Comglasco Aguila Glass is a company committed to providing quality products and services to its customers. As a leading distributor in the automotive glass industry, Comglasco Aguila Glass understands the importance of maintaining and protecting your car’s windshield.
In this article, we’ll cover various topics related to car windshields, including the reasons behind cracks and chips, the purpose of the dot rows, and whether internal cracks are repairable or if one should opt for a replacement instead.
By reading this article, you’ll gain valuable insights into how tinting your windshield can help protect it from damage and how those mysterious rows of dots can benefit you. With our expert knowledge and guidance, you’ll be able to keep your car’s windshield in top condition for years to come.
At Comglasco Aguila Glass, we’re passionate about providing our customers with the best possible products and services. We believe that by sharing our knowledge with you, we can help you make informed decisions about your car’s windshield and ensure your safety on the road.
To begin, it’s important to note that windshields do not crack without a reason. There is always a cause behind a cracked windshield, even if it may not be immediately apparent at the time of the damage. Although less frequent, several other factors could lead to a cracked windshield, which is not as likely to happen but still feasible.
- Atmospheric Pressure Changes
- Glass Flaws
- Faulty Installation
- Solar Radiation
Atmospheric Pressure Changes
Sudden changes in pressure, caused by strong wind gusts or the placement of a heavy object on the windshield, have the potential to unexpectedly cause a crack to form in the glass.
Glass Flaws
Your windshield may have been recalled by the manufacturer or regulatory agency due to a detected problem requiring you to take your vehicle to a service center for repairs or replacement. Alternatively, there may have been a small flaw that was difficult to detect.
Faulty Installation
While the standards for windshield installation are rigorous, errors may still occur since no one is infallible. An improperly installed windshield may be loose, so vibrations can generate enough force to create cracks.
Solar Radiation
Sunlight can have a similar impact as temperature variations do. It warms up the metal in the vicinity of the edges more swiftly than the central part of the windshield, which can lead to the development of cracks.
What is the purpose or function of the small black dots found on car windows?
As mentioned before, the black dots found on car windshields, windows, and the surrounding black rims serve a functional purpose beyond aesthetics, particularly in relation to how solar radiation impacts the glass and leads to cracks. Car manufacturers shifted from metal trim to an adhesive to secure car windows in position.
Although effective, the adhesive used by car manufacturers to secure car windows lacked aesthetic appeal. To address this issue, the black rims, known as “frits,” were introduced to enhance the visual appearance. Made from ceramic paint, the frits, along with the dots that border them, conceal the unappealing but essential adhesive. These painted rims are baked into the window, making them highly durable and resistant to damage. They serve a critical role in holding the adhesive in place, which ultimately secures the windows.
The dots on car windows serve a dual purpose, beyond their decorative function. Positioned in a halftone pattern, they create a gradual and visually pleasing transition from the thick black lines to the transparent glass. This pattern is less visually jarring than opaque black paint contrasting with clear glass. In addition to their aesthetic value, the dots play a role in temperature control. The glass used in car windows and windshields is bent by heating it up, and the black-painted areas heat up faster than the rest of the glass. The dots help distribute the heat more evenly, preventing the windshield from warping in high temperatures.
But Are Windshields with Frits Crack-Proof?
While the frits can help to prevent cracks from spreading outward, they do not provide any protection against internal cracks that can occur due to various factors such as temperature changes, pressure changes, or impact from an object. Additionally, internal cracks can also occur due to defects in the glass or manufacturing process, which may not be visible to the naked eye. Therefore, while frits can help to reduce the likelihood of cracks spreading outward, they do not guarantee complete protection against internal cracks.
Internal Cracks in Windshields: Should You Repair or Replace?
An internal crack, also known as a stress crack, occurs on the inside layers of a windshield and is not visible from the outside. These cracks can have different effects on windshields than external cracks and may require different treatments.
Stress cracks typically start at the edges of the windshield and can quickly spread if left untreated, compromising the windshield’s integrity and reducing its ability to protect you. They are often caused by temperature changes, pressure changes, or impacts. Because of the potential risks associated with internal cracks, such as reduced protection in the event of an accident or sudden impact, it’s important to address them promptly. In many cases, replacing the windshield is the most effective solution, as repairing internal cracks may only temporarily halt the spread of the crack without actually strengthening the windshield.
Replacing the windshield involves removing the damaged windshield and installing a new one, which can help to restore the windshield’s structural integrity and ensure adequate protection. This is especially important if the windshield is compromised by internal cracks, as a damaged windshield is more likely to shatter or break upon impact and less likely to protect the occupants of the vehicle.
Can tinting your windshield provide protection against damage and increase its lifespan?
Investing in window tinting can provide a number of benefits for your vehicle’s windows. One of the main advantages is that it can help to strengthen the glass by rejecting heat. This is important because excessive heat can cause the glass to expand and contract rapidly, which can lead to internal cracks and other forms of damage over time. By rejecting heat, window tinting can help to prevent your car from overheating and reduce the risk of damage to the windows.
Another benefit of window tinting is that it can help to reduce the need for future repairs. This is because rapid and extreme temperature changes that occur with air conditioning use and weather changes can cause stress on the glass, which can lead to cracks and other forms of damage. By providing a barrier against heat and reducing the temperature changes that the glass is exposed to, window tinting can help to reduce the risk of damage and the need for future repairs.
Depending on the level of protection offered by the window tinting, it can block anywhere between 35 to 65 per cent of the sun’s heat. This can have the added benefit of reducing fuel consumption used for air conditioning, as the interior of the car will be cooler and require less cooling to maintain a comfortable temperature. Overall, investing in window tinting can be a wise investment for your vehicle, providing protection against damage and helping to extend the life of your windows.
If you want to protect your car’s windshield and keep it in top condition for years to come, visit Comglasco Aguila Glass for more information. As a leading distributor in the automotive glass industry, they understand the importance of maintaining and protecting your car’s windshield. To ensure your safety on the road, make an informed decision about your car’s windshield, and get quality products and services from Comglasco Aguila Glass. Visit their official website or any of their branches for more details.