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The Dangers of Winter on Your Auto Glass

The Dangers of Winter on Your Auto Glass

Your automobile comes standard with hundreds of amenities and safety features that are designed to keep you secure and comfortable while on the road. In the past, many of these features would have either been optional or non-existent, so it is easy to take for granted these accessories and how they have improved our overall driving experiences. The windshield has evolved considerably since its inception and now features UV protection, tinting and other elements of strength designed to keep you and your passengers safe while moving from point A to point B.

One of the biggest hassles when it comes to your driving experience is the winter months. After all, the cold and wet climate that it can often bring is something that makes warmer temperatures or wet spring times pale in comparison. Unfortunately, winter climates can also have a profound impact on your windshield if not handled properly. Whether you need to clear off ice or prevent it in the first place, there are some common tips and tricks you should know beforehand. In the following article, we’ll discuss the dangers that winter can pose to your automobile and how you can adequately handle them.

Ice Accumulation

Throughout the colder months, ice can easily form on your windshield and auto glass during the evening and night hours, leaving you with a surprise the next morning as you plan to head for work, school or elsewhere. There can be a few different reasons for this: a heavy frost combined with low temperatures can cause a thin layer of ice to form, while freezing rain and other forms of precipitation can make the coating of ice even more hazardous. One thing is for sure: this layer of ice must be removed before you can continue on your way safely.

Removing Ice

You should always be careful when it comes to your windshield and any frozen precipitation. A hasty or improper removal process can actually damage the windshield and lead to bigger issues in the form of cracks and chips that will call for a windshield replacement. Auto Glass Atlanta LLC recommends that you start your car with the defrost on low, allowing it to run for approximately five minutes. You can then use a plastic scraper to remove the ice bit by bit, as well as a brush to remove any excess material. You may also want to consider a de-icing spray solution to accelerate the process. Do not scrape ice from your windshield when the vehicle is not warmed up, as this can cause extra stress to the windshield and shorten its lifespan.

Other Ice Concerns

While ice on your windshield is the most common and obvious way that it can impede your ability to drive, there are plenty of other issues that may arise. One issue that many do not consider is how ice or snow can block the tailpipe of some vehicles. This can allow for the accumulation of carbon monoxide in the cabin and can be lethal in some cases. You definitely want to take the time to inspect your tailpipe whenever you are inspecting the broader vehicle for ice accumulation. Particularly in areas where large accumulations of snow can occur, this is a real issue.

If you generally leave the house in the later morning hours, then you may be able to park your car in such a way that the morning sun can help loosen any accumulated ice on its own before you make your way outside. Depending on the climate, you may still need a scraper and brush, but the sun’s warmth can help accelerate this process. If you cannot park in such a way to take advantage of this effect, then be sure to follow the advice given for removal in the preceding paragraphs.

Preventing Ice

In many cases, ice accumulation on your windshield and windows can be prevented by some proper preparedness. The easiest way to prevent ice is to park in a garage or under a covered area. This will ensure that any precipitation that falls cannot accumulate and – in the case of the garage – prevent any frost or ice accumulation whatsoever. If you do not have access to a covered area, then you can improvise by using window covers, a tarp or even cardboard to block your windows and windshield from the outside elements.

Conclusion

Winter can be a frustrating time for anyone, but it can also be a frustrating experience for your auto glass and windshield. From snow to cold temperatures and ice, the factors that winter can inflict upon your auto glass have to be handled intelligently in order to ensure maximum and proper functionality. By parking under covered spaces, covering your windshield or using a gradual warming and removal process to eliminate ice via scraper and brush, you can rest assured that your windshield will remain in tip-top shape regardless of situation – a must for safe driving!

Visit www.autoglass-atlanta.com for more information.

