Did your glass Crack UP when it saw that ROCK??

Did your door glass Crack Up when that rock hit it and scared you to death? Did it try to send you into hysterical laughter? Well … It’s no laughing matter, when that happens!

Or did it Crumble into a million shattered pieces in utter despair? (Auto Glass therapy needed?) Ohhhhh NOoooo!

Do you know what the difference between the two glasses are? Well… since you asked…

That crazy cracked up glass is called Laminated glass. That means it is the same construction as your windshield. Laminated glass, which is two layers of plate glass with plastic laminate in between, is used on automotive windshields. It has been used for decades to keep objects from easily getting through the windshield and entering the vehicle, not the other way around. Therein lies a problem. If you are trapped inside your car, you cannot push it out to get free. … that’s not so good.

Many of the arguments in favor of it though, contend that it aids in the safety restraint system of the car and helps along with the windshield to keep the roof from collapsing.

Now let’s look at that broken, shattered, I need a therapist glass…That glass that crumbled into a million pieces is tempered glass. it is about five to ten times stronger than other glass and it cools quickly. It was created to shatter on impact into tiny round pieces. What that means is if you were trapped again, same car as above, you could kick or knock this glass out. It was intended just for your safety. Ta DA .. you could be free!

So for strength and breakage-resistance, temper glasses often is the first consideration. For flexibility, UV-resistance, security and sound considerations, laminated glass is often the product of choice. Both are easy to clean and maintain when installed properly.

Typically, laminated glass products are a slightly higher price than tempered. On a average door glass, you may be looking at $100 more that the same piece in tempered.

The optical clarity for both laminated and tempered glass are excellent in either product will provide many years of satisfactory service in your front door.

No matter which glass you have in your car, be sure to keep it clean and in tact. If and or when a pesky rock or debris slams your window and created a problem, take it to a professional glass replacement shop. They can usually have your glass removed and replaced within 45 minutes to a hour from start to finish. Now that’s a good thing! It gets you behind the wheel and on the road to your next adventure.

Til next time … Happy driving! S.