It’s the time of year where the Midwest experiences fierce storms that can have dangerous effects. Tornado alley is a direct concern for those who call it home. The immediate concern is always your family and your home, but shortly behind on your list is your cars. A clear sunny evening can turn to grey skies bringing lighting strikes, hail, and even tornados. These high winds, hail, and flooding spell disaster for your vehicle(s). Hail alone is powerful enough to total a car in seconds, high winds can uproot trees and toss them into the streets and onto your automobile. Damage in these severe storms is almost unavoidable, so you need to know how to fix it in the unfortunate case that damage is caused.
Types of Storm Damage to Your Vehicle
When a storm blows through, a car can obtain lots of different types of damage. If possible, it’s important to find shelter for your vehicle in a garage, parking garage, covered parking, or under some kind of awning. However, you might not be able to find shelter and avoid damages. If this is the case the next best steps are to assess your vehicle for potential damages and work to remedy the issues immediately to avoid further damage. Not sure what to look for? Look for the following:
Hail Damage
A very common cause of damage to cars is hail damage. Hail packs a powerful punch that can total a car in the blink of an eye if the conditions are extreme enough. The two types of hail damage can occur to your vehicle – window and body damage. When reviewing the damages, remember windshields and windows can be replaced a lot easier than a whole body of a car. What generally totals the car is then the body is dented beyond repair.
However, just because a windshield can be more easily updated does not mean it is not just as serious to take care of. Windshield damage can end up costing further damages down the line if not taken care of. You might think that small chip or scratch that your car endured during last night’s storm means you got off scot-free, but if left unchecked that small repair could turn into a costly replacement. As water continues to seep into the chip it can expand and cause a larger crack that could lead to you needing a full windshield replacement instead of the original small repair.
Debris Damage
Another common form of damage that people often think is less likely to happen to them is flying debris damage. When tornados or even strong winds come through your neighborhood, they can carry rocks, branches, or even street signs with them. This might seem a little unrealistic, but winds can reach speeds as high as 318 mph in the severest of storms making these heavy objects effortlessly whip through the air leaving damages to anything within their path. Winds alone if even just a fourth as extreme as 318 mph can do extensive damage to your vehicle. If hail can do enough damage to total a car, imagine what an uprooted tree or stop sign could end up doing to your vehicle.
3 Mistakes People Make With Hail Damage
Oftentimes we might downplay the issue or avoid it altogether in order to evade a costly mechanics bill or hours in a mechanics shop. However, ignoring the problem often leads to more costs down the road. Avoid these 3 common mistakes people make and save yourself time and money!
1. Excuses
“It’s only light hail damage. I can hardly see it…” or “It’s probably only a few hundred dollars to fix, nothing I need”… are common phrases you might find yourself muttering or one of your friends say as y’all try to explain away the damage. In some cases, you might actually be looking at only a few hundred dollars worth of repairs, but oftentimes hail damage, even of the smallest kind, can cost between $5000-$8000 and will diminish the resale value of your car, especially when it is not treated immediately.
If you are looking to maintain the value of your car or avoid more costly repairs down the line, it is always best to confront the problem head-on and resolve the issue. Don’t lose sleep over dents or cracks, make the repairs now and avoid losing money down the line.
2. Delaying Repairs
“I’ll wait to get my window repaired until after hail season”… If a cracked windshield isn’t replaced and claimed right away, you’re technically driving around with “pre-existing damage” in the eyes of the insurance and if you wait until the next issue presents itself then you could be looking at paying out of pocket for your damages. Even if you don’t obtain new damages from a different storm, your window is now compromised. The weak link in your windshield could cause further damages just from exposure to sun and rain.
Even if it is just a small chip or crack – fix the issue now before that issue becomes a full-on problem!
3.Thinking All Repairs Are Equal
“All windshield and body repair places are the same”… After a storm if your car has damage, it’s essential to contact your insurance and trusted service in your area and make sure you go with service providers who you can trust to make the needed repairs to your vehicle. Don’t end up like another horror story, paying more in the end to fix bigger repairs that were needed because of the original repair.
When you need a windshield repair company you can trust, you need Kryger Glass. We do windshield repairs and replacements the right way the first time, so you can get back on the road.
Auto Glass Options at Kryger Glass
Windshield Repair/Replacement
Your windshield is your primary source of protection when driving down the road, so you want to make sure it is uncompromised for you and your family’s protection. At Kryger Glass, we offer windshield repair and replacements made to keep you and your family safe. Sometimes you only need a chipped windshield repair and other times you might need a full replacement to ensure the integrity of the entire windshield. To understand your unique needs better, call us and set an appointment. Our technician will work with you to set up a time and evaluate the damage to your car windows so that they can give you an accurate quote before beginning the work.
For a small repair, the work is simple and fast:
- The technician uses cleaning pads to gently remove any small bits of glass from the damaged area.
- With a unique injector tool, they’ll center over the damage to create a seal over the area of missing glass.
- They then fill the injector with high-quality resin and carefully push the resin into the chip or crack. This resin is what reinstates the integrity of your windshield.
- Once the resin has had time to sit, they remove the injector. Now it’s time to fill in the missing glass to give it a smooth finish.
- They use a filler to cover the chip and let it sit until it’s dried, then scrape off the extra.
Sideview and Rearview Mirror Replacement
It’s important to get your mirrors replaced as well if they sustain damages after a storm because they could lead to a hazardous crash. When you need your mirrors to drive properly and switch lanes safely, you need them in working condition. When getting your mirrors replaced, come to Kryger Glass!
Installing Your Rearview Mirrors:
- We thoroughly clean your windshield and mirror base and then mark it for precise placement.
- The adhesive is then applied to the mirror base plate.
- The mirror will be held in place until the adhesive dries.
- We then install the mirror onto the base and make sure it’s secure.
Installing Your Sideview Mirrors:
- If the mirror is broken, we safely remove all the loose pieces of glass.
- We then clean the surface of the broken mirror to prep for installation.
- We apply adhesive patches to the replacement mirror.
- Your new mirror is aligned with the old one and held in place until the adhesive dries and the mirror is securely in place.
Contact Kryger Glass for your Windshield Repair or Replacement
We at Kryger Glass are here for you! If you find yourself in need of glass repair on your car or home after a storm, we’ve got your back. We are here to make this a hassle-free process, so you don’t have to waste your time getting your car back to normal. If you find yourself in the cities listed below and need our help, you can contact us.