Chances are there will come a time when your windshield must be repaired. It could be your first car or your tenth, but sooner or later it’s probably going to happen. Whether it’s from a chip or crack, etching that occurs over time from salt, sand and other airborne debris, or that pesky film build-up that occurs from hard and calcified water for which Florida is famous. Face it, windshield repair is probably in your future.
While our windshield repair professionals at SuperGlass will be able diagnose any damage, walk you through each step of the repair process and clearly explain what we’re going to do, it doesn’t hurt to know a few keywords and terms, ensuring you’re an educated consumer.
Here’s a quick glossary of terms that you will most likely hear during your conversation with one of our repair specialists.
- A-Pillar: The part of the car body on the sides of the windshield that help support the roof.
- Aftermarket: Refers to any car parts that were not made by or produced for the original car manufacturer. These are often used by body and repair shops to replace damage caused during accidents. While some are just as good as original, others can be substandard and not fit or operate as well as those produced for the manufacturer of the automobile. Always ask if factory replacements are available when getting an estimate on repairs.
- Anneal: A process of heating glass and then slowly cooling it to help relieve internal stress which makes the glass less likely to break.
- B-Pillar: On sedans, four-door trucks and SUVs, this is the part of the car body that supports the roof, between the front and rear doors.
- Bull’s Eye: Glass damage that is circular, typically with a cone shape on the outer layer of the glass.
- C-Pillar: Refers to the part of the car on the sides of the rear windshield.
- Chip: A small indentation in the glass, often caused by stones, hail or other objects.
- Combination Break: Multiple types of breaks in a windshield, such as a chip with cracks extending from it.
- Crack: A break in the glass that may be either a single jagged line or several that emanate from a chip that is deeper than a couple of millimeters.
- Curing: The process of drying an adhesive that bonds and seals your windshield or rear window repair to ensure that it becomes as strong and airtight as it was before the damage occured.
- Frit: The painted black band around your windshield that protects the adhesive from sun damage.
- Laminated Glass: Two or more pieces of glass that are bonded with a sheet of special plastic between them. This glass is installed in windshields and designed to remain intact, even when smashed or broken, to reduce the risk of glass shards injuring passengers.
- Legs: The short cracks that extend from the pit of a main chip or crack.
- OEM: This acronym stands for “Original Equipment Manufacturer.” When referring to auto parts, OEM refers to the manufacturer of the original equipment, that is, the parts assembled and installed during the construction of a new vehicle. In contrast, aftermarket parts are those made by companies other than the OEM, which might be installed during repairs or as replacements after the car comes out of the factory.
- Safe Drive Away Time: The time that you need to wait after a windshield is repaired before your car can be safely driven.
- Tempered Glass: A type of glass that’s stronger than normal and is designed to shatter into small pieces when broken. It’s made by heating and quickly cooling the glass. Driver and passenger windows are made of tempered glass. While they will break into pieces, the shards are not pointed and sharp, and reduce the risk of injury.
- UV: The light rays we use to cure the adhesive. Unlike the sun’s UV rays, ours are produced using special equipment that has a much higher UV rating than the sun, ensuring a permanent and guaranteed repair.
We hope this helps you better understand the terms we use, but don’t need to worry about being an expert; that’s what we’re here for! Just give us a call when you recognize damage to your glass so that you can drive safely with a properly repaired windshield from SuperGlass, your Melbourne windshield repair professionals!