Does Cold Weather Impact Cracks In Your Windshield?

While winter can bring vistas of white and usher in the magic of the holiday season, it can also wreak havoc on windshields and create a safety hazard for the vehicle’s occupants.

Can winter temperatures impact existing cracks in the windshield? The answer is a resounding yes.

When exposed to extreme temperatures, glass will expand and contract. If there is pre-existing chip or crack, this push and pull of the external cold and the internal heat, may cause it to spread across the windshield or worse, shatter. Think of a drinking glass. If it’s taken from the freezer and filled with boiling water, it will fracture. Auto glass reacts in much the same way.

It is, therefore, highly important to take preventative measures to keep these weather-induced perils at bay.

• When a chip or crack appears, have it repaired immediately. Not only can the snow and ice melt and cause the crack to expand creating further damage to the windshield, but windshield cracks are illegal in most states including Arizona—owing to the loss of integrity of the glass.
• Avoid the temptation to melt snow, or ice, away with a stream of water from the hose or a splash of boiling water. The extreme juxtaposition of temperature may cause the windshield to shatter. The most effective approach is to turn the heater, or defroster, to low and allow the ice to melt…slowly. Only then should the remaining ice and snow be scraped away. If the task is undertaken with speed, more damage may occur. Attempting to melt the frost with cleaning fluid or wiping it away with icy wipers may hasten the development of windshield cracks.

Don’t get caught in a winter storm with a cracked windshield. Call Diamond Auto Glass today to schedule an immediate repair.