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.

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.

Besides the windshield, the remaining windows of your vehicle, including the rear window, are constructed of tempered glass. This tempered glass is manufactured using rapid heating and cooling methods, which strengthens the glass. When the structural stability of tempered glass is compromised, it does not shatter; rather, it breaks into small, pebble-like pieces which are dull, and do not cut like shattered glass. This helps prevent additional injuries caused by sharp shards of glass in the event of an accident.