Can Glass Shatter From Heat?

Can glass shatter from the heat? It’s common to ask that question when you look at your car windshield on a summer day. Keep reading to find out what can happen to your car’s glass on a blisteringly hot day.

When Can Glass Shatter from Heat?

Glass is a durable material that stands up well to summer heat. Indeed, the glass on your car helps to shield you from one hundred degrees plus weather. However, Glass can suffer a thermal break when the temperature gets too hot.

Thermal breaks tend to occur when the glass expands and contracts due to temperature differences. For instance, let’s imagine that your windshield heats up from hours spent parked in a super hot parking lot. It’s more apt to crack if you jump into the car and immediately turn the air conditioner on high.

Your windshield is also more likely to develop problems if it’s already weakened. Tiny chips and cracks on automobile glass are the inevitable results of daily driving. While you might not notice these imperfections, they lessen the glass’s integrity, leading to giant cracks.

Luckily, you don’t have to spend your summer vacation worrying about a shattered windshield. There are many ways that you can ensure the integrity of the glass on your automobile. Let’s look at several of the surprisingly simple steps that will help your windshield stand up to steamy weather.

3 Ways to Protect Your Car’s Glass

Prevention is the surest way to prevent a catastrophic glass failure. The following three ways to protect windshield glass are a terrific place to begin.

1. Pick a Shady Spot to Park

Do you remember when we said that severe temperature fluctuations can weaken glass? You can minimize potential damage to the glass by parking in a shady location when possible. Your goal is to keep the car fresh enough that turning on the air conditioner won’t be a sudden temperature shift.

2.  Crack the Car Windows

Amazingly, the temperature inside your parked car can become lethal even if it’s not hot outside. 

Crack the windows open to keep the car’s interior temperature from spiking in the heat. Keeping the windows slightly open promotes air circulation.

Along with parking in the shade and cracking the windows, consider investing in a fan. A solar-powered fan effectively pushes hot air from the car.

Read here for more tips on how you can keep your car cool during a heatwave.

3. Repair Chips and Cracks

Dramatic temperature fluctuations can cause any existing chips and cracks to worsen. Repairing imperfections on your windshield right away is a smart way to prevent more significant problems. 

It’s possible to perform a DIY repair on minor chips successfully. Popular Mechanics has an excellent overview of the most common ways of fixing your windshield at home. Keep in mind that a professional auto glass service can affordably and quickly remedy your windshield’s knicks.

Significant cracks may result in the need to replace the windshield. Ask a professional auto glass repair expert, like the ones at Kryger Glass, to recommend repair or replacement.

Last Thoughts

By now, you know that the answer to the question of whether or not glass can shatter from heat is a qualified yes. Weakened glass can develop severe cracks during hot weather. 
Contact us at Kryger Glass for expert auto glass repair and replacement services. We’ll help to make sure that you’ll never need to worry about unexpected windshield disasters.