Windscreen Chip & Crack Causes

Over the years of driving, it’s inevitable for you to get a chip or crack in your windscreen at some point or another. There are many things laden on the roads to cause these issues, making it the most common repair needed for motorists. Sometimes, the damages are not initially visible after they happen. However, even if it doesn’t show right away, it can quickly develop into a major issue, putting you at risk. Luckily, you can easily repair all small chips with an adhesive solution. But if you have any major cracks in your windscreen, they can quickly spread the entirety of your windscreen, creating a serious concern. When this happens, you need to get a car glass replacement immediately by professionals. Our team here at Manchester Car Glass Repair is going to go over various causes of chips and cracks in your windscreen. 

What Causes Cracks & Chips 

Major Storms 

Although this one is practically completely unavoidable, it’s still a reason cracks and chips happen. Luckily, hail the size of golf balls is fairly uncommon, there is still a possibility it can happen. Fortunately, a lot of modern vehicles have tough windscreens that can stand up to most bad weather conditions. But if you already have a brittle windscreen, a storm can still crack and chip it. The best way to avoid this is to park your car under some kind of cover to protect it from the elements.  

Winter Weather 

During weather extremes, such as freezing winter weather, your windscreen is actually minutely expanding and contracting, depending on the temperature. Sudden and extreme temperature changes have the ability to cause a failure in your windscreen and develop small cracks that will inevitably get bigger the longer you leave them. If left for too long and the damage is too great, a replacement will be needed instead of a repair. We do not ever recommend pouring hot water on your windscreen in order to defrost it during the winter. This is what can cause cracks and make your windscreen unsafe.  

Road Debris 

This is the most common reason windscreens get cracks and chips in them. Stones and other debris strewn on the roads can easily get kicked up by other vehicles driving ahead of you and thrown at your windscreen when you are driving around. Stones and such are very common in places like country lanes, gravel roads, and unpaved driveways. But high-speed motorways are no exception to these flying objects. The best thing to do in order to avoid these high-velocity, airborne obstacles is to leave yourself enough space between the person in front of you and your vehicle.  

Sunlight Exposure 

In the UK, this is more of a complete coincidence, but it is known to have happened. Typically, if you are parking outside, your windscreen will be fine since the temperatures are fairly mild in the UK, it simply doesn’t get hot enough, ever, to cause this. But if you are parking under some kind of glass structure, this can have the potential to intensify the light and damage your vehicle in various ways. If you are concerned about your windscreen in the summer, try to park in the shade or use a cover over your windscreen.  

How We Can Help 

Sometimes, no matter how hard you try to be careful and protect your windscreen from damages, it can still happen. When it does, you can come to Manchester Car Glass Repair! Our team is available 24/7 to help you with your car glass repair in Manchester! Give us a call today at 07856689008!