Today I had an interesting lunch at Subway. As usual I received several phone calls concerning either windshield repairs or replacements. As I cleaned up after I finished my lunch, I was asked by the gentleman at the next table if I repaired windshields?

It seems that a friend of his was looking for someone to repair their windshield. It seems he had a bad experience with a windshield replacement. He had an accident in which the windshield had to be replaced. When he picked up the car he now had an "atrociously loud wind noise". To fix the problem he had to take it back and make them remove and reinstall the windshield.

The scary part is that if he had been in another accident the windshield may have come out. When that happens there is usually more injuries, they're more severe and there is a higher fatality rate. That's how Jeanne Fransway died, as featured in the ABC 20/20 report and on the Fox Undercover Stories. Her body was found 70 feet from her car on the windshield that had been improperly replaced.

While there is no way to know why he had the wind noise I can make some guesses.

• Possibly the windshield was close cut also known as short cutting. This procedure saves time over the recommended full cut procedure because all the old adhesive is reused and not removed. It also saves money as less adhesive is used. It is not a recommended procedure. This is a common practice here in Oklahoma City.
• Possibly the new windshield was slid under the cowling. Again not recommended but this saves time in many cases where the wiper arms should be removed. Manufactures designed the replacement procedure to set the windshield down on the adhesive, not slid into place. Also common here in Oklahoma City.

Both these installation short cuts are prone to water and wind leaks. I commend this man's friend, he has learned something that many others don't realize or understand. That being the importance of repairing a windshield to avoid costly and unsafe replacements. Preserve the factory windshield seal when possible for you and your loved ones safety.

Today my first windshield repair was for a gentleman named Mark. We had an interesting conversation about windshield repair. During our talk he was happy that I could repair the windshield in his company truck and that it would save money. To my surprise he was also aware that by repairing his windshield, it was a safer choice.

Mark also told me a story about his experience with windshield replacement. He agreed to let me share it with others on this blog.

It seems at a previous job one of the company truck's windshield had been damaged and required replacement. That said, the truck was taken to a glass shop for a windshield replacement. When it was completed it was picked up and returned to service. Sometime there after 2 employees went to get in the truck and closed the doors at the same time. To quote Mark "Bloop out came the windshield".

Fortunately it happened when it did, imagine what could have happened had the truck been in an accident. How about if it was a vehicle that had a passenger side air bag that deploys against the windshield at 150 mph or more. That windshield could have been launched a distance from the truck.

This is the third time this year I have been told of a replaced windshield coming out of a vehicle. In 2 instances the vehicles weren't even in accidents.

The sad state of affairs is that in Oklahoma there are more regulations and a license required to cut hair. Yet anybody with no training can install windshields, which the Car Care Council says is the third most important safety device in a vehicle, behind seat belts and air bags.

Having been in an accident in November of last year, in which my company truck was struck by a driver who ran a stop light between 45 and 50 mph, I can tell you my windshield that had 3 chip repairs on it held up to the test. Two other customers have made the same claims.

In a world that news reports show that 7 out of 10 windshield replacements are done incorrectly. By repairing the windshield and maintaining the factory seal it appears to be an overwhelming choice for safety.

The current high temperatures are not only causing us problems; WFMY News 2, Greensboro, NC, recently ran a story titled, "Heat Wave Breaks Windshields". In this short story they cited that the extreme high temperatures are destroying windshields. They recommend that when parking your vehicle, that you leave the side windows cracked slightly to reduce heat build up and to repair small chips to prevent further damage.

The other day I had a customer tell me he had an infared thermometer. He told me he had checked surface temperatures on vehicles in his parking lot recently, He found temperatures of 160 degrees with the highest reading being 180 degrees on a black truck. I must agree with the article, by keeping the windshield cooler, cracks can be prevented until the windshield can be repaired.

Over the years we have received requests to repair damage on the inside layer of glass on a windshield. Usually the damage ranges from a rear view mirror that has been either knocked causing a crack or cracks, to actually having the glass broken out. This includes a call we took a couple years ago from a woman whose boy friend was reinstalling the rear view mirror, ( it had come off due to age), it seems he had glued the metal mirror mount button on upside down. When he found out that the button was positioned wrong, he mounted the mirror and then pulled on it, in an effort to remove the button. While he did get the button off, he also removed a piece of the inside glass about the size of a baseball in diameter. She was amazed that there was vinyl in the center of the windshield.

Still other damage is caused by items striking the inside of the windshield during a panic stop. Like the guy with the van that had not strapped his ladder in; during a quick stop the ladder impacted the windshield. Another example was the gentleman who reported his wife was talking to him on her cell phone when she was driving. It seems she got upset with him and threw the phone at the windshield, breaking the phone in 5 pieces, besides damaging the inside layer of glass.

Unfortunately damage on the inside layer of the windshield due to safety should not be repaired. As per both N.G.A. (National Glass Association) and N.W.R.A (National Windshield Repair Association) recommendations. Further they do not recommend repairing damage that the center laminate is exposed.

Tip: If you happen to install the metal mounting button for the inside rear view mirror, upside down or backwards, simply buy a new button at the parts store and mount it on the other button. Just make sure you position the second one correctly.

Over the years we have received requests to repair damage on the inside layer of glass on a windshield. Usually the damage ranges from a rear view mirror that has been either knocked causing a crack or cracks, to actually having the glass broken out. This includes a call we took a couple years ago from a woman whose boy friend was reinstalling the rear view mirror, ( it had come off due to age), it seems he had glued the metal mirror mount button on upside down. When he found out that the button was positioned wrong, he mounted the mirror and then pulled on it, in an effort to remove the button. While he did get the button off, he also removed a piece of the inside glass about the size of a baseball in diameter. She was amazed that there was vinyl in the center of the windshield.

Still other damage is caused by items striking the inside of the windshield during a panic stop. Like the guy with the van that had not strapped his ladder in; during a quick stop the ladder impacted the windshield. Another example was the gentleman who reported his wife was talking to him on her cell phone when she was driving. It seems she got upset with him and threw the phone at the windshield, breaking the phone in 5 pieces, besides damaging the inside layer of glass.

Unfortunately damage on the inside layer of the windshield due to safety should not be repaired. As per both N.G.A. (National Glass Association) and N.W.R.A (National Windshield Repair Association) recommendations. Further they do not recommend repairing damage that the center laminate is exposed.

Tip: If you happen to install the metal mounting button for the inside rear view mirror, upside down or backwards, simply buy a new button at the parts store and mount it on the other button. Just make sure you position the second one correctly.