Winter weather is upon us! In Colorado this means bad roads, jaw dropping scenery, and broken glass. For those of us repairing and replacing auto glass we face some special challenges this time of year. Here are some tips and information to help you with repairs and replacements completed in winter conditions.
Going skiing on the weekends will often result in chipped windshields. If you get chip in your glass try to put some clear tape over the outside of the break to keep out moisture. When chips get wet they are hard to repair and often have to wait until they dry out slowly on their own. Also, water form the roads will carry in all sorts dirt, oil, debris, and mag chloride. Mag chloride makes repairs very challenging as it leaves an oily residue that can inhibit the resin from bonding well. Repairs can still be done, but their visual quality will be diminished. So keeping it dry will help us to make your windshield repair turns out the best it can.
Windshield replacements are also tougher to do during the winter. Our urethane is works just fine in cold weather, but plastics tend to become very brittle when cold. We tend to move a bit slower as each install takes longer. While we can deal with cold we can't deal with wet. If rain or snow is coming down we must get the car under cover and have enough room around the vehicle for our technicians to work safely. If we can't do that we may need to reschedule so we can provide the highest level of service. This is a good time to let you know that we do have a shop where the weather is always good. If you are concerned about weather affecting your service appointment, in shop service may be a good option.
While you safe to drive your vehicle as soon as 30 minutes after the windshield has been set, it may take up to a full week before the urethane is cured completely. Plastic and or rubber mouldings are less pliable in the cold so you may hear some squeaking and creaking during this time. It's nothing to get concerned about. If it's still there after a week or so though, then we may need to take a look at it. This is also something that happens more often with certain vehicles.
To help insure the best level of service we appreciate it if you can clean the vehicle of snow beforehand. We also don't want to work on ice since it's very dangerous for our techs. If the sun is out we'd love it if you can park facing it since warming up the vehicle can make an install or repair much easier. Doing these things will hep us take care of your auto glass needs and help you to see Colorado's unmatched scenery.
