Types of Windshield and Rear Auto Glass Damage for Portland Area
The front windshield and the rear window glass are installed in a car or SUV to maintain structural integrity of the vehicle and offer protection while driving on the road. Both these auto glasses are designed using advanced machines and technologies to deliver the best performance. It is usual for the windshield and the rear auto glass of a vehicle to sustain chips and cracks. Though you can not fully avoid such damages, you can definitely take immediate action to repair the broken glass or remove the broken glass and install a new one in its place.
In any case, you should always rely on those auto glass technicians who are highly experienced and trained to fix the problem in a correct manner, so that the structural strength of the car frame is restored.
Damages to an auto glass come in different shapes and sizes. Based on exactly why the automotive glass of your car or SUV received the damage, it may appear in the form of a ding, tiny chip or large crack. In fact, there are different types of glass damages and each of these is repaired or fixed in a skillful manner. What is crucial is that you do not let the damage wait for a repair or auto glass installation. For those who live in the Portland Metro area, SIR Auto Glass is the perfect place for all kinds of automotive glass repair and back glass replacement.
Minor Chips
A minor chip is the smallest damage a windshield or back window glass can sustain. If a small piece of rock or pebble hits the windscreen of your car or SUV, the glass will likely get a small chip. Usually, these damages are not a serious cause for concern. But whether or not it is truly serious will depend on the size and diameter of the chip on the auto glass. A minor chip means the damage is not severe because it has not gotten through the windshield. A technician will be able to fix such a damage without having to go for full auto window replacement.
However, you should get the car glass repair done fast without giving the minor chip any chance to expand further. If the size of the chip expands, it can be difficult to fix the problem with a repair.
Technically speaking, a chip smaller than 44 mm in size can be repaired. If your front windshield or rear auto glass has got a tiny chip, the first thing you should do is talk to a technician and schedule its repair. One of the highly trusted companies for car window repair and car windshield replacement is Sir Auto Glass, which serves customers in Portland, Wilsonville, Oregon City, Lake Oswego, Gresham and Tualatin. If you find it difficult to take your car to the glass shop, feel free to avail yourself of mobile auto glass repair service at no extra cost.
Star Break
One of the most common damages sustained by an automotive glass is a star break. It occurs when a sharp object or a sharp-edged piece of stone hits the windshield of a car or SUV. Since the damage appears in the form of a star, it is aptly termed as star break. If you take a closer look, you will see small tentacles all around the chip, which measures around three inches. Star-shaped chips can be small or large, depending on the degree of impact.
Small star breaks do not need a replacement of the windshield. Such damage can be repaired, if no time is wasted. Many car owners make the mistake of driving on a regular basis while the windshield or the rear window glass has a star break on it. Driving on uneven roads expands the chip even further. As a result of this, it becomes difficult to repair a star break. If your windshield has such damage, you should not waste a minute and schedule its repair at the earliest. Fast repair will fix the damage in a proper manner and save you both time and money.
If you have a question about star breaks, feel free to talk to one of our auto glass technicians in the Portland Metro area.
Half Moon Chips
A half-moon chip is a common type of windshield damage. An auto glass sustains such a chip when hit by a foreign element, rock or debris. However, these chips are created through a blunt hit. The term “half-moon” suggests the shape of a semicircle. A lot of car and SUV owners break their windshield in a way that looks like a half-moon while driving on the road. A half-moon chip is similar to that of a bull’s eye, except the fact that it is not a complete or full circle.
According to technicians, half-moon chips appear when a piece of debris comes flying onto the windshield at a specific angle.
It is to be kept in mind that a half-moon chip can easily expand, if you continue to drive on uneven and bumpy roads. As soon as you see your windshield has this damage, you should limit driving and head over to an auto glass shop or hire a mobile auto glass repair and mobile windshield replacement service. Any delay in repairing the chip can arise the need for a new glass installation.
Half-moon chips have a certain depth, which makes it difficult for car owners to rely on DIY repair techniques. Therefore, do not try to fix this type of damage yourself, as you might worsen the problem even more.
At SIR Auto Glass, we specialize in the repair of a wide range of windshield chips and cracks including half-moon chips. We advise all vehicle owners to limit driving and keep the chip covered with a piece of transparent tape, so that dust or debri does not enter and get stuck inside. Take your car straight to our auto glass shop and let our experts repair the problem in an accurate manner.
Bee’s Wing
Just like the name suggests, a bee’s wing is a type of damage that looks like a bee. It is small in size and similar to a star break.
