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Archives : windshield repair resin

Watch Out: Substandard Resins Don’t Last

Not all windshield repair kit manufacturers can claim their resins meet and exceed national and international industry standards, including ANSI (American National Standards Institute), NWRA (National Windshield Repair Association), BSI (British Standards Institution), and AS/NZS (Australia/New Zealand Standards). But we can.

Every one of our Gfusion windshield repair resins have been independently tested ensuring their long-lasting quality.

This degree of testing and verification is important to professional windshield repair technicians because they have worked with poor-quality resins and have learned the hard way. Substandard resins lacking the right quality can discolor and disengage over time. Not ours.

GlasWeld’s Gfusion resins have the perfect degree of tensile strength and quality for enduring wear. They microscopically etch onto to the glass just enough to create the optimum bonding surface and won’t discolor or fall out over time.

So don’t waste your time and money. Choose resin color then order only GlasWeld resins because quality equals longevity.

A Cure for Windshield Repairs in Cold Weather

The best cure for cold weather is to avoid it all together, but that’s probably not possible for people who live in many parts of the country. Especially the way the weather has already impacted most of us so far. Winter is definitely here and with it comes the extra challenges of getting your windshield repairs to cure properly in cold weather. You really don’t have to do anything special to get good curing results – just a little more of what you already do!

To fully cure your repairs in cold weather all you really need is a little extra patience and preparation. It’s a fact – windshield repair resin takes longer to cure in cold weather. This is due to several factors. For starters, the voltage output of the vehicle’s cigarette lighter or power outlet may be lower in cold weather so the UV curing lamp receives less power, and therefore the output is less. Also, when your UV lamp bulb is cold, it does not emit as much UV radiation as it does when it is warmed up. And, last but not least, resin that is cold doesn’t cure as quickly as resin that is at a warmer temperature.

Take precautions to ensure your cold weather windshield repair cures thoroughly and properly by slowing down a little and giving your repair more time to cure. You should plan on adding an extra one to two minutes to the curing cycle. Also, warm up the UV lamp an extra minute or two before you begin the cure. And when you’re traveling between jobs, keep the UV lamp where it can stay warm – such as inside the vehicle with you.

Cold weather is also harder on your UV bulb because turning the power on and off on a cold lamp makes the bulb work harder. It is a good idea to test your UV curing lamp at the beginning of the cold winter months and again when winter is over to insure that the output of your lamp is still up to par. To test the power of your lamp take the following steps:

• Turn your lamp on and allow it to warm up for around 2 minutes.
• Place a drop of pit filler on a piece of glass and place a film tab over it.
• Put the UV curing lamp over the pit filler for 30 seconds.
• Pull the film tab off of the pit filler; it should be dry and solid to the touch.

If the pit filler takes longer than 30 seconds to cure, than you should replace your UV bulb. If you can’t escape the cold weather, the next best solution is to outsmart it! Allow each windshield repair just a little extra time to cure when it’s cold and they’ll cure like it is summer every time!

How to Survive the Cold Winter Weather in Your Windshield Repair Business

With winter on its way, colder weather is a fact of life for many of us. You may find yourself having difficulty with your windshield repair business. There seems to be less work available, your resin won’t flow as well, you’re noticing bubbles showing up in the Pit Filler, and your feet are cold. Here are some suggestions that might make this part of the year more bearable.

If most of your work is done outdoors, keep your windshield repair resin in a warm place (that includes Pit Filler). Air bubbles that have formed in the bottle can be eliminated easier if the resin is warmer. It is also a good idea to keep your windshield repair kit (including the ProVac) warm, as extreme cold can cause the seals to malfunction. Whenever possible, pre-warm the windshield to get the glass over 60° F. The vehicle’s heater is the best way to warm the glass but other types of heaters can be used as well. Just be careful not to heat the glass too quickly, too hot, or on too small an area as windshield damage is much more likely to spread under these circumstances.

Being miserable on the job will do more to ruin your day than anything else. You lose more body heat through your head than any other body part, so keeping your head covered and dry is most important in staying warm. And cold feet are just bad news. Wool socks in waterproof boots are best. Cotton socks hold perspiration and that means wet feet. Wool is also a good idea for trousers and shirts. Layering your clothes so you can peel some off in case it warms up can be helpful in maintaining your comfort, and it’s always a good idea to pack rain gear.

With dark, overcast skies, it may be more difficult to see the damage you’re working on. Sometimes a white piece of paper held against the inside of the windshield will give you a better view than the mirror. A flashlight is also helpful. Don’t forget to look at the break from all angles to make sure all areas are filled.

Why do we say business is slower in the winter? Is it really slower, or is it because we reduce our prospecting efforts? Sure, the day is shorter, leaving just enough time for our regular windshield repairs and leaving little or no time to search for new accounts, so why not try to get more business from your existing accounts. Maybe you can offer other services while you’re there. Stop to think about how many services can be performed on a vehicle and you might be surprised. Have you looked into glass scratch removal? How about glass treatment with Gshield glass coating? There are many things you can do while the ProVac is working. It’s conceivable that you could give yourself a big raise by doing just a little bit more for your customer. Contact GlasWeld for ideas on add-on services. If you add just a few dollars to each invoice, at the end of the day your extra earnings could be substantial. Business may be slower in the winter, so why not take advantage of it. Consider becoming a Certified Windshield Repair Technician or attend a business course at your local college. You’ll learn how to sharpen your selling techniques as well as your repair techniques.

Professions like windshield repair demand self discipline. Take charge of your time and turn that time into more money.