Tuesday 2 August 2011

Mobile Auto Glass Services: Safe, Quick and Convenient

Mobile auto glass service is a convenient way to have your windshield or auto glass replaced or repaired. Offered by an increasing number of auto glass repair services, it eliminates the need to drive your vehicle to a workshop to get your car’s auto glass repaired.

Instead, mobile installers from the auto glass service will drive over to wherever your car is located and replace or repair the auto glass on the spot. This means that you no longer have to drive to a workshop under risky conditions, such as a badly cracked windshield or broken glass in the car.

As the awareness of the mobile auto glass service increases, people may have their windshields repaired sooner. It has been estimated that three out of four windshields that have been replaced could have been kept in use if they were repaired sooner.

Therefore, car owners could save a lot more money (as windshield repair is significantly cheaper than windshield replacement). Additionally, the factory fitting of the original windshield in the car could also be preserved. This is important because the factory fitting is almost always superior to the installation of replacement windshields.

According to ABC 20/20, nearly seventy percent of windshield installations are done improperly. Because windshields are classified as a safety device by the FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards), repairing your original windshield could help you retain the original level of safety your car provides.

Mobile auto glass service is also convenient as it allows you to do whatever you need to or want to do while the mobile installers repair the auto glass in your car. You could watch a movie, have lunch, work or stay at home while the mobile installers do their job.

It is important to note that the time required before the vehicle is ready for use does not change. The adhesives used during windshield installation may require anywhere between 1 hour to 24 hours to set and bond permanently.

Local Auto Glass is one of the top windshield replacement and repair services. Offering lifetime warranty on all parts and workmanship, we also offer free mobile auto glass service. Our team of NGA (National Glass Association) certified professional mobile installers can replace your car’s windshields or auto glass wherever it is located. Visit our website to contact us or get a quote and get a free coupon worth $10 off on windshield replacement and repair.

Tuesday 19 July 2011

Demand for Bullet Proof Glass Rises: Prices To Fall?

The demand for armored vehicles has been on the rise but in recent years there has been a spike in demand throughout the world. This has led manufacturers to launch car models that have bullet proof glass as a standard feature rather than an option.
Bullet proof glass is by itself insufficient in providing protection from armed attacks. Contrary to what might be observed in mainstream cinema, bullets can penetrate through the body of a regular car quite easily.
In the past, this meant that if you wished to purchase a bullet proof vehicle, the car manufacturer or security firm would take an ordinary car and strip it down before modifying the car and adding bullet proof glass. These custom jobs required hefty fees that were within the reach of only a very small minority.
But the recent spike in demand has led car manufacturers to review their process. Instead of stripping down cars and customizing them, bullet proof cars are now built from scratch. Audi, Bentley, BMW, Jaguar, Mercedes and Rolls Royce are just some of the manufacturers that offer armored cars featuring bullet proof glass.
One of the reasons for the spike in demand for bullet proof glass and armored vehicles is the increase in political tensions and armed conflicts throughout the world. Many leaders of state and politicians now utilize bullet proof glass and armored cars instead of ordinary vehicles due to the threat of assassination attempts or terrorist attacks.
Consequently, there are now standards that classify a vehicle based on how much protection it can provide against bullets and explosions. These are the BRV (Bullet Resistant Vehicle) 2009 guidelines and ERV (Explosion Resistant Vehicles) 2010 guidelines.
Others comply with the NATO STANAG (North Atlantic Treaty Organization Standard Agreement) 4569, which covers the standards for “Protection of Occupants of Logistic and Light Armored Vehicles”.
Many high end luxury cars have high security features that comply with these guidelines and utilize armor and bullet proof glass to keep the vehicles occupants safe.
Considering that the increasing demand for bullet proof glass and armored vehicles has led more car manufacturers and security firms to begin offering armored vehicles, it is widely speculated that the cost of bullet proof glass will fall.
Local Auto Glass is a leading windshield replacement service that offers lifetime warranty on all parts and replacement. Offering free mobile auto glass service, we can repair or replace windshields, side or rear windows, side view mirrors and the rearview mirror on any automobile. Visit our website to contact us or get a quote and get $10 off on windshield repair or replacement with our free coupons.

Monday 18 July 2011

The Significance of Laminated Auto Glass & Future Applications

Laminated glass is the type of glass used to make windshields. The rear and side windows, on the other hand, are made of tempered glass. So, the question arises: why are different types of glass necessary?

Glass is tempered using the thermal or chemical treatment process. The thermal treatment process involves heating up the glass to a specific temperature and then cooling it down rapidly. This makes the outer layer harder than the inner layer while making the glass stronger physically and thermally.

Thermal treatment also causes imbalances in the internal stresses of the tempered glass. This is the reason why tempered glass shatters into small granular chunks that are not as harmful as shards of glass.

Laminated glass on the other hand is usually made of three layers; the outer layers are often tempered glass while the central layer is a resin known as PVB (PolyVinyl Butyral). The central layer acts like an adhesive and holds the glass layers together.

When an object hits the outermost layer, the outer layer may crack although the windshield will continue to hold together. If the object impacts with enough force it may pierce through the windshield, but even so the windshield will not shatter into pieces.

