Welcome to my blog. Let me introduce myself. My name is Benjamin. I am married to an amazing woman, Pam, and we have two daughters, Sammy and Justine. I am a visual artist who has occasionally worked with stained glass. That has given me an appreciation for other types of glass, and in this blog, I plan to write about buying glass, owning it, cleaning it repairing it and more. If you have any questions about glass, I invite you to explore this blog, and I thank you for reading. If you enjoy my posts, I invite you to share them. enjoy.
Good Ideas and Great Tips for Glass
4 things you need to know before replacing your windshield
Morgane Arnaud
Car windows are very sensitive when it comes to replacing them. The windshield is perhaps the most sensitive, and you can't just go to any repair shop and get it replaced. The windshield plays a huge role in guarding on the occurrence of an accident. When incorrectly installed, the glass can pop out on impact and cause further damage to the passengers. You need to ascertain that the installation of a new windshield is done to perfection and by experts. If you've just damaged your windshield and need an emergency glass repair, here are a few things you need to have in mind before choosing your technician.
OEM and Non-OEM glass
First things first, you need to know about the different kinds of auto glass out there. OEM glass stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer, and it's a glass kind that matches the manufacturer's original standards. Always ensure that this is the type of glass that is used on your vehicle. Non-OEM glass is also called aftermarket windshield, and it's are a lot cheaper than OEM glass.
You can differentiate them from their thickness and fit. An OEM glass is thicker than a non-OEM, and it fits perfectly after the replacement. OEMs also take longer to install as compared to aftermarket windshields.
Safe drive-away time
Another crucial fact that you need to know is that a certain time frame is needed before you can safely drive the car. Ask about this beforehand, and if a technician says that you can drive the car immediately, then move the opposite direction. The adhesives used to bond the windscreen need a few hours of undisturbed time to settle and cure. All professionals know this.
Repair or replacement?
Before going for a replacement, you should also consider the options for a repair. If your windscreen only has a small crack that's not on the driver's side, then a repair would suffice. However, you need to cover the crack with tape immediately after the accident. This is to prevent air and dirt from creeping into the crack and makes it easier for the technician to repair. Normally, a polymer is injected into the crack, and it eventually cures eliminating the imperfection.
Quality of urethane
During a replacement, urethane is used to ensure the windshield sticks into place. However, there are many variants of urethane, so you need to ask if it complies with the Federal Motor Vehicle Standards.
Also ask about the kind of urethane they use. There are two-part urethanes and one-part urethanes. Two-part urethane is not affected by atmospheric conditions when curing. This is what you want to use particularly if you're in an area with lower temperatures. One-part urethane takes longer to cure and is slowed down by lower temperatures.
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