It's not wise but if you have to postpone a windshield repair, here are some tips to keep that chip from getting worse.
You decided to do something really different over the weekend and head to the Napa Truffle Festival. Unfortunately, on the way there, a rock flew up and dinged your windshield. You decided to wait until you got home again so Don’s Mobile Glass could fix it, but the trip seemed to make it worse. Now you’re wondering if there was anything you could have done to prevent it from getting worse until you got home.
Well, yes, there are things you can do. Road and Travel Magazine has five tips:
- “Don't touch a ding or attempt to repair it yourself. Without special equipment and training, you will only contaminate the damaged area, making repairs hard to complete.
- “As a temporary measure, put a piece of clear tape, like packing tape, over the ding. This won't keep the ding from spreading, but will help prevent contamination.
- “Don't wash the vehicle - especially through the car wash. Soap and water can contaminate the spot and a high-pressure wash can cause the ding to expand. …
- “Avoid slamming the car doors and don't close the doors with the windows rolled all the way up. The vibration or buildup of air pressure inside the car can cause the ding to spread.
- “Don't run the defroster, heater or air conditioning on high settings. Don't park the vehicle in the sun. Rapid changes in interior temperature or prolonged exposure to sunlight can stress and weaken the windshield.”
Remember, driving the car while the windshield is dinged will only make things worse because the vibration will just make it spread. The best thing to do, as you know, is to call Don’s Mobile Glass asap. We’ve got more than 50 years’ experience in the Central Valley area with all types of glass, from auto to commercial to residential. We’ve got convenient locations in Modesto, Manteca, Turlock and Merced should you want to bring your ding to us. But there’s no need to do that, or to put off a chip repair because you think it’s going to take a lot of time out of your day. We come to you and do windshield repair or replacement on the spot while you go ahead and do what you need to do.
