Cold. Wet repairing technique

[maxryde]

It's cold and wet, so how do you guys that deal with the adversity of winter weather adapt? Ideas? Thx, Scott:eusa_ange

[Brent Deines]

A hair dryer, moisture evaporator, good rain gear & a bubble dome get me through most of the weather conditions here in Oregon, but when I started in Montana I had to have a way to get vehicles out of the snow. We didn't have pop up tents back then, but if we had I sure would have invested in one for the really bad days. In those days I was out of luck if there was not a carport or garage available and the weather was really bad. Luckily that wasn't all that often, so I got by pretty well.

[GlassStarz]

Here are a few thing I do our weather is often below zero
1. Frozen turn heat on in car not defroster the defrost will bring the glass up fast often causing a crack out warming it with the heater will give it a slower and more even heat at the same time place a big terry towel over the chip area it will help insulate the break area so the glass isnt warm inside and cold outside which ofen will cause a crackout repair as normal (if its really cold use less pressure taking a little longer to fill the break to avoid crackout)
2. Crap falling out of the sky I dont work in heavy snow or rain but when it is coming down I will use the same as 1. but protect the break with a plastic sheet (your suction cuped orange uv cover works well) also something above the break like a rolled towel will keep the moisture from running down into the break area
3. take the day off (this is my favorite technique)

[Brent Deines]

I agree with with using the car's heater when possible, but I also use the defroster while warming the outside of the glass with a hair dryer. It requires a great deal of heat from the inside to warm the glass, so warming from the outside, or both the inside and outside is preferable. On a cold day you can heat the inside to the point that it is too hot to touch, but the outside will barely even be warm, and will cool immediately after the heat is removed. Maybe I've just been lucky, but in 20 years I have not cracked a windshield using by using the defrosters, although as I said, I almost always heat from the outside as well. 12V hair dryers are available at Camping World and other RV stores, but the quality is poor so I prefer a 115V model whenever possible. However I still recommend keeping a 12V model on hand for when you don't have access to AC, unless of course you have a generator or converter, which I also recommend in cold weather areas. It's kind of nice to have a portable heater to help keep you comfortable and there are many great ones to choose from these days.

If you use a hair dryer it is not too difficult to figure out a way to attach it to the glass so you have constant heat throughout the repair process. I have used a pump style or flip lever vacuum cup with a strip of Velcro attached to hold the dryer in place and pointed where you wanted.

As GlassStarz said, you don't want to warm it too quickly, but keeping the heat consistent once you have obtained the proper temperature really helps make your winter time windshield repairs go much better. Small hair dryers will even fit under the bubble dome which keeps an 18" area of the windshield warm, not just the spot you are working on, and also helps keep your injector and hands warm during the repair process.

In Montana we did not always have the luxury to stay home on days it was snowing, and in Oregon staying home when it rains is definitely not an option if you want to make any money in the windshield repair business.

[glassdoctor]

Brent must be the luckiest guy in the WSR industry, lol.

I have had more than one w/s crack out just by removing ice and snow off the w/s, starting the car and running the defrost. I can recall this happening a couple of times anyway... cracked before I ever touched the chip.

I have also cracked a w/s using a hair dryer. I remember thinking how it was a great idea because it had to be a safer method than using higher temps like a torch or cig lighter (drystar). I just had to be patient... but I was horrified to see it snap clear across the w/s. It's funny now... not so much at the time.

I've used various propane torches (the big ones, not a mini) for the past several years (6-8??) without much issue. Only time I have had a problem, I was doing stuff I shouldn't have... experimenting. LOL...

[jayjacque]

What about looking at the windshields in car lots just to find the work? If it's just rain, my squeegy runs across pretty good in order to spot needed repairs, though I'm sure I'm missing some. But iced up windshields, that's another story. I've resigned myself to those mornings (or throughout the day) to look for seat repair instead. Some of you don't have that option. But you must be coming up with work other ways. How do you do it?

[glassdoctor]

One small thing you can do is check some lots the day/night before... do that at the end of the day so you have something waiting to do the next day.

If the cars are coated with a nice even layer of frost/ice you can often spot a chip by looking from the inside.

btw, Brent... I think the climate you live in has some to do with how many crack-outs etc a guy has.... and how many reapairs a guy has done. You might not get as much nasty cold as some of us. Do you have 0-10*F days in Oregon?

[Brent Deines]

One small thing you can do is check some lots the day/night before... do that at the end of the day so you have something waiting to do the next day.

If the cars are coated with a nice even layer of frost/ice you can often spot a chip by looking from the inside.

btw, Brent... I think the climate you live in has some to do with how many crack-outs etc a guy has.... and how many repairs a guy has done. You might not get as much nasty cold as some of us. Do you have 0-10*F days in Oregon?

In some parts of Oregon it gets pretty cold, but not here in Eugene. We rarely see it get below 30F. However I started repairing windshields in Montana where temperatures regularly dropped below 0. Just lucky I guess.

[screenman]

Glassdoctor,

Can I just add something to your post, when checking screens the day before repair try and place a chip saver over the damage if it is dryish.. This will save you some time and effort drying out if it gets wet during the night.

I would hasten to add that it is imperative to dry out every damage on cold damp days.

One of the things I like to keep warm and dry is myself, thermal one piece overalls and a hat are the order of the day from now until March or even April. If I get out of the car and feel cold I will talk myself out of doing those extra jobs that make the real money.

I must say this is the time of years when self discipline really helps.

[Chips-B-Gone]

Glassdoctor,

Can I just add something to your post, when checking screens the day before repair try and place a chip saver over the damage if it is dryish.. This will save you some time and effort drying out if it gets wet during the night.

One step better is to ask the lot if they would put the vehicle(s) inside if possible overnight if temperture are going to get cold, especially if there is moisture in the damaged area. This is what I do with one of my lots and it works great.