Windshield & Glass Replacement
Service
Does your car have cracked or chipped glass?
Whether it was the result of a stray pebble on the highway or your son’s poor aim with a baseball, damaged glass is an issue you should leave to the experts at Fine Touch Collision. Our staff is professionally trained at repairing broken windows, shattered glass, damaged side-view mirrors, and rear windows on any make and model of vehicle.
Types of glass, chips, and cracks
Every vehicle is composed of two types of glass, laminate and tempered. Your front windshield is constructed with laminate, which contains multiple layers of glass that are separated by thin sheets of plastic. This structure helps strengthen the glass to prevent shattering upon impact.
Your back windshield, windows, and side mirrors, however, are constructed with tempered glass. This type is more likely to shatter, which is advantageous in the event that you need an alternate route to escape when the doors are unable to open.
These different types of glass are subject to various forms of damage:
We commonly see this issue after a small rock or piece of debris hits the front windshield of a vehicle at a high speed. This impact causes layers of the laminate glass to separate and break off, which results in a ‘pit’ on the surface. You may notice a dark, coloured circle underneath this damage, which we call a ‘bullseye’ or ‘half-bullseye’ depending on the size. This is a sign that the layers of glass beneath the chip are beginning to separate further.
Whether laminate or tempered glass, cracks can occur as a result of several causes. Edge-cracks appear along the outer perimeter of a window, near or directly connected to the seal.
When a chip in your glass is left untreated, it can cause stress-cracks. These develop when drastic fluctuations in temperature cause the glass to expand or contract. This makes a simple chip expand across the entire window or windshield. If this damage is left for even longer, it can turn into a star-crack, which is a series of fractures spreading from the original chip.
Risks of a cracked or chipped windshield
Even if it is just a small chip, we recommend bringing your vehicle in right away so our team can repair it before a crack spreads. Ontario’s wide variety of temperatures can easily cause your minor damage to worsen if not dealt with quickly. Once it spreads, the repairs will be far more expensive as a full windshield or glass replacement will be needed.
When your windshield or windows are damaged, your vehicle’s ability to keep you protected during a collision is reduced. Similar to other areas of your car, the windshield is designed to absorb impacts. As soon as your glass is compromised, you are at a greater risk of being injured in a collision. Let Fine Touch repair your damaged glass so it looks like new and keeps you safe.
How we repair your vehicle’s damaged windshield & glass
If your vehicle’s windshield has suffered a minor chip, we are able to repair it without a full replacement. When the damage is smaller than the diameter of a dime, we fill it with a special resin. This material acts as a strong glue to hold together the layers of laminate glass to avoid the issue spreading across the entire windshield. This efficient method can be performed in as little as one day, getting you back on the road quickly.
We are also skilled at replacing glass when the damage is significant. Our technicians are experienced at removing windshields using a silk string, to avoid damaging the surrounding paint. If the paint is damaged during removal, rust may set in and later result in edge or stress-cracks. These methods may require extra time, but we ensure a seal around the glass that will maintain its integrity.
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