The beginnings of auto glass were humble; they had previously been considered a luxury back when companies made the first cars. Cars had no glass, no doors, turn signals, or other elements that make up modern automobiles.

Auto glass has since evolved. Sentry Auto Glass, Inc has replaced or repaired auto glass throughout Indiana for years. And from our experience, choosing the right auto glass can make a significant difference in your car’s safety.

When car owners choose to get their windshield or window glass replaced, you may not necessarily opt for the same type of auto glass as the car manufacturer. By learning the characteristics and qualities of each type of glass, they can make informed decisions about what type to install in their vehicle.

All-glass

This is a now-obsolete form of auto glass and was first developed back in the 1900s. It was dangerous as it shattered quickly like most forms of consumer glass. It was too fragile for an automobile and was eventually discontinued.

Laminated auto glass

This is one of the major variants of auto glass. Two glass sheets sandwich a polyvinyl film, creating modern laminated auto glass. The glass is formed through intense high heat levels, bonding the glass and the film together into a much more durable than ordinary glass.

Shatterproof

What makes laminated auto glass so preferred is that the lamination between the glass pieces ensures that the glass doesn’t shatter as easily as regular glass. The vinyl film also prevents shards from flying if the glass does get shattered, creating the familiar web-like pattern people expect from broken windshields and windows. It keeps the passengers and the driver as safe as possible.

Less fuel

Another great benefit of laminated glass is that it improves a vehicle’s fuel consumption. Being very lightweight, it provides a 3kg per square meter reduction in the car’s weight instead of other glass variants.

Noise reduction

Laminated glass also dampens the traffic noise outside and muffles sounds coming from inside the car. This makes it easier for people inside the car to communicate, while people outside will only hear muffled noises.

Tempered auto glass

Tempered glass is made by superheating glass and rapidly cooling it with cold air. The glass goes through rapid expansion and contraction, creating an extremely hard and durable glass. The outer layer hardens, while the inner layer is held with high tension.

Safe fragments

This is the type of glass that you might have seen shattering into thousands of pebble-like fragments upon being struck. This makes it a lot safer because large, sharp shards won’t hit the driver or passenger of the vehicle. It also makes it easier to break the window in case of an emergency. The glass shatters all at once, providing an opening for the rider to escape.

No repairs, just replacements

Once the tempered glass is broken, there’s no way to repair or patch it. The only option is to replace the glass entirely.

Solar glass

Solar glass is a recent development in the automotive industry and is usually applied to environmentally-friendly vehicles such as electric cars. The solar glass used during a sunny day will absorb the heat and sunlight from the outside through a special film in the glass that doesn’t change the amount of light coming in.

This ultimately saves a car owner some energy costs. Because the glass absorbs the heat from the outside, the inside of the car stays cool, and the car owner won’t have to use up as much energy on air conditioning. This also reduces fuel consumption and improves mileage.

Consult with auto glass specialists

auto glass repair

If you plan on getting your car windows and windshields replaced or repaired, inspect your user manual to determine the type of glass initially installed in your car by the manufacturer.

Reach out to an auto glass specialist and explain the original glass type and what you would like your car’s glass replaced with. They will be able to determine whether or not it’s a good fit for your car’s make and model and get the work done.

Sentry Auto Glass, Inc. has repaired and replaced countless windows and windshields throughout Indiana, offering professional services on all things auto glass. Contact us today, and let’s talk about getting your windshield and windows repaired or replaced with the appropriate, safe type of glass.