Guide to Replacing Your Car Windshield with Professional Quality
Few car components protect you and your passengers more than your windshield. As you might expect, a high-quality windshield will keep wind, precipitation, insects, and debris from affecting you on the road. But that isn’t the only responsibility a windshield has. In a collision, this specific type of auto glass plays a crucial role in maintaining your vehicle’s structural integrity and serves as a backup for your airbags.
Auto glass maintenance can keep your windshield in good shape for the long haul, but it can’t prevent the possibility of damage. A damaged windshield won’t be able to perform its job as effectively as it could under normal circumstances. When Tucson, AZ, residents need windshield replacement, they should schedule this service ASAP — and this addition to our Max Auto Glass guide to getting professional-quality windshield replacement service can help.
What to Expect From Your Windshield Replacement
These days, most high-quality auto glass shops in Tucson replace windshields by:
- Stripping the old trim. Windshield trim performs the same function caulk does for a home window — it holds the windshield in place while protecting you from drafts and leaks. Before mechanics can remove your windshield, the trim must be removed with a specialized razor.
- Removing the existing windshield. Once the trim is out of the way, your car’s old windshield can be removed. Sometimes, large suction cups with handles are used to pop windshields out of vehicles without breaking them.
- Cleaning and preparing the pinch weld. The pinch weld is the space between your vehicle’s windshield and body, which holds (or pinches) the windshield’s edges. Dust, dirt, and urethane can all build up in this space, so it needs to be thoroughly cleaned before a new windshield can be installed.
- Adding urethane. After auto glass mechanics clean your pinch weld, they will apply urethane to its edges. This will function as an adhesive to keep your windshield in place. However, the urethane must be applied quickly and evenly so it does not start to set before your windshield can be installed.
- Installing a replacement windshield. Finally, your new windshield will be put in place. This process involves carefully fitting the windshield and pushing it into the pinch weld with suction cups and bars. After your windshield is moved into place, it will be held there for a few minutes so the urethane can start to set; when that happens, the suction cups are taken out and the urethane is allowed to continue curing.
The windshield replacement process is complicated, but it doesn’t take as long as you might think. While the length of this service can vary, most Tucson drivers looking for a new windshield can get one installed in an hour or less.
Do You Need Windshield Replacement or Repair?
Knowing that windshield replacement isn’t prohibitively time-consuming or expensive can be reassuring, especially if you have a crack or chip in your windshield. However, not every type of auto glass damage calls for replacement work. In some cases, you may be able to get your windshield repaired instead.
When you bring your car to your local Tucson auto glass shop, the mechanics working there will closely inspect your auto glass and decide how to proceed. These are some of the factors they’ll consider while determining if windshield repair or replacement is needed:
- How large the chipped area is. Generally speaking, windshield chips smaller than one inch in diameter can be fixed, assuming they don’t have any hairline cracks. If the damage is more extensive than this, you probably won’t be able to get it repaired.
- The depth of the damage. Regardless of the chip’s size, it can’t be fixed if it is deep enough to reach the middle vinyl layer of your windshield. Damage to this layer is never repairable.
- Where the chip is located. Even the best auto glass repair work can leave visual imperfections like “fog” behind. As a result, chips directly in a driver’s line of vision can’t be repaired — no matter how small they are.
- How far the damage is from the center of your windshield. A chip far away from your windshield’s center can cause other problems. If damage near the edge of your windshield grows, it could reduce the structural integrity of your car’s roof. Because of that, windshields with damage in these areas should be replaced.
Don’t Attempt DIY Windshield Repair
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to save as much as possible on auto maintenance expenses. Consequently, Tucson drivers sometimes try to save money by fixing their own windshields. But while you can safely replace your windshield wipers or clean your auto glass, more in-depth work should be left to the professionals.
DIY windshield repair might seem like a good way to get some extra life out of a windshield that would otherwise need to be replaced. But if your windshield damage is significant, even professional repair work won’t be enough to keep your auto glass functional. It shouldn’t be surprising to learn that DIY auto glass repair products don’t deliver better results than professional service from qualified mechanics. In fact, if you aren’t careful while using these products, you could make your existing problems worse.
Luckily, there’s a much more effective way to save on auto glass repair. Instead of trying to fix your own windshield, just look for auto glass shops that offer promotions and financing opportunities!
The Finest Windshield Replacement Tucson Has to Offer
Being diligent about scheduling professional windshield service won’t help if you don’t put some thought into choosing the right shop to work on your auto glass. Tucson residents who need windshield replacement and repair (along with other auto glass maintenance services) should come to Max Auto Glass for this work. We employ mechanics certified by the Auto Glass Safety Council™ and Dow, we help our customers save by offering valuable promotions, and we can provide the work you need wherever you are with our mobile auto glass repair service.
Are you ready to get a new windshield — or make your old windshield look like new? Either way, Max Auto Glass can help. Take the first step by requesting a quote today!
