Given the beatings your windshield takes from the elements daily, it's a good practice to check for signs that you might need to have it replaced.
Your windshield is multi-purpose. As such, it's got to be in prime condition to function optimally. It has to be defect-free and durable.
Unfortunately, most car owners don't bother checking their windshields, even when the signs are there, literally in front of them.
You really don't want to handle last-minute emergencies. So it's best to know what to look out for, before the rot sets in too deep.
Here are the main tell-tale signs of a windshield in dire need of replacement.
Cracks
If there are web-like cracks on the glass, it can distort your vision, particularly if the weather's not so great to begin with. And, that could be a total visibility loss for you if there's a blizzard or storm. Dangerous stuff!
With windshields, perfection is the barest minimum. And one that obstructs your view is one you should replace.
Once you notice a glass irregularity that interprets reality wrongly, then it's surely time to get a replacement.
Pitting
Even if you take careful steps to maintain the integrity of the windshield, it's bound to disintegrate of its own accord over time. This process, the gradual wearing of the windshield is called pitting.
You see it in small, worn-out patches on the glass after a long time. They're the long-term effects of road debris, dust and sand.
Although careful driving can reduce the impact of pitting on your windshields, it's an inevitable regression.
When you observe these symptoms on your windshield, then it's time to replace it.
The dreaded "white haze"
This is one of the more common symptoms, and is the one often blatantly ignored by many car owners.
Windshields come with a special veneer called PolyVinyl Butyral (PVB) that alter the glass' natural wearing proces. Rather than shattering broadly, it does so in rounded, minute chunks that don't break off into dangerous shards and potentially injuring passengers.
The white haze at the edges of the glass are signs that PVB is peeling away from the glass. This means that you're at risk of injury from sizable, inadvertent missiles from possible car accidents.
So, you have to get a replacement whenever you notice this.
Missing parts
Now, this is one of the more "obvious" signs. Still, you'd be surprised at how many truckers and car owners subsist with half-baked quick fixes with tape and clear tarps.
Other than keeping out dirt and errant organisms from the car interior, your windshield is a structural part of the chassis.
If you don't quickly replace them when they have missing parts, you risk having your car sag in places or cause alignment problems when you finally get around to fixing it.
An upcoming vehicle inspection
Before you start a vehicle inspection, one of the first things to check is your windshields.
Minor chips, hazes and cracks might lead to failing the inspection, so it's time to get them fixed!
This way, you won't need to undergo a second inspection.
Are you ready to replace your windshield?
If your car is showing any of these signs, then it's time to replace it.
When your windshield is beyond repair and needs replacement, bring it over to Jack’s Glass. We’ll ensure that your order, from insurance to installation, is handled carefully, with great pricing guaranteed. We can also replace it at your location. Get a free estimate now.