If you’ve got a chip in your windscreen – even the tiniest little chip – and summer is on its way, don’t wait to get it fixed.
Hot weather is one of the worst enemies of a chipped windscreen – and when the temperature starts rising, what seems like an innocuous little chip can quickly turn into a fast-moving spider web across your windscreen.
The fact is, extreme temperatures, both hot and cold, can cause a chip to grow and what would have been a simple and quick windscreen repair can escalate into a time-consuming and possibly costly, full windscreen replacement.
Here’s how it works. Modern windscreens are made up of a plastic sheet sandwiched between two glass panes – and are designed in such a way to tolerate some degree of flexing as they are built to be part of the structural strength of a vehicle. However, whenever there is expansion, contraction, flexing or other forces on the windshield such as hot summer temperatures which cause changes in the structure of the glass panes, a chip can grow into a crack. Modern windscreens are also thinner and are therefore more vulnerable to damage.
So if you’ve noticed a small chip on your windscreen and the mercury is starting to rise, don’t delay. Call your local windscreen repair company and either make an appointment to go to them, or better still, get them to come to you and do the job on site.
In the meantime, however, here’s what you should do:
Protect against dirt. Tiny dust particles can get into the chip and not only make it more difficult to repair, but make it worse too. Simply stick a piece of tape across the chip (translucent so you can see through it of course!).
Keep out of the sun. As we said, heat is an enemy of windscreen chips, so keep out of bright, hot sunlight and park your car in the shade or under cover.
Don’t wash your car. Bet you never thought that a windscreen chip could be used as an excuse for a dirty car, but the truth is that if moisture gets into the inner layer of the windshield, it could compromise the effectiveness of the repair. The resin used by your local windscreen repair company could be prevented from sticking properly, or it could be discoloured by water contamination further down the track. A wipe with a dry lint-free cloth is all you should do.
So, if summer is on its way and temperatures are rising, the advice from Windscreen Replacement Perth, a specialist in windscreen repair in Perth (where the mercury regularly rises over 350C) is to not let that little chip on your windscreen make you hot under the collar. Fix it before it starts to grow.
Jason Squire has been in the automotive industry in the UK and Australia for over 25 years and started his own windscreen repair and replacement business, Autoscreens, in 2010.
Jason’s extensive professional qualifications and his broad industry experience paired with his military background means he brings an extraordinary level of skill, expertise and meticulous attention to detail to every aspect of his business.
Prior to starting Autoscreens, Jason worked for several leading international windscreen companies as well as spending a number of years in the armed forces. He has accumulated numerous professional qualifications, industry accolades and leadership awards, and is a highly respected volunteer in his local community.
Under his expert stewardship, Autoscreens has grown into one of the leading windscreen companies in Perth. Despite its success, he has ensured that the family-owned and managed company remains true to its founding values of integrity, quality and unsurpassed customer service.
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