How Windshield Cracks Spread And Why It’s Important To Replace The Windshield ASAP

By FredrickHobbs

You’ll never know what lies ahead of the road you’re taking — figuratively and literally (as how drivers can attest). One minute, you’ll find a random rock flying straight toward your car; the next minute, you’ll see a crack on your precious windshield.

Auto experts agree that driving with a cracked windshield is a risk to your and your passengers’ lives. It is recommended that you should not wait for a long time before considering windshield replacement Fairfax VA. After all, there are many factors that help spread these little windshield cracks.

Take a look at some of the culprits behind this unpleasant expansion:

Moisture. In a nutshell, your windshield is made up of two layers of glass sandwiching a layer of vinyl. Once the first layer gets a crack or a chip, moisture brought about by rain, snow, or just the water you use to wash your car can find its way through the damaged part of your windshield. If the moisture freezes due to a temperature drop, it can worsen the damage and even create new cracks.

Extreme Temperatures. It’s summer and the scorching heat makes you push your car’s air conditioner to the limit. This can bring you comfort, but it actually is a bad combination if you’ve got yourself a cracked windshield. The extreme difference in temperatures can put another load of pressure to your damaged shield, and long before you know it, the cracks and chips are only getting bigger.

Dirt. Once the first layer of a windshield is damaged, moisture isn’t the only thing that can help spread the crack. Dirt is also a huge reason why drivers see damage expansion in their windshields. If dirt gets through the crack, the whole structural integrity of your shield is compromised. While placing a clear tape offers a temporal solution, some opt to undergo a total windshield replacement Fairfax VA to avoid a much bigger damage.

Bumpy Road. Forget about you being a good driver, because even the best ones cannot simply avoid bumps in the road even when they try to. But it isn’t just the people in the car that can be stressed out by that sudden jolt; your already-damaged windshield, too, bears the impact. Though the effect is not immediately seen, a bumpy ride can stress the windshield and ignite the spreading of the crack.

Normal Wear. Just like a bumpy road, the effects of the normal wear and tear of a damaged windshield cannot be seen right away. And unlike before (when you have an uncompromised windshield), there are actuations that can leave a negative impact and can cause the spread of the crack. This includes those moments when you hit your brakes too hard or when you shut your car door with an extremely huge force.

Taking into account how susceptible your damaged windshield is, it is best to have it examined and inspected immediately. Remember, prevention is always, always better than cure. And if you have to undergo a windshield replacement Fairfax VA, a hundred dollars is nothing compared to the safety of you and your loved ones.
Need windshield replacement Fairfax VA? Let our team at Allstate Auto Glass fix the problem for you. Contact us today and get a free estimate.