Windshield Replacement Guidlines

The moment you get a crack in your windshield  then a windshield replacement or repair is necessary. Windshield replacement is also necessary even when the crack in the glass does not create a visibility problem because if the crack is ignored, the glass can break farther and end up falling out of the car.

Replacing the windshield means that you should find another piece that is identical to the one you had before. The glass from one model and make of automobile will generally not be suitable as a windshield replacement in another automobile. The glass placed before the driver is always different because each manufacturer shapes them differently. The reason for this is that each vehicle has a slight difference in shape. So it is advisable to buy a piece of glass that was specifically molded for the make and model of your vehicle.

windshield RepairIn most countries, the government always regulates the manufacture of glasses and makes sure only the appropriate glass is placed in automobiles and commercial buildings. This means that any glass intended for these purpose must be heat tempered which means they are break resistant and less brittle. The entire process that makes them break resistant renders them too hard. You can neither shape them nor cut them afterwards. Now you understand why a mold must be made to be used as a pattern even before the window is made so that it can fit into the opening perfectly.

You also need a replacement gasket that fits around the opening before any item can be replaced. The gasket made of rubber should fit well the opening in the vehicle. This rubber will protect the edges of the glass from breaking due to vibration. It is important to know that even though tempered automobile glass is very strong, it can easily be shattered especially if you strike it on the edge.

In order to bind the glass to the rubber and also the rubber to the car body, you will need a special adhesive. If you fail to use the appropriate adhesive, the glass will not stay in place and will likely not be water tight. It means you will have a very hard time at the car wash or when it starts raining. The reason for having a windshield is to protect you from flying debris and water. This is only possible if you use the right adhesive.

In some cases, the gasket that holds the glass in place can dry and rot after many years even if the windshield is not damaged. If your vehicle is in such a condition, first you should carefully remove the glass and then proceed to the gasket. Replace the old gasket with a new one then hold the gasket and the glass in place with adhesive.

If you want to save some cash on windshield replacement, you can do this at home but if you think you cannot handle it then you can consult a professional glass company to do everything for you. There are some companies that will even come at your place of work and attend to your vehicle.

Insurance Tip: Cover Your Vehicle.





Glass Tip: Non Abrasive Cleaners

Keeping glass clean and free of debris is one of the most basic premises of auto glass maintenance. A clean windshield is easier to see through while driving. It is also far safer than a windshield with an accumulation of debris. Debris can scratch a windshield which can leave to lasting damaged and fast deterioration. Trying to clean a windshield with abrasive debris using wipers is a bad idea, as it just makes the regular fluid abrasive. When washing a windshield by hand, use a gentle touch and a non abrasive cleaner to ensure lasting windshield functionality.

Standard windshields and tinted windshields alike can benefit from regular cleaning. Obviously, a driver doesn't want to operate a vehicle with a dirty windshield as it can obstruct views and cause distractions. This puts the driver at greater risk for accident and injury. It can also risk damaging the windshield if left to pile up to dangerous levels. Cleaning a windshield should only be done with gentle, non abrasive cleaners and cleaning supplies. This will protect the life of the windshield during and immediate wash and during the overall life of the windshield.

When a driver uses windshield wipers with a gritty windshield, they risk damaging the windshield and causing scratches or other abrasions. Dirt, dust and debris particles can all be scraped across the windshield by a windshield wiper can easily damage the glass, even when windshield wiper fluid is used. The same is true of washing the car overall. Using a soft cloth, warm water and a very delicate cleaner with no abrasive particles is almost always the best way to clean a windshield. This method will protect extra features like window tinting, window mounts for antennas and defrost/defog strips or real or front windows.

There's nothing wrong with trusting your windshield wipers for a little bit of dust or the occasional bug, but using them when the windshield is seriously dirty can be a bad idea. When a windshield has been covered with dirt, natural debris or other gritty materials, taking a careful and delicate approach is usually best. Using a non abrasive cleaner to remove the dirt carefully is the safest, and usually the cheapest, way for a driver to ensure the window is safely and carefully cleaned. A simple dish soap or auto soap with no harsh or abrasive chemicals or additives is usually fine for this use.

Demand Auto Glass in Your Price Range.

Drivers have more flexibility than ever before when it comes to buying auto glass or paying for auto glass repair services. Drivers can get these important services from a wider range of providers than ever before. Nearly every full service auto shop, auto dealership service center and auto body repair shop can provide auto glass repair and windshield replacement.

Drivers also regularly see options like used auto glass, junkyard auto glass in an effort to save money. Finally, auto glass specialists have popped up all over the country, and work to provide the best options for drivers who need auto glass repair services. This wide range of options and costs means drivers can demand the best rates when they need auto glass repairs or a windshield replacement.

