A newly replaced car windshield needs more care in the first 48 hours than a regular windshield. You don’t want to do anything stupid that can cause your car’s windshield to leak. Your car windshield replacement company should inform you regarding the dos and don’ts after a new windshield installation. Here are a few things you should keep in mind:
- Inspect your car correctly after the windshield installation
- Take your invoice and warranty card
- Don’t drive immediately after windshield replacement
- Don’t drive on poorly maintained roads
- Don’t drive fast
- Don’t use pressure washing during the first 48 hours
- Don’t slam the car door
- Keep the retention tape for at least the first 24 hours
- Keep a window open
- Don’t cover your vehicle for the first 24 hours
- Don’t use a sunshade or remove the dashboard mat for the first 24 hours
Inspect your car after a windshield installation
After the new windshield installation, you must take a close look at the windshield. There shouldn’t be any visible gap between the car windshield and its body. Also, you would be best if you were mindful of any fragments of the old windscreen on the seats or dashboard. Though technicians should ideally keep both these things in mind, its always better to be vigilant.
Take your invoice and warranty card
You should not forget to collect your job invoice and warranty card. Sometimes there are some issues with the windshield installation that can’t be noticed by merely looking at it. In such a case, the warranty will help you. If you opt for the right quality car windshield, it should have a warranty for quality defects and workmanship as offered by Windshield Store. This warranty ensures that your money will not go in vain even if you were not able to find any fault right after the new windshield installation.
Don’t drive immediately after a new windshield replacement
Car windshield installation requires adhesive to bond the car windshield with its body. The first hour after windshield fitting is the most crucial as initially adhesive/polyurethane is all liquid. It requires at least an hour to cure enough that it has some bonding feature. You must be careful so that it gets cured sufficiently before you decide to move your car after replacement. If the adhesive is not settled properly, it can disturb the correct setting of your windshield, and that can be dangerous.
You should at least wait for an hour before you move your car – checkout more about why you shouldn’t drive right after windshield replacement.
Don’t drive on poorly maintained roads
You should be mindful that the first 24-48 hours are crucial for adhesive curing. If the windshield gets disoriented while the adhesive is still curing, it can cause excess stress on some parts of the windshield while driving. This stress can cause windshield cracks in the future.
For at least the first 24 hours, you should avoid poorly maintained roads. You should not drive on roads that may be broken, have bumps, or may have deeper potholes. They can cause sudden jerks. Any such shake can cause your car windshield to dislocate from its correct position as the adhesive is not entirely cured in the first 24 hours. Such a jerk may become cause leakage issues or a whooshing sound.
Don’t drive fast
Drive at an average speed is always the best idea. With a new windshield replacement, it is more significant. It’s mainly due to 2 reasons. First, avoid any jerk due to sudden braking. Secondly, high speed causes air pressure on the car windshield, and any stress is not suitable for a new car windshield.
Don’t use pressure washing during the first 48 hours
Another essential thing to avoid is washing after replacement. Car washes use chemicals to clean and polish. These chemicals can affect the polyurethane strength due to a chemical reaction as it is not cured correctly in the first 48 hours. If you want, you can wash your car at home with tap water or may clean it with a cloth after 24 hours of replacement. But for at least 48 hours, you should avoid automatic car wash, pressure wash, or jet wash. Jet wash cause stress on the windshield. It can also temper uncured adhesive. This can become a reason for water seepage through the windscreen during rains.
Don’t slam the car door
While you have a new windshield in your car, you should avoid any air pressure that can build up inside the car. The windshield may be pushed upward by air pressure; it can lose the adhesive and weakens the waterproof seal that the glue is supposed to create for your car. Try and close the doors gently.
Don’t remove retention tapes for the first 24 hours
Windshield technicians use retention tapes on the car windshield to keep it in the correct position. It is always advised that you should keep these tapes till the adhesive cures properly and strengthen to retain the windshield with the car body. Once adhesive is cured, it has the strength to keep the windshield in position even in an accident. But till then these retention tapes support the windshield at its correct position. Retention tapes also help to keep the windshield molding in the right place until the urethane cures.
Keep the window open
You should keep your car window open after a new windshield replacement. It helps to maintain correct air pressure inside the car cabin. If the car window is closed, the air pressure inside the car may get increased due to heating. It can cause stress on the windshield from the inside and can disorient a new windshield.
Don’t cover your car for the first 24 hours
Covering your car needs a lot of activity around your car windshield. Your car cover may get stuck in the windshield or wiper or molding while you are trying to place it properly. After a new windshield installation when your adhesive is still curing, it is not wise to move anything around the windshield. Especially if it can cause any movement in and around the windshield as it can cause damage to the adhesive seal and can cause more harm than benefit.
Don’t use a sunshade or remove the dashboard mat for the first 24 hours
Moving sunshade cause a lot of stress on and around the car roof, especially near the edges of the windshield, so it is always wise not to use sunshade for the first 24 hours after windshield replacement. It can cause upward stress on the windshield edge. Such popup stress can cause damage to the adhesive seal around the sunshade and cause leakage during rain. Similarly, you should avoid moving the dashboard mat as it is very near to the windshield edges. It is prevalent that while moving the mat or during cleaning, you may hit the windshield unintentionally.
Conclusion: Windshield replacement is costly, either you pay it out of your pocket or through your insurance. It would help if you were a bit mindful after the new windshield installation so that all this money will not go in vain. Following the above steps can help your windshield settle properly. Following these precautions after about 48 hours of installation, your new car windshield will have the same strength as your company-fitted windscreen.