The rear window on your car may shatter if you are involved in a car accident or if a piece of road debris hits it. When this happens, you will want to replace the window as quickly as possible to prevent outdoor elements, such as rain, dirt, dust and pests, from entering your car. Replacing the glass also helps to prevent thieves from having easy access to your car. But when you go to a glass repair shop and obtain a quote for rear windshield replacement, you may be surprised that it is priced differently than front windshield replacement. This may leave you wondering why. Here are a few of the reasons why replacing the rear glass on your car is different than replacing the windshield and how this affects the price.

 

Rear Windows Are Made From a Different Type of Glass

One of the biggest reasons why there is a price difference when replacing front and back windshields on a car is because they are made from different types of glass. Front windshields are made with laminated glass. Laminated glass is composed of two to three layers of glass that are laminated together. If something hits the windshield, the glass is so strong that it should not shatter, helping to protect your face and eyes from flying glass. On the other hand, a back windshield is made from tempered glass. Tempered glass is designed to shatter everywhere when broken. But instead of shattering into sharp shards, it is designed to shatter into tiny, sand-like pebbles, helping to prevent glass related injuries. These two types of glass have different costs associated with them, which is why there is a price difference.

 

Clean Up is Typically Required With Back Windshield Replacement

As was mentioned above, back windshields are designed to shatter when they are damaged. As such, when you need a back windshield replaced, the windshield is typically in thousands of pieces. A technician has to properly and carefully clean your car and the area around the back window before they can install a new one. Since front windshields do not typically shatter, this is not something that usually needs to happen when front windshields are replaced.

 

Rear Windows Typically Have a Defrost Grid on Them

The last difference between replacing rear and front windshields on your car is that rear windshields typically have or connect to a defrost grid. This defrost grid helps to melt ice and snow off your back windshield on cold winter mornings. It takes more time to install this in your car, which is another reason installing rear windows varies in price from front ones.

 

If your back windshield is shattered or damaged, Only 1 Auto Glass in St. Paul, MN can help. We are an auto glass repair and replacement shop specializing in all of your auto glass needs. Call us now to set up an appointment or get an estimate for your back windshield replacement.