Will My Cracked Windshield Survive the Winter?

Windshield cracks are a serious concern – especially when nearing weather change. If it’s too hot outside your car or too cold, the temperature shift on the inside and outside of your windshield would mean that the faces of your windshield will expand and contract.

If there are any cracks or chips, these damaged areas are bound to grow horizontally and vertically. That is why it is a good idea to get your windshield repaired or replaced before winter hits. In this article, we will discuss how winter affects your windshield and why it is unlikely survive the first frost if has any damage now.

What Happens to My Windshield in the Winter?

When it gets very cold outside, the windshield will shift since the car is relatively warmer from the inside. The windshield will become concave, thus putting more pressure on its layers. If there are any cracks, be it a chip, ding, half-moon or any other type of damage, that’s the windshield’s weakest link.

Chances are that one night you’ll go to sleep with a deep scratch, chip or small crack on your windshield and the next morning, you’ll find that the damage has become much worse.

This isn’t the case just in places where the temperatures are extreme, though. Yes, you might be safe from the cracks expanding on their own in that case, but you aren’t completely safe, either. Once the temperature goes below 50 degrees, you are bound to start using the heater.

Remember how we discussed your AC can make small cracks worse? The same principle applies here. Where during summers, your windshield becomes a convex, here it becomes concave, further straining the damaged area.

When the damage is light and less than 3 inches long, it is often repairable and much less expensive than a replacement.  Depending on your insurance coverage, it might not cost you anything at all. We recommend you visit us or call us the moment you see a crack or chip in your window, so that you won’t have to spend more later on!