The Best Charlotte Auto Glass Repair & How To Find It

It’s no walk in the park to deal with busted auto glass, but finding a good shop like Auto Glass Pro Shop to do the repair and replacement work for you shouldn’t be that tough either. Although you have literally thousands of choices, narrowing down your search to the top shops can be a lot easier than you think. In fact, it really only takes the consideration of a few important factors.

car_broken_glass-windshield-replacement2
1. Company Track Record

Any auto glass repair and replacement shop worth their salt will have a clean track record. This means their business is not facing bankruptcy, lawsuits, or anything else. You can double check your facts simply by visiting the official Better Business Bureau (BBB) website. In fact, full disclosure requires shops to let customers know if there is anything that could get in the way of offering fair and honest services.

2. Word-of-Mouth

Doing your research doesn’t end after you check into the BBB. You will also need to begin asking around about the reputation of the shop in which you are interested. Talk may be cheap but it is still worth quite a lot, especially when you are considering a local business. See what your friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors have to say about the place and then go from there.

3. Customer Service Rating

Despite what your crew says, you could have a completely different experience. This all depends on the quality of the shop’s customer service. If an auto glass repair and replacement shop does not allow for an open line of communication or treats customers unfairly, it will show up on reviews. Interestingly, most shops of this type are pretty good about keeping clients happy throughout the process.

4. Deals, Discounts, and Incentives

See if you can get a hold of any special treatment from the shops you’re considering. Some up-and-coming places offer new customer incentives or steep discounts on upgrades. In addition, some more established business also extend this benefit as a way to keep customers coming back. If you can find a reputable shop with these options, go for it.

5. Quality Guarantees

NO LEAKS GUARANTEEDAuto Glass Pro Shop in Charlotte, NC along with many other auto glass repair and replacement shops, offers a quality, satisfaction, or money-back guarantee. Depending on your method of payment, you could get cash back in your pocket if you are not completely happy with the end result. Just be sure to talk to shop about their policies before assuming anything. Visit http://autoglassproshop.com/ for more information.

Windshield Repair Services in Cleveland, Tennessee

How To Speed Up Your Windshield Repair Project

Windshield Repair Cleveland TNIf you are dealing with a windshield that needs to be repaired (repaired, and not replaced) here in Cleveland, Tennessee, you’re going to want to have it fixed just as quickly as humanly possible so that it doesn’t blossom into an even larger – and more expensive – problem.

Sure, most windshield repair services here in Cleveland are pretty good about fixing your issues before they become something else entirely, but a lot of times you’ll find that the most reliable and reputable services – the real desirable windshield repair services in Cleveland – are overflowing with work, and might not be able to see you quite as promptly as you would have hoped.

But have no fear.

There are a couple of different things you can do to speed up the windshield repair process, sometimes dramatically!

Bail On Having The Mobile Service Come Out To You And Bring Your Car To Them

rock-chip-repair-technicianAny Cleveland TN windshield replacement & repair service worth its salt is going to offer some kind of mobile service, where they will have their technicians drive a work van out to you and perform the window repair or window replacement in your driveway – or wherever else your vehicle is currently located.

This is a tremendously convenient service, and one that most people take advantage of just because it eliminates a tremendous amount of headache and hassle.

It’s also one of the slowest ways to have your windshield repair project taken care of.

Everyone (EVERYONE) wants to kick back, relax, and wait for a windshield repair technician to show up at their house and do the work in the driveway, which means that you are going to be at the end of a pretty significant list.

By deciding to bring your vehicle in to the shop itself, you should be able to cut that list and get your windshield repair services performed a lot faster.

Get Your Payment Squared Away Ahead Of Time

chip-in-windshieldSecondly, if you can make sure that the windshield repair Cleveland, Tennessee service that you’re working with understands that you are ready to pay them up front – or that you already have the payment process from your insurance company started – they’re much more likely to get you “fit in” to their schedule.

After all, this business is about getting their bills covered and getting paid for the work that they perform, and the last thing that they want to have to deal with is open invoices that might not get paid as promptly as they had hoped.

Wave a little bit of extra cash at them, and you’d be surprised at just how quickly you jump up the list!

