How to Keep a Windshield Crack From Spreading

If you’re like many other drivers, you may wonder how to keep a windshield crack from spreading. While windshield cracks are an everyday occurrence on most cars, there are some things you can do to help prevent them. Here are some tips on how to keep a crack from spreading.

Cause of Windshield Crack

Rocks, and broken pieces of concrete can all contribute to the deterioration of your windshield, since they all cause stress to the windshield glass.

If you frequently travel with heavy objects on car, such as skiers or snowboards, you should make sure that you place such items on seats that are far away from the windshield, and never on the actual glass itself.

It is also essential that you avoid slamming your car doors, since excessive pressure on the roof could cause cracks as well.

Why a Cracked Windshield is Dangerous

More Dangerous

If you have a overturn, the windshield is more likely to crack, increasing the chances of serious injury or death. Or when you are on the road, a foreign object enters your vehicle, which can cause the windshield to fall off and injure people inside the vehicle.

Distraction

Cracks in the glass reflect light into your eyes, which can distract or even damage your eyes. Worse yet, police officers may fine you for driving with cracked windshields for those reasons.

How to Keep a Windshield Crack From Spreading

Avoid Ice or Snow on Your Windshield

Another important step to learning how to keep a windshield crack from spreading is to avoid placing ice or snow on your windshield. Since most cars come equipped with windshield wipers, it may seem like an easy task to remove any ice that makes its way into the vehicle’s windshield, but it is actually one of the most damaging causes of cracks. Even if you scrape up some ice and wipe it away, eventually the ice will build up and freeze again, weakening the glass even more.

Clean Your Car Regularly

You need to make sure you clean your car regularly. Any dirt, grease, or debris in your car will attract and hold moisture, which can lead to cracks. To keep your car free of dirt and grime, make sure to wash it every time you use it. If you don’t, you are just making the problem worse.

Avoid Sudden Temperature Changes

The glass expands when it’s hot and shrinks when it’s cold. To prevent this from happening, park your vehicle under the shade when possible and avoid using a window cooler until the windshield crack has been fixed.

Use Nail Polish

Clean the windshield first with car glass cleaner and a clean cloth. Then, paint transparent nail polish or super glue on the windshield. Allow the paint or glue to dry, then place a piece of transparent tape over the area to help keep dirt out.

Use the Windshield Repair Kit

Windshield repair kits can be purchased at local auto shops. This way, feel free to drill a small hole in the top glass with a 1/16 inch drill. Next, squeeze the special-use plastic from the repair kit into the hole to seal the glass, reduce the pressure on the windshield, and prevent the formation of cracks.

Driving With Your Windows Down

One of the best ways to keep a windshield crack from spreading is to drive with your windows down. Whenever you encounter an obstacle on the road that causes your windshield to crack, simply lift the window and push it up. Do this several times, then eventually ease up.

While you may not be able to stop every crack you come across, gradually increasing the time you keep your windows down will help prevent larger cracks from occurring. This is especially important if you are driving in the rain, since the salt and moisture from the road can weaken the glass and contribute to the formation of larger cracks.

Conclusions

When you find that your car windshield is cracked, you need to do the above, then to be safe, you should take your car to the repair shop for complete treatment or replace the new windshield if needed. This will make your trip safer.