|
|
(ARA) – Are you driving around in a vehicle that’s an accident waiting to happen? If you have chips or cracks in your windshield, the answer may be “Yes.”
A lot of people ignore chips and cracks that are not in the driver’s line of sight because they figure they are no big deal, but that’s a big mistake. The windshield is a critical safety component in your vehicle and if it’s compromised in any way, it could fail you when you need it the most.
According to the National Glass Association, a trade group representing the glass industry, a vehicle’s windshield has three basic functions: to prevent passengers from being ejected from the vehicle in an accident, to absorb the impact when an airbag deploys and to support the roof. In fact, industry experts have estimated that windshields provide up to 70 percent of the structural integrity in a rollover accident, and if left unchecked, damage caused by rocks and flying debris could ultimately cause them to crumble rather than protect the passengers.
There’s also the issue of the approaching season change. Winter, and the cold weather that comes with it, is a compromised windshield’s worst enemy. If moisture gets into a crack, the constant cooling and heating of the glass can cause that crack to expand all the way across the windshield. And once a crack enters the driver’s line of sight, by law, the entire windshield needs to be replaced at a cost sometimes in excess of $500.
“It’s crazy to let that happen when there’s a simple solution that will only cost you a fraction of that amount,” says Brent Deines of DeltaKits, Inc., a leading manufacturer of professional windshield repair equipment and supplies, who estimates the average windshield repair job costs just $50 to $75.
There’s also the convenience factor. Because the tools needed are so compact, repair services can be performed pretty much anywhere -- at glass shops, oil and lube shops, automobile dealerships, and even in the driveway of your home or business.
Here’s how it works. The service tech injects an optically matched acrylic resin into the damaged area of the windshield. The resin replaces air trapped within the damaged area, and is then cured (hardened), creating a molecular bond that strengthens the glass and keeps the damage from spreading.
Once cured, the resin is leveled to be flush with the glass surface, and polished to a glass-like finish. When executed properly, the repair will be nearly invisible and unable to detect by running your finger over it.
“One of the best things about repairing versus replacing the windshield is that you don’t have to compromise the factory-installed seal,” says Deines. In addition, windshield repair is a more environmentally friendly service.
The waste produced fits in the palm of your hand and weighs less than an ounce versus the waste from a windshield replacement which in addition to the damaged glass includes adhesive containers, primers, moldings and other non bio-degradable materials -- well over 25 pounds worth!
It is estimated that 1 in 100 windshields on the road today receives repairable damage in a given year, which has made auto glass repair a growing industry and has also created a growing demand for windshield repair technicians. Depending on the system and techniques used, just about anyone can complete professional quality repairs with just a few hours of practice, so business opportunities abound.
“I love to watch the expression on a person’s face when their first repair disappears before their eyes. They are always amazed at how simple the process is,” says Deines.
To learn more about the benefits of windshield repair or what’s involved in setting up a business, log on to www.deltakits.com.