, the old windscreen needs to be completely removed before new installation. Old molding and the lower windscreen cowl panel also needs to be removed. The area where the adhesive is placed should also be primed with rust inhibitor. Finally, after the placement of the windscreen the car should be properly cured for at least 24 hours to insure the molding has properly dried.

Your windscreen will constantly endure different stresses. Temperature changes cause the windscreen and the metal frame to expand and shrink at different rates. This causes your windscreen to either be pushed or pulled constantly. On top of the stress caused by the temperature the road conditions will also cause stress. When the car absorbs impact from the road there is additional stress especially around the edges of the windscreen.

If your car windscreen does get cracked, which does happen from rocks or debris flying into the windscreen, it is important to get the chip repaired immediately. If it is not repaired the stress will continue to build up along the crack. The longer you wait to fix the problem the more the crack will build up and the more likely you will need to replace the whole window. Furthermore, a crack in your windscreen can be very dangerous if you get into an accident. A crack makes it more likely for your windscreen to shatter in a collision causing fragments to fly everywhere.

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