When you have a chip or crack in your windshield, it’s important to get it repaired as quickly as possible. A crack or chip can quickly worsen if you hit a bump while driving or even when the hot, summer sun beats down on your windshield. To avoid more costly repairs down the road, read through our list of tips to help you protect your cracked or chipped windshield until you can get the problem repaired.
Avoid Using a Reflective Shade
Though you want to keep your car cool during the summer, you should not use a reflective windshield shade until the crack or chip is repaired. Reflective shades work in one of two ways to keep your car cooler. Some shades absorb heat, while others reflect heat. Either option causes more heat to sit on your windshield, which causes your car’s glass to expand. As it expands, the crack or chip can expand, too.
Curious whether that chip or crack can be fixed or if you need entirely new glass? Check out What Types of Windshield Damage Are Eligible for Repair.
Park in the Shade
If you have a crack in your windshield, try to avoid parking in direct sunlight. Parking your car directly in the sun is one of the fastest ways to cause a chip or crack to grow. This will cause your windshield to heat up and expand. If a chip or crack grows too much, windshield repair may no longer be an option. Ultimately, your windshield may need to be replaced.
Slowly Cool Your Car Down
A hot car is inevitable in the summer. Every time you get in your car and it’s hot, your first reaction is to turn the air conditioning on full blast. The immediate temperature difference between the hot and the cold air can cause your windshield glass to quickly contract, which can cause your crack or chip to grow or even shatter.
Drive With Caution
If you’re prone to driving fast or erratically, you’ll need to change your ways until you get your windshield repaired. Whipping around corners too fast, cruising over speed bumps too quickly, and even hitting potholes with a little too much speed can all cause a glass chip or crack to spread suddenly.
If you tend to slam your doors or trunk, avoid doing that, too. Damaged glass can be delicate, and any amount of impact or considerable vibration can easily encourage the existing damage to grow worse.
Try Superglue or Nail Polish as a Temporary Fix
Neither nail polish nor superglue is an ideal fix for your windshield — even as a temporary solution. But if you’re really in a pinch and are dealing with a minor crack, you may have some success applying either substance to the crack itself. After application, gently wipe away any excess glue or nail polish on the area directly outside the crack, being careful not to apply any pressure, which can worsen the damage.
This temporary fix is really only suitable when you’re out of town and cannot call a mobile auto glass repair specialist or make it into a shop. You’ll still need to schedule a windshield repair appointment when you return home, ideally, as promptly as you can. Keep in mind the existing damage may still grow worse in the interim because neither glue nor nail polish is truly a recommended solution.
Get Quality Auto Glass Repairs in the Twin Cities
Need a minor auto glass repair? Or perhaps you’re due for a complete windshield replacement? At Only 1 Auto Glass, we serve the greater Twin Cities metro area and are committed to making windshield repair and replacement as easy and affordable as possible. We have multiple locations throughout the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro and offer mobile repair service for your convenience.
To learn more about our services or get a service quote, give us a call today at 651-789-1111 or request a free estimate online, and we’ll get in touch with additional info.