This aspect of laminated glass is very useful in car crashes, collisions or accidents of any nature as most objects will not be able to pass through the laminated windshield due to its high strength. Additionally, the windshield will not break into fragments that may injure the driver or passengers when an object hits the windshield.

Additional materials can be added to laminated windshields to provide greater protection from solar radiation (ultraviolet or infrared radiation) or to improve the strength of radio, cell phone and GPS signals.

HUD (Heads-Up Display) is a technology that projects information such as the speedometer, odometer, fuel gauge, and route navigation onto a laminated windscreen. Another benefit of using laminated auto glass is that the PVB layer provides noise reduction.

There is, however, at least one downside to using laminated auto glass. It is much easier for people trapped in cars to break through tempered glass as opposed to laminated glass. This can be critical in situations where it is urgent to escape the car and the vehicle’s occupants are injured or weak.

Conversely, this aspect is a bonus when it comes to security as it makes it more difficult for thieves to break through the car’s windows. It can take up to ten times the amount of time required to break through laminated glass as compared to tempered glass.

All things considered, the safety of automobile might be much improved if all the windows used were made of laminated glass as opposed to tempered glass. This would be an ideal solution if a method to quickly break through auto glass from the inside can be found.
Local Auto Glass is a premier windshield repair and replacement service that offers free mobile service. With lifetime warranty on parts and service, you can be sure that the windshield replacement or repair on your car is done perfectly. Our friendly mobile installers are NGA (National Glass Association) certified and can repair your auto glass at the spot where your vehicle is located. Visit our website to get a quote or contact us and get free coupons worth $10 off on windshield replacement or repair.

Monday 4 July 2011

Windshield Replacement: OEM or Aftermarket?

If your windshield gets damaged, then the first thing you need to decide is whether it can be repaired or replaced. As there are no clearly defined rules regarding auto glass repair, it is best left to certified repair specialists to decide whether your windshield may be repaired. If they find that your windshield needs to be replaced, you then have a choice to select an OEM windshield or an aftermarket windshield.

OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) spare parts are made by the company that originally manufactured the product. As a practical example, imagine that you own a Lexus. The OEM windshields on your Lexus will be those that are made by Lexus. Alternatively, Lexus may source the windshields used in your car from a third party, in which case that third party would be the OEM.

You can get OEM windshields from approved automobile dealerships or from an OEM distributor. OEM windshields from a manufacturer-approved automobile dealership are produced by the company that makes the windshields that are factory fitted into a car. These are made in accordance with the specifications set by the car manufacturer. The latter are also made to meet the specifications of the car manufacturer but by another windshield maker.

Aftermarket spare parts, on the other hand, are not manufactured by OEM. They are often cheaper than OEM products and may be of a better or worse quality since they are not made tomeet the specifications set by the car manufacturer

Car owners therefore face the dilemma of choosing between a significantly cheaper aftermarket windshield and an OEM windshield for their cars. Unfortunately, there are no guidelines a user to follow as the quality varies significantly between aftermarket manufacturers and car models. A lot depends on your financial standing and the insurance you have signed up for.

If you are having a leased vehicle repaired, you should opt for OEM windshields because dealers do not accept aftermarket glass. This is becauseaftermarket glass does not carry the same guarantee as an OEM windshield does.

Local Auto Glass is a leading windshield replacement and repair service that offers free mobile glass service so that you can have your windshield replaced at your home, office or wherever your car is located. Our team of mobile installers are not only extremely helpful and friendly, they are also NGA (National Glass Association) certified and highly trained professionals who know their job. Get your car serviced the same day you call us and enjoy a life time warranty on all glass defects and craftsmanship. Visit our website in order to get a quote from us and save $10 on windshield replacement or repair.

Thursday 30 June 2011

Why a Quality Windshield Replacement Service is Important

You might wish to have your windshield replaced for a number of reasons even if the damage is not very significant. Under some circumstances, it may be a better option to have the windshield repaired instead. Windshield repair can help you regain the soundness of your damaged windshield while also minimizing any cosmetic damage as well. On the other hand, repairing is not always a recommended option as your windshield may get shattered, pitted or scratched due to various reasons.

These may include abrasions caused by your car’s windscreen wipers clearing sand and salt in areas where sand and salt are required to increase traction and melt ice. More commonly, damage may be caused by road debris or gravel splashed onto your windshield by other vehicles. Occasionally, hail or storm damage is also a cause for damaged windshields.

