Windshield Repair and the Summer Heat
Should you get a windshield repair now or wait until the summer heat is here?
The summer heat can be just as bad for those windshield chips as the winter cold. The hot summer months are coming so if you have a chip in your windshield and you don’t have time to get a windshield repair then follow the tips below which could help temporarily save your windshield.
- Park in the shade if possible.
- Partially role down the door glass when parking in the sun.
- Don’t wash your vehicle when the windshield is hot to the touch.
Here’s a brief elaboration to better explain the tips above. Parking in the shade will help keep the windshield cooler than if your were parked in the direct sun light. The shade will also help keep the interior of the vehicle from reaching temperatures that are much higher than the outside temperatures. If you are unable to park in the shade then leave your door glass partially rolled down. Leaving the door glass partially rolled down will help keep the inside of your vehicle from rapidly rising in temperature. Higher temperatures inside than outside of the vehicle can cause any small chip in a front windshield to weaken and crack further.
So you’ve followed the first two tips and that small chip in your windshield appears to be holding up so you decide to take your vehicle to the car wash and get it cleaned. Just remember… the drive to the car wash will most likely not be in the shade and leaving the door glass partially rolled down will definitely not keep the front windshield from getting hot. The front windshield slowly rising in temperature and getting hot to the touch generally won’t crack the windshield but more than likely when you send your car through the car wash and the hot windshield is hit by the cold water… well, more than likely you’ll need a windshield replacement. I’ve seen this happen to a large number of people over the years so take my advice and have a windshield repair performed now instead of waiting until it’s too late and having to pay for a complete windshield replacement.
