Owners of cars typically have to deal with chips, cracks and scratches on the windscreen of the car. It is highly recommended that such damage should be addressed at the earliest, and one must consult professionals for repair or windscreen replacement in Brisbane.
What is a windscreen?
Also called a windshield, it is the front window of a car which protects passengers and drivers of the car from dangers like rain, breeze and flying debris and dust.
Kinds of damage to the windscreen
Damage to the windscreen is a common issue experienced by car owners. There are many kinds of damage which can occur to the windscreen, and these may vary in seriousness and severity. For the best course of action, the type of damage should be clear, like:
- Chips: They are small dings and cracks on the windscreen, mostly caused by stones and other flying debris on the road.
- Cracks: Deep, long lines extending across the complete windscreen, mostly caused by rapid changes in temperature or vehicle collisions.
- Scratches: They are minor surface marks which can be caused by several things like driving through a dusty area (e.g., a Construction site) or wiping the glass with a rough piece of cloth.
When to replace or repair?
The options for repairing and replacing windscreen glass must be chosen as per the severity of the damage. The following guidelines will help:
- Chips: A chip can be repaired if it is as tiny as a 50p coin. But if it is bigger and in the line of vision of the driver, it must be replaced.
- Cracks: A crack can be repaired if it is shorter than a credit card. Yet, it must be replaced if it is longer or in the line of vision of the driver.
- Scratches: If they are shallow and not so deep, they can be buffed away. But if not, the windscreen should be replaced.
Other criteria include:
- If damage blocks your view
The state of the windscreen glass impacts your driving ability to a large extent. Any disturbance in the process can influence your capacity to make decisions like navigating turns. There might be a distortion of the perception of distance. Weather conditions like rain may worsen the damage.
- Pitting of windscreen
This damage is common on high-speed highways. It means damage to the windscreen from flying debris like rocks. Such scratches and mini-holes on the windscreen can interfere with the vision of the driver.
- White haze on the edges of the glass
Car windows are typically treated with a plastic called PVB (Poly Vinyl Butyral). The latter ensures that shattered glass forms a rounded shape to minimise injury to passengers of the car. A white haze at the edges of the windscreen indicates that this plastic is separating from the glass. This increases the risk of being impacted by sharp pieces of glass in the event of a collision.
Ways to prevent damage
Prevention is simply better than cure, and so the following precautions should be taken:
- Maintain a safe distance from other vehicles to prevent debris and rocks kicked up from their tires from impacting the windscreen.
- Avoid parking beneath trees or driving near construction sites so that debris may not fall on the windscreen.
- Do not change temperatures within the car quickly, like cranking up the air-conditioner or heater during summer or winter.
- Use cleaning products of high quality and soft, micro-fibre cloth to wipe the windscreen glass.
- Do regular replacement of windscreen wipers to prevent scratches.
- Ways to find a good windscreen replacement in Brisbane
It is critical to find the right professionals while taking the windscreen replacement in Brisbane.
The following tips will help you locate the best service:
- Seek recommendations from family, friends or car dealers.
- Seek a service which is certified and accredited by the appropriate industry bodies.
- Much weight is carried by reviews of former customers. Consulting these will prove to be highly valuable.
- Request for a written quote prior to signing any work agreement.
Cost of repair or replacement
This depends on many factors, such as your location, type of damage as well as model and brand of the car.
In sum, by following the above tips and finding high-quality professional services for auto glass repair or replacement, you can ensure the safety and integrity of the car windscreen. Note that prevention is important, so drive slowly, safely and carefully.
