Fall is just around the corner and the blazing heat should be just about over. If you live in Arizona, expect some heat off and on until the end of October. Is it too late to have your car windows tinted? Should you just wait until the beginning of next summer? Before you brush that off, consider these few points:

First, just because it is beginning to cool down doesn't mean that the glare from the sun lessens.  Window tint does a fantastic job of shielding your eyes from potentially blinding glares - whether from the sun or water reflection of some other lights. This means safety.

Second, those sun rays carry UV rays which damage your vehicle's interior. Tinted window can block up to 90% of those harmful rays and preserve the interior of your car.

Also, tinting your car helps increase privacy inside your vehicle as well as helps hold the glass together should the glass windows ever break.  Again, tinting your windows increases safety for you and your passengers.

Most likely, you will be able to save money by having your car tinted in the fall and winter months as the installers are less busy and more eager to give customers a better deal.

My windshield is broken! Will my insurance rates go up if I get it replaced?

No, your insurance rates should not increase due to auto glass replacement. Insurance companies do not factor glass claims by themselves into the equation when determining your risk assignment or your insurance rates. Unlike accidents, windshield replacements are no-fault comprehensive claims and by law cannot cause rates to increase. To be sure, however, check your policy or call your agent. Here at Sierra Vista Glass we do all the paper work needed to report a glass claim to your insurance company, at no charge to you. Please give us a call!

www.sierravistaglass.com

Consumers have the  Right to
Choose?

   By law, the State of Arizona grants you the consumer the Right
to Choose which company repairs your car. You may find that your insurance
company tries to direct you to a shop that gives them the cheapest price.
 
Since not all shops follow safe installation procedures, your insurance company
has no way of knowing what kind of job will be done on your car. You do not have
to go where your insurance company tries to steer you. If you do decide to
go where your insurance company wants you to go, make sure you ask about OEM
parts, urethane sealants, safe drive-away times, and written warranties. Make sure to ask questions to the repair shop if their installers are certified by NGA, also ask about their warranty. Sierra Vista Glass offers a lifetime warranty on workmanship and material. Please give us a call if you have any questions or concerns.

What are FMVSS and why are they important to me?

FMVSS stands for Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. They are standards set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Association relating to vehicle safety. A number of these standards set minimum requirements for windshield retention in vehicle accidents. Because the windshield is the most important safety restraint system in a vehicle, it's critical that the windshield not come out in an accident. If that were to occur, the passenger compartment would be compromised, occupants could be ejected and the roof could collapse. Any of these scenarios would result in serious injury and possibly death. As a result, FMVSS must be adhered to with every windshield installation. The only way to meet these standards is by strictly following the vehicle manufacturers' preferred installation methods. These include, performing full cutout procedures, utilizing OEM glass, applying the necessary primers and using only the approved adhesives that provide the proper safe drive-away times. FMVSS were created and are in place to save your life. Unfortunately, not all glass companies comply.
With Sierra Vista Glass we meet and exceed FMVSS!

www.sierravistaglass.com

How can I know if a glass company will do a good job?

The first thing you should ask is whether the shop is a LYNX Services Participant, or a SGC participant. Every LYNX & SGC Services Participant is committed to providing the highest quality of workmanship, parts, and customer service.

LYNX & SGC Services takes care of the pre-screening for you. In order to participate in our glass program, a glass shop must meet a set of criteria developed to ensure both safety and quality. Another part of becoming a LYNX & SGC Services Participant involves having installers complete a certification process in the proper use of adhesives. These adhesives are what holds windshields in place and is the single most critical element in a safe, secure installation.

Furthermore, LYNX & SGC Services is part of PGW Industries, the largest manufacturer and distributor of automotive glass in North America. PGW has a storied history in glass and is the leader of the auto glass industry.

The expertise of PGW and the monitoring of LYNX & SGC Services gives you the peace of mind that work done by Lynx & SGC Services Participant is guaranteed.

Not all types of glass are suitable for all purposes

 

There are many different types of glass that are used in commercial and architectural applications. Some of these are traditional kinds and have been in use for centuries. Others are alternatives to traditional kinds and made from different materials that are different from traditional glass. One of the most commonly used is made from fiberglass resin.

 

Consumer products

 

Consumer products like alcoholic beverages are often found bottled in glass. While many medications, mayonnaise and other condiments and food products have traditionally been offered in glass bottles and jars, plastic has taken over and is becoming more widely used. Part of the reason for this is safety but may also be weight. Plastic usually weighs less than glass and this could make it cheaper to ship. While glass may have its uses in products like beer bottles and pickle jars, plastic is used for the majority of products.

 

One other problem in using glass for food products is breakage. Glass jars and bottles can break in transit, costing money and making a mess, particularly if the product in side is something like mayonnaise. Breakage at home can be a cause of injuries, sometimes cuts deep enough to require a trip to the ER for stitches. Plastic is less likely to break.

 

Alternatives to traditional glass

 

Glass was once widely used in architecture. Frosted glass window panels and panels for doors were commonplace. It has also been used for stained glass windows in churches and other places like restaurants. This kind of glass is heavy, expensive and in some cases, dangerous. Older glass used in some buildings for décor is often lacking in safety features, making it hazardous if something happens to make it break. Unlike modern car windshields made of safety glass that shatter into small pellet-like pieces on impact, older glass can create shards in different sizes that have sharp edges.

There are several ways of how not to break glass.

The first is oblivious, don't throw anything with force at it.

The second, is always protecting it from being hit. One way is, if you are cutting your grass with a weed eater, protect the exposed glass with a sheet of plywood. This is very inexpensive compared to a double pane glass, which at the average cost of $200.

There are films you can apply, that are very costly, but at the end the glass still breaks.

Remember, glass will always break, you must think ahead and protect it.

www.sierravistaglass.com

Click here to watch a very cool video of what the future holds for glass! Check It Out!

The difference between regular glass and safety glass, is regular glass simply breaks into shards, and my potentially cause harm.



Safety glass is also glass which simply breaks, but it usually breaks into pieces, or cracks, which would not harm you.



They're two types of safety glass.



Tempered glass, is one kind of safety glass. Tempered glass is a much stronger glass, when trying to break a tempered glass, it is much more difficult, than your regular standard glass, when tempered glass breaks, it breaks into small pieces of glass nuggets. Examples of where tempered glass can be found are vehicle door glass and back glass. In your home you can usually find it on table tops, and around an entrance, and the entrance door itself. Tempered glass is manufactured in a tempering furnace, where it reaches a certain temperature, and solidifies into one peice.



Laminated glass, is a different kind of safety glass, it does not break into pieces, it cracks, creating several lines. The glass remains intact, but with several cracks. Example's of this glass can be found in you're vehicles windshield. In your home you can find this also around any entrance or the entrance doors. Laminated glass is made of two pieces of glass glued together, and in the middle it has a clear plastic.



As we all know glass always breaks, but knowing what type of glass is broken, is very important to keep you, and your family safe.