The windscreen must be in good condition to protect yourself and your passengers. While driving, it also saves you from airborne particles, weather conditions, etc. A functional windshield is crucial in keeping you and your passengers safe in the case of an accident. If you have cracks on the windshield, driving is completely illegal. According to the rules and regulations, replacing a new windshield is essential if the crack is longer than 3.5 inches. Otherwise, legal punishments will be applied. Did you know that a single 40mm or less crack on the windshield can be repaired? To make that happen, you should go for a professional mechanic. Today’s article is about windshield cracks and the speed of the crack spreading. Let’s find out about How fast does a windshield crack spread?.
How Fast Does a Windscreen Crack Spread?
20000 – 24000 psi force should be needed to break a car window. Anyway, most windshield cracks are happened due to road obstacles. When you are driving on the roads, small rocks, vehicle parts etc. like things can directly hit the windshield. The windshield is made of thick glass and has several layers of protection. Most of the damage is absorbed by the windscreen due to the level of security in it. But if somehow the windshield is cracked, it cannot be repaired. Replacing is the best solution you got.
The speed of the cracking may vary depending on the way of driving. Usually, a windscreen crack may worsen over several years. If you are a responsible driver and take care of the vehicle too much, the crack may stay in the same place for a long time.
Most of the cracks’ spreading speed is not visible to the naked eye. They spread slowly along with time. But after several days or months, we can see a vast difference in the windshield crack. Suppose you have a small crack on the screen. After several days you will see a massive change in the lengths. Yes, any of the cracks in the windshield can be spread. But not soon. It will take months to years sometimes.
What are the Reasons for the Spreading of the Windshield Crack?
The main reason for the spreading of the crack is temperature. Extremely hot and cold temperatures can be included. The heat of the sunlight on a sunny day will directly hit the windshield crack. If you park the vehicle outside for several hours, the sunlight expands the cracked position.
As a result of the expansion, the relevant crack may be spread more than the last time. And also, the air conditioning can be affected by the spreading. If you turn the air conditioning on, the car that is parked under the sunlight may spread the crack.
Next is the bumpy rides. When the car is riding on roads with many bumps, the crack may spread. The sudden path hole on the road also affects this. This is an extra vibration for the car. Due to that, the cracks may worsen. The third one is the poor installation.
When the mechanic installs the windshield incorrectly, the edges will not align perfectly. When riding on the road, there is a pressure of the wind and the force due to acceleration. Due to these reasons, cracks may spread. Choose an experienced mechanic when working with car faults.
Can a Chip in the Windscreen Become a Crack?
Chip is slight damage to glass due to a rock or any material. This kind of damage is not visible to the naked eye sometimes. So, drivers don’t care about these types of damages more seriously.
In most countries, driving a car with a fracture or other damage that limits the driver’s vision can result in a traffic ticket. Suppose your windscreen got a crack without any of the airborne material. Chips are the main reason for the sudden cracks that happen in the windshields. As a result of extreme temperatures and vibrations, this kind of minor damage tends to be cracked.
Be aware of the windscreen chip more seriously. It’s crucial to have the chip repaired as soon as possible, despite how it happened. Even a brief period of time causes the chip to fracture, leading to significant breaches.
How to Stop a Windscreen Crack from Spreading?
The cracked windscreen is not only an issue for vision but also affects the car’s quality. There are some methods to prevent a crack from being spread. Some of them are mentioned here.
Vehicle owners should avoid their windscreens from direct sunlight. Because heat is the common reason for the spreading of cracks, try to avoid bumpy roads also. The vibration and stress in these types of roads are massive. So, the best thing to do will be to prevent them. Small windscreen cracks are repairable with the development of technology.
Be sure to repair any minor damage in the windscreen before they begin to spread. There are windscreen repair kits available in the hardware stores. That is a professional kit used by mechanics. If you have particular experience with glass repairing, try to purchase one of them. Super glue, nail polish, and glass fillers are some alternative products to use with windscreen cracks. But we can’t guarantee 100% success with that type of alternative.
Final Thoughts
The windscreen is the essential item that protects passengers and drivers from any road obstacles. With a cracked windscreen, you can’t get the maximum protection. A single crack on the windshield can spread considerably with time. Try to avoid hailstorms, roads with dangers, etc., to avoid windscreen damages. Replacing a new one is the best and the suggested way. But some alternative methods can be done to repair a cracked windscreen. Be sure to read the article from top to bottom to understand everything.
Never drive your vehicle with a cracked windscreen. Be sure to save the life of the passengers while saving yours.
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