WINDSHIELD SAFETY

The Importance of a Properly Installed Windshield

The importance of a properly installed windshield cannot be over-stated. Over the years, the windshield has played an ever-increasing role in the safety of the modern automobile. Whether it's the interaction with your passenger side air bag, the integrity of your roof should you be involved in a rollover accident, or simply keeping you safely inside your vehicle, you owe it to yourself and the ones you love to make sure that when you have your windshield replaced, it's done right. Cascade Auto Glass is a charter AGRSS™ registered company. AGRSS™ is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to safe auto glass installations and the industry bellwether for standards and best practices in windshield replacement.

There are many components of a properly and safely installed windshield. It all starts with the removal of your damaged windshield. It sounds simple, but if it is not done properly, the effects can be disastrous. Our technicians are fully trained and have access to the best tools and equipment available to ensure that this first step is done correctly so that your new windshield will display the same fit, finish and above all, structural integrity that your vehicle had when it rolled out of the factory.

Another important component is the urethane, or more succinctly, the glue, that bonds your new windshield to your vehicle. We use the most advanced urethane systems available, offering the fastest safe drive-away times in the industry. This is typically an area where auto glass companies will try and save money. Not us. Most inexpensive urethanes on the market offer safe drive away times of 24 to 48 hours. Whether or not you use Cascade Auto Glass, please ask about this and make sure you're getting the straight facts about how soon after your windshield is installed your vehicle is safe to drive.

The other major component of a windshield installation is the windshield itself. At Cascade Auto Glass, we only use OEM quality glass in our installations. We buy our glass primarily from Pilkington, the largest manufacturer of OEM glass in the world. Using OEM quality glass ensures that the new windshield that we install, is structurally identical to the original windshield installed when your vehicle was manufactured. Along with using sub par urethane, some glass shops will simply look for the cheapest glass available, regardless of whether or not it conforms to your vehicle manufacturer's rigid specifications and standards for aftermarket glass.