The reasons for needing to replace the windshield aside, ensuring that the windshield installation is done properly is critical to your safety on the road. This is because while windshields are designed to protect you from wind, dust and insects, they also support the roof and provide structural integrity to the car. Carmakers have to adhere to strict standards of the FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) and there are specific rules related to windshield mounting.
Therefore, if you are having your windshield repaired, you have to ensure that it is done properly. This includes ensuring that the proper adhesive (in most cases urethane) is used and the windshield itself is of an acceptable quality. Other than these factors, the auto glass replacement service also ensures that the installation process does not damage the car and any other parts that had to be removed to facilitate the installation of the windshield have been properly reinstalled.
Perhaps most importantly of all, the auto glass replacement service should ensure that the windshield is set properly so that it supports the roof. All materials used should meet the FMVSS 212 and 219 standards while the vehicle itself must conform to the FMVSS 216 standard (which specifies requirements for roof crush resistance over the passenger compartment) after the windshield is replaced.
In many modern cars, the windshield also serves another important purpose; it provides support to passenger side airbags during deployment. However, an improper installation may lead to the side airbags not deploying in the event of a collision or accident. Therefore the importance of ensuring that your windshield is installed properly is paramount to your safety.
To ensure that your windshield replacement is done properly, you should visit a reliable auto glass service. Local Auto Glass has a team of NGA (National Glass Association) certified professionals who excel in providing quality services to you and that’s not all, our mobile installers will even perform repairs or replacements at your home, office or wherever you vehicle is located free of cost and you can get a quote from us in less than five minutes. Visit our website in order to contact us and get free coupons with which you can save $10 on windshield repairs or replacements.

Tuesday 28 June 2011

Advantages of Mobile Auto Glass Services

The windshield on an automobile serves additional purposes besides giving drivers a view of the road. Windshields also offer protection from dust, wind, insects and help to create an aerodynamic surface that reduces drag on your vehicle, which in turn helps increase fuel efficiency.
While technology in automobiles has evolved significantly over the years, the windshields found in most cars essentially feature the same technology as those made by Ford during the early twentieth century, laminated glass. This technology utilizes a layer of plastic laminated between two sheets of glass that prevents the windshield from shattering into dangerous shards upon impact. Instead, laminated glass forms cracks or gets fractured but remains in one piece unless a large force acts upon it.

There are obvious advantages to this feature in addition to preventing serious injuries. For example, for a minor crack or fracture in the glass you can actually have your windshield repaired rather than having to replace it. On the other hand, the cracks or fractures can worsen over time if nothing is done about them and can cause the windshield to fall apart eventually. Additionally, cracks and fractures can severely compromise visibility leaving you with a dilemma. You need to get your windshield replaced but how do you get it to a workshop safely?
Mobile auto glass service is the solution to your problem; if you cannot get the car to a workshop, get the automotive mechanics to your vehicle. This service essentially involves a mobile unit for an automotive workshop that can repair your car in its present position rather than requiring you to take it to a workshop or garage.
In case of windshield repairs, you can often regain the structural integrity of your windshield and minimize the cracks, fractures or damage to the windshield so your visibility from inside the vehicle is not affected. Windshield repair often takes less time than a replacement and may be done without removing the windshield from the vehicle, thus retaining the original installation, ensuring that there are no leaks and that the glass need not be reinstalled.
Using resin the cracks or fractures can often be minimized to such an extent that they are virtually invisible. However, you will still be left with signs of a crack or fracture at the point of impact although the structural integrity of the windshield is regained.
While windshield replacement takes somewhat longer, it is still highly recommended. Mobile auto glass services make it a far more convenient process than several other types of auto-repair work and one that can be done while you are at work, lunch or simply relaxing. You can choose from either original equipment manufacturer parts or aftermarket parts, allowing for a greater degree of choice.
In addition to windshields, many mobile auto glass service providers may also repair or replace your broken door glass and repair the motors or regulators of your door windows if you have trouble raising or lowering them.

Local Auto Glass, an National Glass Association (NGA) certified mobile auto glass service operating in California, not only offers you a free mobile auto glass service, they also offer $10.00 off coupons on their website for new windshield installs and windshield chip repair services. With a lifetime
warranty and low price guarantee (if you get a lower quote, we will match or beat it if we can verify it), Local Auto Glass can not only provide you with a quote in under 5 minutes.
We guarantee that you will get same day service from our friendly and NGA certified mobile installers. Get in touch online or contact us via phone and we will endeavour to satisfy you with our delightful service. If you are having your door glass replaced, we will even vacuum your seats of any visible shattered glass so that your car is functional and clean.

Wednesday 22 June 2011

Some Interesting Facts about Car Windshield’s History

The invention of Automobile was an important event in the world of transit technology. At the beginning, it was a norm for the drivers to put on specs while driving the car, as the first automobiles did not have a windshield. Therefore, the motorists had to put on specs to keep off the bugs, dust and other climatic conditions. This was however a temporary solution to the problem and something had to be done to complete the automobile.

The windshield in the car was commencing in 1904. The mechanism of this windshield was quite different from what we see today.

The initial windshields were two piece contacts and were interlinked with each other in a way that if one segment of the windshield became unclean, the driver had the ease to fold down the first half of the windshield and use the other half of the windshield that was clean. However, this mechanism improved with the advent of technology and time.

The early windshields were quite unsafe because they were manufactured of plate glass. The manufacturers soon realized this and replaced the plate glass with laminated glass as eventually it was concluded that the laminated glass had more resilience and resistance towards collision.

The windshield wipers were later invented in 1916 in order to ensure safety for cars and there windshields.
Windshield has always been an important part of the car and a subject of research and analysis for the scientists. There has been vigorous development involved in order to design methods by which windshield’s technology can improve relatively; chances are that this development will continue in future.