The Temperature Effect on Windshields

Whether your vehicle is hot or cold, varying temperatures are dangerous to windshields and other car glass. Glass is a sensitive material that can crack and shatter instantly when subjected to heat, cold, or force. Windshields are a bit more resistant than other types of glass, but they’re not impervious to damage or degradation. Sudden changes in air temperature can wreak havoc on damaged windshields, and understanding how this happens can help you avoid costly repairs or even a full replacement.

Warmer temperatures cause your windshield to expand. Windshield repair puts pressure on any pre-existing damage, increasing the size of a small crack or chip and causing it to spread across the entire windshield. It can also make your windshield more susceptible to thermal stress that can lead to the development of stress cracks.

How Temperature Affects Your Windshield: What You Should Know

The ice cold temperatures of winter present a similar danger to your windshield. Frost and ice can seep into the small cracks and chips in your windshield, and the subsequent freezing and thawing can widen these cracks. This is especially true if you blast the defroster or air conditioner in your vehicle while the windshield is still cold, or if you scrape the ice off your windshield too aggressively.

The good news is that you can protect your windshield from these threats by reducing the speed at which the temperature changes in your car. Parking in shaded areas and allowing the sun to cool the interior of your vehicle can reduce the amount of heat that accumulates on the windshield, and gradually turning the air conditioner on rather than blasting it right away can minimize the impact of sudden temperature changes.