How to Choose an Auto Glass Shop in Dalton, Georgia

Looking for an auto glass shop in Dalton, Georgia?

log_through_windshield_glassSo, you have a bit of an emergency on your hands with a windshield or automobile window that isn’t exactly in picture perfect condition?

Well, you’re probably nowhere near alone.

Each and every year, hundreds and hundreds – maybe even thousands – of people in the Dalton, Georgia area and of having to have their windshields repaired or replaced for one reason or another.

The challenge is figuring out how to choose an auto glass shop over the rest of the competition.

Here are just a couple of tips and tricks to help you do exactly that!

Make sure that they offer a free windshield replacement quote

windshield_with_road_movingYou should be at least a little bit nervous about moving forward with any Dalton, Georgia auto glass shop that won’t give you a quote for a replacement or repair without actually looking at the damage itself.

Most of the time, it’s not going to take all that long for a window repair or replacement professional to diagnose exactly what’s wrong with your windshield, exactly what needs to be done to repair or replace it, and give you at least a ballpark figure as to what you should expect to pay for the work to get done.

Anyone that balks at throwing in a free consultation to let you know exactly what you’re dealing with should probably be avoided at all costs.

See if the auto glass shop can work with your schedule

The next thing that you want to figure out when learning how to choose an auto glass shop is whether or not they have a flexible schedule that matches up with your spirit

Some operations out there offer 24/7, 365 days a year business hours where they will pretty much come to you when you need their help, whereas others will keep more traditional 9-to-5 business hours and require you to go to them.

It is important that you work with people that match up with your schedule so that you aren’t wasting a bunch of time (and probably a lot of money) chasing them down or having them try and chase you.

Make sure that you can trust them

Finally, you’re going to want to be sure that you know exactly how to choose the best auto glass Dalton has available and a service you can trust and rely on.

Reputation is absolutely everything in this business, so make sure that they have a track record for successful replacements and repairs in a sterling silver reputation in the community.

guaranteed

How Auto Glass is Made Today

Ever wondered how auto glass is made today?

driver-seen-through-windshieldIf you’ve been interested in discovering how auto glass is made, but haven’t quite gotten around to asking your local windshield repair/replacement experts about the nuts and bolts of this process, you’re in luck!

While it would be absolutely impossible to cover all of the nuances of how auto glass is made in this quick guide, we are going to touch upon all of the major aspects so that you know exactly what goes on “behind the scenes”.

Hopefully you find this information to be entertaining, informative, and useful going forward!

Selection of high-quality auto glass raw materials

While traditional windshields (pre-1905) were manufactured out of all different kinds of material, including super thick and heavy sheets of glass, the advent of safety glass – glass that easily broke apart when it was dealt a blow thanks to the tempering process – became pretty standard across the board for decades.

windshield-manufacturingThen, thanks to modern equipment and research, today’s laminated automobile glass has taken hold and become the standard the world over.

But, somewhat amazingly, all of those glass materials are produced out of the exact same three main components:

  • Sand
  • Soda ash and
  • Limestone

When those three materials are combined in the perfect ratio and then exposed to super high heat (we’re talking more than 1800°F here) they’ll become glass – which is the first step in the process of how auto glass is made today!

Lamination

worker-moving-new-auto-glassAfter the raw materials have been created, glass is then going to be tempered and cleaned before it goes through the lamination process.

This is a critical part in the automobile laminated glass production system, as he is a process which gives glass in cars the safety benefits and “flex” it needs to operate correctly. Basically, two layers of glass are going to be bonded together with a single layer of plastic, again using ridiculously high heat to melt all of these materials together – and then you have your lamination!

Cutting, cleaning, polishing, and processing

The next step in how auto glass is made today is the cutting, cleaning, polishing, and processing step – basically finishing off the “raw” automobile windows and getting them ready to be fit into vehicles.

These windshields will be shaped, cut down to exact size for the vehicles that they will be installed in, cleaned and then polished, and go through a final inspection to make sure that they are free of defects and damage that would compromise structural integrity or performance of these windows in any way whatsoever.