As car owners, we tend to think about protecting our paintwork and the fabric covering the seats, while protecting the windscreen is so far down the list, it tends to fall off. But your windscreen plays an important role in keeping you safe on the road, so it is well worth your care and attention.
There is no secret that the glass used to make your windscreen is different to the glass in the windows at home – it’s much tougher and won’t shatter into a million pieces if it is broken – often it will make a spider web pattern, crack in places or break into small but safe sized pieces. But glass is glass, and all glass can break when force or pressure is applied.
What makes this happen? Today, windscreens are made using two pieces of heavy-duty glass fixed together. In between the two pieces is a thin laminate film. This film has a lot of responsibility – it holds the glass together when you are in an accident or your windscreen is otherwise damaged.
So, with your windscreen playing a role in keeping you and your passengers safe while on the road, how can you mitigate any damage to the windscreen?
5 Ways to Protect Your Windscreen
Minimise Driving on Loose Gravel – And Be Careful When You Do
If you can minimise your day to day driving on loose gravel roads, it will certainly go a long way to protecting your windscreen. But not everyone lives within the city, and it’s often too late to see the gravel coming towards you. The best way to minimise damage from loose gravel is to lower your speed and maintain some added distance between you and the vehicle in front of you.
Watch the Temperature
Like any glass, changes in the temperature can cause the glass in your windscreen to expand and contract. If you know you are headed for a really hot or really cold day, where the internal temperature of the car will be different to the external temperature (due to use of air conditioning and heating), there are a few steps you can take to minimise issues. Firstly, don’t park your car in direct sunlight – when you get back into the car in the afternoon and turn that air con up, your windscreen is prone to cracking. Similarly, in winter, don’t put hot water on a frost covered windscreen as the quick temperature change could see a nasty crack appear.
Got Some Chips? Repair Them
Windscreen chips happen – you can’t prevent all of them. Often you won’t even know they have happened until you get in the car one morning and spot it out of the corner of your eye. No matter how small or large the chip in your windscreen is, it is best to get it repaired as soon as possible. Windscreens can crack from chips, which make it more dangerous to drive, more chance of your windscreen cracking completely, and more costly to repair.
Windscreen Wipers Leaving Marks?
This is one area that car owners tend to leave for far too long. If your windscreen wipers are leaving marks and streaks on the glass, it’s time to replace the blades. When the blades on your wipers get old, they will crack and become brittle which means they can’t clean the windscreen effectively, and small rocks and sticks can get caught under the blade, resulting in scratches on your glass. You can even reduce the strength of your windscreen glass if your wiper blades aren’t working correctly.
Keep Your Windscreen Clean
If you are a regular car washer, your windscreen is likely cleaned very regularly, but for those who don’t have the time to clean their car often, you should still be cleaning your windscreen on a regular basis. A clean windscreen will allow you to keep an eye on any damage, tiny scratches or chips that appear in your windscreen. Some of these are almost invisible from certain angles, so taking the time to regularly clean and inspect your windscreen will make it easier to address any issues quickly.
We understand that no matter how much you look after your car windscreen, chips and cracks do appear. Our mobile service allows you to get that damage repaired quickly, without taking a day off work or cancelling appointments. We will get you back on the road with no fuss. Contact Autoscreens now.
Jason Squire has been in the automotive industry in the UK and Australia for over 25 years and started his own windscreen repair and replacement business, Autoscreens, in 2010.
Jason’s extensive professional qualifications and his broad industry experience paired with his military background means he brings an extraordinary level of skill, expertise and meticulous attention to detail to every aspect of his business.
Prior to starting Autoscreens, Jason worked for several leading international windscreen companies as well as spending a number of years in the armed forces. He has accumulated numerous professional qualifications, industry accolades and leadership awards, and is a highly respected volunteer in his local community.
Under his expert stewardship, Autoscreens has grown into one of the leading windscreen companies in Perth. Despite its success, he has ensured that the family-owned and managed company remains true to its founding values of integrity, quality and unsurpassed customer service.
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