How To Tell If You Need Windshield Replacement Services In Calgary
Did you know that Calgary often leads the country in windshield damage, repair, and replacement? This is due to the city’s extreme weather changes, Chinook winds, and rocks and gravel used on icy roads. Those who move here from another city are often surprised at the amount of windshield damage they experience. For this reason, windshield replacement in Calgary is a hot commodity – all the more motive to make sure you’re receiving professional work and honest service.
Some windshield damage is not a cause for a replacement. With that said, it’s also important to schedule a windshield replacement as soon as you need it. A damaged windshield compromises the safety of your car – it provides up to 45% of the cabin’s structural integrity in a front-end collision and up to 60% in a rollover. This means that over half of the force of a collision is absorbed by the windshield – and if it’s damaged, that dangerous force is passed on to you or your passengers.
Here’s how to tell if the damage on your windshield calls for a full replacement.
When to replace your windshield
The rule of thumb with any damage to the windshield is that any large-sized damage will require a replacement. However, there are other factors that come into play. A full windshield replacement is needed when the damage:
- Penetrates both layers of the glass
- Passes across the driver’s line of sight
- Is located over the rain sensor and internal antenna
- Reaches the edges of the glass
- Forms multiple cracks like a web
- Is on the inside of the windshield
- Is over 18 inches long
Critical functions of your windshield
We can’t stress enough how important it is to have a damaged windshield replaced. As a professional auto glass repair and replacement shop in Calgary, we’ve seen the dangerous consequences that a compromised windshield can have during a collision. This is why our services are completed by trained professionals and made convenient with mobile windshield services available.
Some critical functions of your windshield include:
- Roof support – During a roll-over incident, the windshield plays an integral role by preventing the roof from collapsing. A damaged windshield, however, is more susceptible to shattering which could lead to serious injury.
- Part of the Critical Safety Feature Trio – The important 3-point safety system that prevents passengers from being ejected from the vehicle includes the airbags, seat belts, and the windshield. Each of these components acts as a physical barrier during a collision that keeps passengers safely inside the vehicle.
- Proper airbag deployment – The windshield allows airbags to deploy and bounce off the glass to prevent the passenger from going headfirst into the glass. Airbag deployment is quite powerful and requires a strong windshield to act as a backboard.
When scheduling windshield replacement, be sure to do so with trained, certified, and experienced professionals. If your windshield is in need of repair or replacement, get an instant quote from us and let’s get you safely back on the road with a spotless windshield.
