I have just started my own windshield repair business and am new to this site. Great site by the way. Very informational.
I live and do business in SE South Dakota, Western Iowa, and NE Nebraska where the winters can be cold and long. Can someone give me some advice on doing windshield repairs outside. I try to do all repairs in a heated garages, but to expand my business I need to be able to work in parking lots ect. What are some of the rules for repairs that I should follow. I try to stay away from outside repairs as much as possible.
Tri-State Windshield Repair
"The Crack Crew"
Cold Weather Repairs
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repare-brise
Re: Cold Weather Repairs
Welcome to the forum
Winter poses 2 major problems, the obvious cold and the not so obvious moisture. The cold part is easly solved, clean all snow or ice off the WS then start the car and heat the interior. It is best not to use the defroster, but better to direct the airflow to the floor od dash vents, the quick change in temp caused by the defroster can cause other unwanted problems. If you have the luck to bring the car inside warm the WS before entering the building(if you wear glasses you know what cold glass and hot air do, condensation).
The moisture problem is more complex, and has many solutions, all work, all have down falls, all have risks. I will detail in point form.
- dry-out solutions, these are generaly acetone based, they are injected into the break the removed, carrying away the moisture with them. They take some time to work , and there is a risk of PVB degredation.
- Heat, This is done 2 ways generaly(but I am sure other practices exist), the least risky is a heating device that plugs into the 12v socket and has an element somewhat like the lighter in a car, just larger. This creates a "soft" heat that eveporates out the moisture. Another more risky practice is heating with a torch, the risks are obvious, but the results are quick.
- vacumm, If your injector is capable of a sustained vacumm, it's the safest way to eliminate moisture. To do this you set up your injector as normal, but without resin. Creating a "dry" vacumm reduceds the atmospheric pressure in the break which reduces the boiling point of the water(at sea level at a pressure of 14.7 psi water boils at 212 deg f, at the same level with 1 psi(no pressure, but no vacumm) water boils at 102 deg f, within a vacumm the boiling point decreases quickly). This method is fairly fast(about 1 min is enough) and if you find that it,s not removing the moisture you can heat the break from the inside, but with the associated risk.
Checking with your equipment supplier will be the best alternative to help you decide which is best for you.
Enjoy
Winter poses 2 major problems, the obvious cold and the not so obvious moisture. The cold part is easly solved, clean all snow or ice off the WS then start the car and heat the interior. It is best not to use the defroster, but better to direct the airflow to the floor od dash vents, the quick change in temp caused by the defroster can cause other unwanted problems. If you have the luck to bring the car inside warm the WS before entering the building(if you wear glasses you know what cold glass and hot air do, condensation).
The moisture problem is more complex, and has many solutions, all work, all have down falls, all have risks. I will detail in point form.
- dry-out solutions, these are generaly acetone based, they are injected into the break the removed, carrying away the moisture with them. They take some time to work , and there is a risk of PVB degredation.
- Heat, This is done 2 ways generaly(but I am sure other practices exist), the least risky is a heating device that plugs into the 12v socket and has an element somewhat like the lighter in a car, just larger. This creates a "soft" heat that eveporates out the moisture. Another more risky practice is heating with a torch, the risks are obvious, but the results are quick.
- vacumm, If your injector is capable of a sustained vacumm, it's the safest way to eliminate moisture. To do this you set up your injector as normal, but without resin. Creating a "dry" vacumm reduceds the atmospheric pressure in the break which reduces the boiling point of the water(at sea level at a pressure of 14.7 psi water boils at 212 deg f, at the same level with 1 psi(no pressure, but no vacumm) water boils at 102 deg f, within a vacumm the boiling point decreases quickly). This method is fairly fast(about 1 min is enough) and if you find that it,s not removing the moisture you can heat the break from the inside, but with the associated risk.
Checking with your equipment supplier will be the best alternative to help you decide which is best for you.
Enjoy
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DaveC
Re: Cold Weather Repairs
As well....
It is always helpful to keep your resins, seals and UV lights in a warm place.
It is always helpful to keep your resins, seals and UV lights in a warm place.
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