Heatwave, How It Can Affect Your Windscreen

The last few weeks have been HOT! 

As the UK is having higher than usual temperatures and the summer holidays in full swing, it is easy in the  excitement to pack-up-and-go on a road-trip which may cause some motorists to forget to do important car checks.
We all know how to protect ourselves from the sun by wearing sun cream and protective clothing, but we must also remember to keep the summer drive check-list in the front of our minds to ensure a safe, comfortable and more enjoyable holiday drive.

The sun is powerful enough to burn your skin, and it’s powerful enough to damage your windscreen!
​That’s because the sun increases the temperature of your windscreen.

Large crack extending from a windscreen chip, now unrepairable and requires new windscreen

A chip like this is repairable as shown with a penny, until a crack appears like one above which is now grown beyond repair.

If your car windscreen is already damaged, the hot weather can make it worse.  The heat from the dashboard will cause the inside layer of the laminated glass to get up to 20 degrees warmer than the outside layer. This can potentially exacerbate the problem, requiring a repair or even a replacement windscreen. As this can be the same for extreme cold.
 top-tips-for-windscreen-safety.html 

A repairable stone chip called a Bullseye

As temperatures soar, even the smallest chip or crack in your windscreen can become worse due to speed at which the laminated glass and surrounding metal frame expands. Switching on the air conditioning inside your car can elevate the stress level of your windscreen.  This could result in a sudden crack due to the large difference in temperature between the cool inner glass and warm outside air. 
 A tiny stone chip on your windscreen can become a much bigger problem.
​When the weather is hot the glass temperature rises, reducing the strength, durability and safety of the windscreen. 
Windows without a chip can not crack just do to direct sunlight. When you have minor crack it can spread due to the high temperature.  If you were running the A/C really cold and parked it in direct sunlight at high temps it can cause it to start cracking from a small chip or crack.

• If possible try to park away from direct sunlight and use a windscreen shade until you can get your windscreen repaired.
• Keep your window cracked, as long as your car is in a safe location
• In the mean time, make sure you keep out of your car things like canned drink or anything that can explode.  Nothing is worse than a long hot day and sticky drinks all over the inside of your car!

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