In a star break, you will see tentacles arising from the chip in multiple directions. In a similar way, a bee’s wing crack appears as if it has the wing of bees around it. Such damage needs immediate attention from the vehicle owner. If the damage is allowed to wait or it is ignored, it could easily expand and become severe. If your front windshield or back window glass has a bee’s wing on it, you should schedule its repair at the earliest with a trusted auto glass company such as SIR Auto Glass, which provides services in the Portland Metro area.
Continuing to drive with a bee’s wing on the windshield is a dangerous safety hazard. Damages like these take away the strength of the vehicle frame and can put the life of the driver in jeopardy during a crash.
Edge Crack
Edge cracks are so named because they develop near the edge of the windscreen of a car or SUV. Usually, these cracks are located at a distance of two inches from the edge of the auto glass. However, the size of an edge crack may vary depending on the amount of pressure that caused it.
The size of an edge crack can vary from 10 to 12 inches. Also referred to as line cracks, this type of windshield damage is caused as a result of a great deal of pressure on the sides of the windshield. Usually, you will experience this specific type of crack in the event of poor auto glass installation. If you get a windshield installed by an amateur or someone who does not have adequate experience in the field, you will likely experience this kind of damage. That is why it is extremely important to hire experts for proper and correct car windshield replacement.
Driving on uneven roads while your windshield has an edge crack poses grave risks to the driver and the occupants of the car.
It is possible to repair an edge crack in its early stage. But if you give the damage any time to become severe, a repair may not be able to solve the problem. If the crack is 10-12 inches in size, the glass technician will need to remove the broken windshield and install a new one in its place.
Combination Break
When a windshield damage is a combination of multiple chips and cracks, it is known as combination break. Two main reasons for this type of auto glass damage are the impact of sharp objects and extreme fluctuations in temperature levels. This is a more serious type of damage than other cracks.
Only an expert eye will be able to review the damage and find out the most ideal solution to the problem. A combination break can go away with a repair or it may need a windscreen replacement. Car owners should never try to fix such damage on their own, as it can make the problem completely irreparable. Instead, you should schedule an inspection by a highly experienced technician and let him determine how exactly the problem in the glass can be fixed.
Stress Crack
Car owners generally know that windshield damages are caused due to impact by a wide range of external elements. The truth is, there are many other reasons and conditions that lead to chips and cracks.
Music at loud levels and fluctuations in temperature can also cause cracks in the front windshield and rear car window glass. When it comes to stress cracks, the prime reason is sudden change in temperature. After leaving your car or SUV in direct sunlight for hours and then turning on the air-conditioning of the vehicle all of a sudden leads to expansion and contraction of the automotive glass. As a result of this, cracks may appear on the automotive glass. Starting the defroster and then the car heater during the winters does the same as well.
Apart from these, stress cracks also occur as a result of poor quality installation and manufacturing defects.
In order to avoid this kind of auto glass damage, you should park your car, SUV or minivan under a shaded place. Plus, when you are in need of a new glass installation, you should always seek the help of expertly trained technicians. This will ensure the windshield replacement is performed with utmost accuracy, restoring the structural strength of the vehicle frame.
Surface Pit
On a daily basis as you drive on the road, the windshield of your vehicle faces heavy air pressure and a wide range of other external elements. Small pieces of debris, dust and sand cause a surface pit in the auto glass.
Though surface pits look small, they can be extremely dangerous when they distort the sunlight and obstruct clear vision. If you are not careful, this could lead to serious consequences. Also known as windshield pitting, surface pits can lead to crates and wear down the whole surface of the automotive glass. If the pits are minor, it is possible for the technician to smoothen it. In order to avoid a complete replacement of the front windshield or the rear auto glass, you should take action while the pits are beginning to form. Ignoring surface pits for a long time will make repairs impossible and the worn out windshield will need removal.
Clover leaf
Clover leaf is a unique type of windshield damage. When such damage occurs, the under layers of the automotive glass get separated, taking its toll on the strength of the entire windshield or rear auto glass.
The location of a clover leaf may vary. If it is located on the driver’s side, it can obstruct vision and prove to be dangerous. Like many other small chips and cracks, it is possible to fix a clover leaf with a repair. If you spot this type of damage, you should immediately schedule an inspection by an expert.
Do You Still Have a Question?
If you have additional questions you would like to ask, feel free to reach out to one of our highly skilled technicians at SIR Auto Glass in the Portland Metro area. Our company specializes in windshield scratch repair, auto glass crack repair, front auto glass replacement, back windshield replacement etc. No matter what type of damage your auto glass has got, feel confident that our experts will fix the problem in a proper and correct manner. If you are stuck in areas like Portland, Gresham, Lake Oswego, Tualatin or Wilsonville, you can avail yourself of our or mobile auto glass repair and replacement service at no extra cost.
For your free consultation and your windshield repair quote, you can call our phone number or write us an email.
Leave A Comment