Autoglass Repair - Introduction & Overview
Learn how to repair windshields with our free course on Windshield Repair. Know which Windshield Repair Kits are available and which kits fit your repair needs.
Be informed by seeing a comparison of the kits and processes before
you begin, and be able to determine whether a windshield can be repaired
or needs to be replaced.
These kits are used to repair bullseye, spider web, star, chip, and combination windshield
damage. Some kits can repair cracks. See kit comparison chart
for specifics.
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Windshield Repair Introduction:
This information on windshield repair is provided as a guide to the novice and professional
in Windshield Repairs. It is intended to allow anyone to learn how to
and have confidence in repairing a damaged windshield. With the information
provided on this website, you will understand the types of windshield
damage that can be repaired and have a guide in choosing a repair kit
to fit your needs.
Understanding how to repair a windshield starts with an understanding
of the construction of a windshield and what will be accomplished when
using the repair methods demonstrated in this guide.
Windshields are laminated safety glass. They are made with two layers
of tempered glass with a sheet of polyvinyl butyral (or PVB) plastic sandwiched
in-between.
Most stone damage occurs as a break in the outer layer of glass and is
visible due to the air that enters the cracks or void of the break. Windshield
cracks left unchecked usually continue to grow with an increased growth
rate as they get larger until the
crack makes its way all the way across the windshield.
The object of a repair to the damage is to fill the break with resin removing
the air pocket making the crack no longer visible and strengthening the
glass to prevent the crack from getting any larger. Once the cracks are
stabilized by the adhesion across the cracks by the polymer rosin they
generally will not grow any larger.
Most professional grade windshield repair kits make permanent repairs
on most windshield damage such as bullseye cracks, star cracks and windshield
chips up to 1 1/4 inches across. There are additional kits and methods
that can repair longer chips or cracks up to 12 inches long. Repairs
can usually be completed in under an hour with most of the available repair
systems. Repairs must always be preformed in shaded areas and on windshields
that have been shaded long enough that they are not warm or hot to the
touch.
Notes: the optimal windshield temperature for most repair resins is between
50 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit, 10°C to 32°C. Temperatures outside this
range on the low side will cause the resins to be too thick and cure or
flow too slowly where temperatures above this range may cause the resin
to cure too quickly.
Caution: it is important that the resin not come in contact with painted
surfaces or any finished surface on the car as it could cause damage to
the surface.
Click here to take a free
Windshield Repair 101 course to learn more about
how to repair windshield damage and the kits available to perform the
repairs.
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