If you have a chip or a crack in your windshield and are debating whether or not you should get it replaced, don’t put it off any longer. Auto Glass Replacements Richmond VA are crucial to your safety and that of your passengers. Windshields are made to be extra strong and resistant to impact, but a cracked windshield is a major safety risk. Not only does a chip or a crack impair the driver’s vision, but one small crack also makes the whole windshield much more likely to shatter.
A windshield is made from two curved sheets of glass with a clear sheet of vinyl resin, or laminate, in the middle. This construction method was designed to prevent injuries from shards of broken glass. The middle laminate layer holds the glass together so that even when the glass is broken, it stays in place. However, once the laminate layer itself is damaged, it can no longer serve to protect the glass. Therefore, a windshield with even a small chip is more likely to shatter on impact than a fully intact windshield.
A car’s side windows and rear window are made with tempered glass. Tempered glass is glass that has been treated with chemicals and heat to make it stronger than regular glass. It is harder to break tempered glass than regular glass, and when it takes an impact, tempered glass breaks into small chunks rather than more deadly jagged shards. Tempered glass is not as strong as laminate glass, but it is still designed with the safety of the car’s occupants in mind.
If you are looking for auto glass replacements in Richmond VA, make sure to choose a company that has experienced, well-trained technicians. Furthermore, make sure to avoid the following:
- Companies that list only a cell-phone number. Choose instead a business that you can visit and research.
- Companies that promise to replace your glass in less than an hour. That might indicate that their technicians are taking shortcuts in the installation.
- Companies that don’t use original equipment manufacture (OEM) parts. Find out what kind of glass the company uses.
The best choice for auto glass repair is a company that has been in the business for awhile and has a good reputation to protect. For more information about auto glass repair, check out Bruce’s Super Body Shops. They have been in the auto body and glass repair business since 1978.
