Modern windshields can contain many features including heating mechanisms, sensors, tints, coatings, and radio antennas. They may even contain more sophisticated features including heads-up-displays (HUD) and satellite uplinks. With these kinds of features, it is not hard to understand why windshields can be expensive. This is also why windshield repair is a common solution to cracked, scratched, and damaged windshields.

During a windshield repair, the technician uses a specially formulated resin, injecting it into the damaged area of the glass. The resin is then cured, restoring the windshield’s integrity, and polished to restore the clarity of the glass. If the windshield has become damaged to the point where the PVB layer is compromised, repair should not be considered and complete replacement is required.

Windshields are constructed from laminated glass. This laminated glass is composed of two or more layers of glass, with a thin plastic sheet in between. This transparent sheet of plastic is actually called polyvinyl butyrate, or PVB, and is fused between the layers of glass in an adhesion process which utilizes pressure and heat to bind the layers together.

The PVB film keeps the glass from shattering in the event of an accident. On impact, most of the glass is kept from entering the vehicle’s cabin, and can even act as a retainer to keep objects, including you, inside the vehicle.

When having your windshield repaired or replaced, always use the services of a reputable and competent auto glass service technician. Replacing a windshield is actually a very exact science and is not as simple of a service as you may have first considered. Proper installation of your vehicle’s windshield is crucial to the performance of your vehicle’s safety systems and is the best way to ensure your vehicle is as safe as it can be.

When having your windshield replaced, there are a few things you can look at to help ensure a quality installation. During the installation, make sure that you service technician is using protective gloves while handling the windshield at all times. This prevents oils and dirt from contaminating the bonded surfaces of the windshield. Similarly, the technician should thoroughly clean and prime the windshield and the application area before installation.

Be sure the windshield is perfectly centered on the vehicle. A misplaced windshield will not provide a structurally sound passenger compartment in the event of a collision or rollover. Also inspect the weather stripping to ensure it fits tightly against the vehicle’s body with no bumps, waves, or gaps. If the replacement windshield on your vehicle is not completely bonded to the vehicle, the windshield may become detached in the event of an accident, leading to even greater chance of serious injury or death.

A qualified auto glass service specialist will be able to clearly make known whether your windshield needs to be replaced or repaired. In general, a windshield should only be repaired if the damage is not too extensive or if distortion will not result from the repair.

Most importantly, if the windshield’s inner layer of polyvinyl butyrate has been affected in any way, the windshield should be completely replaced. This adhesive layer is the most important aspect of any vehicle’s windshield, and is what keeps the windshield from shattering into many pieces when impacted.

When selecting an auto glass service provider, start by simply asking questions. Find out if the technician is NGA (National Glass Association) certified to be professionally competent in his line of work. Ask if the technician uses the auto manufacturer’ recommended products. Also find out if the technician has agreed to meet the Auto Glass Replacement Safety Standard (AGRSS). Above all, be sure the technician intends to provide you with sufficient information regarding all things pertinent. The technician should provide you with some dos and don’ts, such as how much time should be allowed for the bond to cure before the vehicle is safe to drive.

Any quality auto glass service provider shouldn’t hesitate to thoroughly answer any questions you may have about the process or their work in particular. Good communication is a sign of a responsible and knowledgeable technician.

It is important that you should select a qualified auto glass technician to should you need to have your windshield repaired or replaced. Having a structurally compromised windshield can increase your chances of serious injury or death in the event of an accident. Furthermore, if the windshield is not properly installed, these chances increase dramatically.

In 2002, the program 20/20 ran a story which stated that up to 70 % of the 12 million windshields replaced each year are done so improperly. Proper installation of your vehicle’s windshield is crucial to the performance of the vehicle’s safety systems. The best way to ensure a proper installation is to only use a reputable auto glass service technician; one which uses quality materials, provides sound service, and has a good reputation with plenty of experience.

We all want to be sure that we are driving in a safe vehicle. We consider our vehicle’s most obvious safety features, such as seatbelts, airbags, tire pressure, and tire tread. We all strive to ensure that these items are kept up to standard, both to prevent accidents from occurring, as well as to protect us to the full extent in the event of an accident.

However, one of the most overlooked, yet one of the most important safety features of your car, truck, or van is the one that is literally right in front of your eyes. Your vehicles windshield plays a vital role in the prevention of injury or death in the event of a collision and/or rollover. In fact, most automotive safety experts rank the windshield as the third most important safety component in your vehicle – directly behind seatbelts and airbags.

Windshields are designed to operate in conjunction with your vehicle’s airbags. Properly installed windshields provide support to the back of the airbag, sustaining it and allowing it to fully deploy into the occupant compartment, rather than into the dash.  If the structural integrity of the windshield has been compromised, it may cause the airbags to only partially deploy or to not deploy at all, dramatically increasing the chances of serious injury or death in the event of an accident.