If a driver thinks they are paying too much for auto glass, odds are they can save some money by calling around to the local competition. We do recommend against scrapyard glass and other types of used auto glass as they tend to have suffered from the stresses of the vehicle they have been removed from, making them unreliable. Otherwise, we always suggest drivers take the lowest rate available when they need an auto glass repair or windshield replacement.

We're confident that, in our service areas, drivers will always find that we offer the lowest costs. We strive to offer a range of auto glass that will fit any vehicle, regardless of make, model or year. We allow drivers a range of prices and strive to offer them the lowest rates possible in an auto glass emergency.

Insurance Tip: Use Your Garage.

This is sort of a focus on something from one of our recent insurance tips.  When we talked about avoiding troublesome locations. These are locations that can increase the chance a vehicle will be stolen or defaced. It can also mean severe weather locations, freak weather accidents and community events that take place on public streets. Ultimately it is far less risky for a vehicle to be parked inside, rather than outside. Unfortunately, many drivers don't always use their garage for their car. Some opt to use it for storage, some simply overlooking it in favor of the driveway. Ultimately, parking the car in the garage will save a driver on money and hassles.

Parking a car in the garage is almost sure to keep an insurance rate low, or at least prevent it from increasing due to theft and vandalism. Vehicles can often be vandalized even in extremely upscale neighborhoods. Car theft is much the same, a car thief may not be deterred by a normally crime free neighborhood. On the other hand, they will be deterred by a sturdy lock on a garage door.

Putting the vehicle in the garage prevents the elements from damaging it. Even in locations with nearly perfect weather, steady sunlight will eventually start to blanch and damage paint. In less than perfect weather, rain, sleet, hail and weather related debris can cause auto glass, paint and body damage. The elements can also add to other long term issues, like electrical problems and rust.

Animals can damage a vehicle in several ways, many of them mechanical, by simply crawling around on or inside the vehicle. Pigeons and other birds have their own special ways to damage automotive paint. Protecting a vehicle with even a basic garage can prevent most animals from bothering a vehicle.

Parking the vehicle in the garage is an easy insurance tip to obey. You can still use a garage for storage, even if your vehicle is parked in it. Good weather or bad, parking the vehicle in the garage can save you money in the long term, on your car insurance and overall upkeep costs.


Auto Glass Tips: Mobile Windshield Repair can be Cheaper Than the Auto Body Shop.

Auto glass damage can put a damper on all sorts of plans. A full windshield replacement can be an expensive and time consuming process for any driver. The good news is that windshield repair is often available and easier than windshield replacement. Mobile windshield repair services can perform complete windshield repairs on site.

Drivers dealing with windshields that have suffered major damage, mobile windshield replacement and auto glass replacement services are also available. Mobile glass repair and replacement services like ours can save drivers countless hours and tens to hundreds of dollars compared to dealing with an auto body shop or mechanic service. Most auto glass specialists, like mobile glass repair specialists, offer deep discounts on glass replacement, repair and other glass services.

Auto glass specialists buy auto glass in bulk, allowing them to perform replacement services for far lower prices than many of the alternatives on the market. Because auto glass specialists focus on auto glass repairs as our primary business, we can also stock all of the tools, supplies and necessities for auto glass repair. This means that our costs are far lower than any auto repair business that performs a wide range of services. We pass these savings directly onto our customers in the form of low cost auto glass repair and replacement services that drastically undercut the competition.

We charge less for auto glass repair and replacement services than competitors, and we can perform all of this work on site. Drivers can save gas and time by calling for mobile glass repair. More importantly, drivers don't have to go through the hassle of getting a tow truck driver. This added expense is usually required when the damage to a windshield is severe, and will require a full windshield replacement. Mobile glass repair cuts the tow truck driver out of the loop, offering drivers valuable savings.

Mobile windshield repair is often dramatically cheaper than taking the vehicle into an auto body shop or auto mechanics. A combination of wholesale buying power, specialty equipment and ease of use makes us cheaper than these types of competitors on almost all points. If you need a windshield replacement call us at 1-800-388-0104 and we'll offer you the best rate possible.


Insurance Tip: Full Coverage can Save Money.



Full coverage means that the vehicle is protected from nearly any eventuality. This can be far more expensive than liability coverage, or any of the options in between the liability and full coverage. It pays out immediate when drivers are hit with a number of unforeseen circumstances. Drivers can't always predict what problems their vehicle may face, and insurances help to protect from a range of potential threats.

Theft and vandalism insurance seem like wastes of money to a wide range of drivers. "No one is going to steal my car" is a common sentiment, and one drivers will regret when the vehicle is stolen. Car thieves and vandals target some vehicles randomly. Car thieves often steal some types of cars to be used in crimes and some for joyriding and resale. This means any car can be a target for theft, just like anything accessible can be a target for vandalism.



