One morning you leave your house to go to work and what do you see, a crack on your
windscreen that wasn’t there the night before. So how did it get there? Do cracks just
appear overnight?
Behind every crack or chip on your windscreen is an underlying reason that caused it to
happen. Often people are not aware of the few factors that cause cracks and chips and
seem confused when they notice them.
To Put Your Curiosity to Rest, here are the 9 Most Common Reasons That Can
cause Your Windscreen to Crack:
1. Temperature Changes
The most common cause behind a cracked windscreen is the change in temperature,
which makes your glass expand and contrast. The speed that your glass takes to heat up
varies based on the different sections on the screen. The middle section takes a while to
heat up while the edges heat up faster. It is because of these inconsistencies that your
screen’s expand and contrast rate differs. Therefore, using hot water to defrost your
frozen windscreen could trigger your windscreen, causing it to crack or get scratches.
Causes for Car Windscreen Cracks and Chips
2. Change in Pressure
Drastic weather conditions like hailstorms and heavy winds put a lot of pressure on your
windscreen. This unnecessary weight could cause stress cracks along the edges that
won’t be noticeable at first but will be visible after a few days. You can differentiate
between stress and normal cracks by touching the center. If the center is smooth, it is
caused due to pressure.
3. Harsh Sunlight
Exposing your vehicle to the harsh rays of the sun can also cause your vehicle parts to
heat up, and since the glass edges heat up sooner as compared to the middle section, it
can cause your windscreen to develop cracks. The best way to avoid this from
happening is by parking your car in places having proper shade and away from direct
sunlight.
4. Structural Deformities
During the manufacturing process, annealing the glass could cause pressure changes, resulting in a manufacturing screen defect. It is because of these manufacturing defects that can cause your windscreen structure to weaken and develop cracks and fractures along the edges.
5. Deformations
The risk of getting your windscreen replacement done by an unknown mechanic for a cheaper rate involves the installation of a defective glass that will soon crack or develop chips with the slightest of pressure. You may not be able to notice any signs of a defect. However, a professional windscreen expert can easily detect any defects in the glass.
6. Faulty Installation
It is important not to compromise on the cost of a repair or replacement service. You may choose to get a windscreen replacement by an unknown mechanic that will do it at a lower rate.
However, he might not do a proper job in the installation process of the replacement, which might cause it to crack sooner than expected. A faulty installation puts a lot of pressure on the screen, leading to cracks or chips that will require you to spend more on fixing than what you could have spent on an efficient replacement service by a credible mechanic.
7. Mechanical Stress Loading
A deformation in your car’s structure or too much body-flex applies unwanted physical pressure to your car’s mechanical system. This occurs because of the inappropriate lifting of your car using a floor jack when it is getting repaired that may excessively distort the body of your vehicle, causing your windscreen to crack or get scratches. Therefore, it is essential to get your car repaired or inspected by a reliable and professional mechanic.
8. Prior Damages
Chips on the edge of your glass, scratches, or tiny cracks caused due to stones flung on your windscreen while driving may seem like a minute problem that doesn’t need instant repairs.
However, prolonging the windscreen repair service may cause that small chip, scratch, or crack to expand. Thus, resulting in a complete replacement of your windscreen.
To avoid any further damage from occurring, you should get it repaired or replaced at once as soon as you notice any chips or deep scratches on the surface.
9. Past Accidents
Your windscreen renders structural support to your vehicle. Therefore, accidents that have occurred in the past puts a lot of stress on your car’s internal structure.
Although your car may not have shown any signs of damage after the accident, it does affect its structural integrity and with time, you may notice some deep scratches or chips on your glass. This is often due to poor repairs done after the accident, which causes your screen to crack even with the slightest of pressure.
In a nutshell, various factors cause cracks to appear on your screen. However, being aware of these causes can help you be cautious and prevent them from occurring.