How to recognise an athermic windshield ?
An athermic windshield includes technology that improves the thermal insulation of the passenger compartment and limits the build-up of heat when the car is in the sun for a long time. This type of car glass has become more widely available with time. In fact, your car might already have it! How can you tell if you have an athermic windshield? How do you recognise it? Glassdrive will explain it to you.
What are the advantages of an athermic windshield ?
An athermic windshield, by definition, is not a heat conductor, because it is made of multiple layers of glass lined with multiple titanium or silver foils.
This type of glass has many advantages:
- It protects the passenger compartment from heat build-up. It protects the interior from heat build-up, so you don’t get burnt when you use the steering wheel or gearstick (or simply sit on the seats) after the vehicle has been in the sun for a long time.
- It helps to reduce the need for air conditioning (which, in turn, reduces fuel consumption).
On the other hand, there is one particularity you need to be aware of: Due to its composition, this type of glass blocks the passage of infrared rays and GPS signals. Therefore, the manufacturer provides a zone made of standard glass, in the area around the rear-view mirror, outside your field of vision. This means that the athermic zone of the windshield doesn’t fill the entire windshield. This is where you should put any electronic toll tag, for example.
How can you recognise an athermic windshield ?
How can you tell if you have an athermic windshield? There are various features by which you can recognise an athermic windshield with the naked eye:
- By the violet, blue or petrol blue reflection characteristic of this type of glass;
- By noting the thermometer icon usually placed above the windshield wiper, in a corner of the athermic windshield;
- By noting the dotted lines which indicate the untreated part of the athermic zone of the windshield, through which radio waves and infrared can pass.
Can an athermic windshield be repaired ?
An athermic windshield can be repaired. Due to the thin metal foil in the windshield, the resin injection might increase the disruption caused by the damage and reduce your visibility, and therefore your safety. As with any windshield, it’s best to go to a professional.
This is where you should trust a specialist like Glassdrive: We’ve been repairing and replacing athermic glass since 1993. We can recognise an athermic windshield right away and repair it or replace it with the same kind of glass. And the best part is: the work is covered by your insurance’s glass breakage warranty (excluding any excess).