Auto Glass Tip: New Windshield Repair Technology Continues to Grow.

Auto glass repair continues to improve and refine the basic concept of windshield repair. More often than not, these improvements are extremely easy to overlook by a driver on site. It takes knowing a little bit about windshield repair technology, and how it works, to appreciate how much better modern windshield repair is than in days past. We've found that drivers who know how difficult and intensive auto windshield repair has been in the past, they tend to enjoy our services a whole lot more in the present.

The earliest auto windshields couldn't be repaired, and replacing them wasn't exactly easy. They used large sheets of single plate glass that you couldn't get in a rural area. Many drivers had to get the glass from the vehicle manufacturer, making it nearly impossible for a windshield replacement to be done quickly.

Plate glass was easy to break and shatter in at the driver, making driving a terrifying experience for anyone with glass damage on the road. A new design grew out of the dangers associated with a single sheet of glass. Two layers of glass, laminated together, added durability to windshield design. While the glass could break just as easily, it tended to stay in place until a replacement was available. This was a huge improvement.

It didn't take long for motorists to develop a new way to repair windshields that didn't shatter in the way of the old plate glass designs. It became common to repair the windshield that suffered minor damage, like a chip, gouge or small crack. A clear resin solution is added to the gouge, and then several methods remove impurities and air bubbles, theoretically leaving behind no trace of the auto glass damage.

Filling chips in a windshield has remained the primary way to deal with minor windshield damage for years now, but new technologies continue to improve the process. Vacuum sealing, newer resins and fast setting polymers can make windshield repair look better than it ever has. These same improvements have make windshield repair easier to perform on the roadside, and cheaper for customers overall.

Auto glass has come just as far as the automobile itself, in terms of design and technology. New windshields are increasingly more sturdy and safe than earlier models. New technologies for repairing windshield glass continue to grow and improve, giving drivers affordable options for windshield repair, on and off the road.

Insurance Tip: Avoiding Problem Locations.

Plenty of our insurance tips seem pretty obvious to some drivers, but simply don't occur to some drivers. There are millions of drivers in the United States alone, and each of them has a different set of circumstances. That's why we like to offer some insurance tips that any driver can use. One of the easiest ways to maintain a low premium is to keep the vehicle out of locations and environments that may negatively impact vehicle appearance and performance.

Parking in high crime areas, driving through dangerous thoroughfares on a regular basis or even using on street parking in certain areas can all lead to an insurance hike in the long term. If your insurer knows your vehicle is kept and driven largely in safe locations and on safe roads, it certainly won't increase your rates. It may even be cause for a rate decrease.

Parking the vehicle in a garage can get a driver a reduction on their rates in some areas with inclement weather, as well as in high crime areas. Commercial drivers already know how much higher an insurance policy or bond can be if the vehicle must travel through difficult terrain or a hazardous area. Drivers who regularly suffer auto glass damage see a dramatic rate increase, and inclement weather can add to that damage rapidly.

Many drivers don't realize they can get a better rate by simply taking better care of a vehicle. This means parking in a secure driveway, or ideally a garage. It can also mean avoiding dangerous driving lanes and peak driving times. Talk to you insurance agent about location based discounts and see what they can do for you.

Insurance Tip: Habits Can Count.

Another of our insurance tips is a bit funny to explain. It's not uncommon for a driver to have an insurance policy that they don't understand entirely. For many drivers, this can be especially true when it comes to how an insurance company determines the final rate that a customer pays. This is becoming more and more apparent as insurance is offering real time monitoring and other options to lower rates with good driving. It's not quite as obvious with factors like driver habits. Nearly every policy holder fills out an initial questionnaire, including several questions regarding personal habits.

There aren't many habits an insurance company can weigh in on, but ones that stand to cause a problem for the driver almost always fit. Cigarette smoking is an excellent example of this kind of habit. Modern auto insurance companies nearly always ask if the driver is a smoker. A smoking habit can drastically increase driver liability. This can in turn raise the overall insurance rates that a driver pays in the long term.

While it may seem unfair to penalize smokers while driving, there are a few reasons it's typically done. Smoking is a distraction before, during and after the actual smoking process. Drivers who are anxious due to a lack of nicotine are edge, and lighting or smoking a cigarette can be a major distraction. Smoking can also lead to tar build up on the windshield, which can lower driver viability. Smoking is only one such example, but it is one that is increasingly more common on the initial policy purchase.

As with all our insurance tips, we suggest you give this one a try. When you're considering a new insurance policy, it may be time to consider changing some old habits. Insurance companies may offer surprisingly lower rates if a driver can give up smoking or other distracting habits. This is just one more trick a driver can use to save money on an insurance policy.