When it comes to your windscreen, any chips or small cracks are far from ideal. While a small chip might not cause your vehicle to fail an MOT, it should still be dealt with an repaired as quickly as possible. Especially with the winter weather on the horizon. But how can winter weather affect chipped windscreens? Well, here at Red Rose Windscreens, we are Preston’s leading windscreen repair experts. As a result, we have produced this guide to everything you should know about windscreen chips and winter weather.
How can winter weather affect chipped windscreens?
Cold weather will only make the windscreen damage worse. A number of factors play an important role, including:
- Freezing temperatures- in winter, when temperatures reach freezing, the glass will contract and become more brittle, allowing frost can enter the chip. The freeze/thaw process associated with this can easily cause the chip to grow in size, even leading to larger cracks.
- Snow build up- snow can add a significant amount of weight to your windscreen, even at just an inch deep. This, coupled with the cold temperatures causing the glass to become brittle, means that chips can easily spread and crack under the additional weight.
- Frost removal process- using anything other than de-icer to remove ice and frost on the windscreen can result in further damage to your windscreen. Sudden temperature changes associated with boiling water can cause more chips or cracks to appear, and you should always avoid this method.
- Frozen potholes- the road and driving conditions can also affect any windscreen chips. Potholes that have frozen over, or are covered in snow, masking how deep they are, can cause sudden jolts and increased vibrations. This means that a small chip can turn into a nasty crack.
- Parking position- where you park your car during the winter can have unintended consequences. Parking in shade, and out of the sun, can cause more frost to form, and linger for longer. This increases the pressure on your windscreen, and the chip, potentially causing this to worsen. Park in the sun, or in a garage, or use a good quality windscreen cover that’s tailored for your car.
For more information or advice about windscreen repairs this winter, get in touch with the experts today, here at Red Rose Windscreens.