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Time to Think About Winter Preparation for Auto Glass and Residential Glass – Part 2, Residential Glass
It’s that time of year again here in Minnesota. The winter season is knocking at the front door.
At Noble Glass we want to stress the importance of good double pane glass for your homes windows as well as some useful tips on winterization. Having the benefits of an energy efficient home is more than just turning down the thermostat in the winter and changing your furnace filter regularly. While those things do help along with regular washing of the condenser of your air conditioner, there is so much more you can do.
The most distinct way for your residential home to become more energy efficient is to install a new Energy Star component to your HVAC system. This will consume less energy because the unit will require less energy. However, that is not the only thing you can do, nor is it always necessary. There are quite a few less expensive ways to help do your part in order to save more energy that is used to make the inside of your home more comfortable.
The least extravagant way is to add weather stripping on all the windows and doors in your home. This will help seal the small leaks that allow the inside environmental heat from unnecessarily escaping. Another massive energy saving choice is to mount double pane glass in your windows or cover existing windows with plastic. While the plastic is cost effective most people prefer to the look out of their windows during the winter so a good double pane window is the best choice and will be energy efficient in both the summertime and wintertime months. For many years Noble Glass has specialized in residential glass.
For numerous years in the past home owners would manually adjust their thermostats at night time and when they left the home. Today, with the advance in technology there are programmable thermostats that adjust the temperature in your house automatically. While it does do the same job as when it is preformed manually, the benefit is you can wake up in a warm home instead of crawling out of bed when it is cold and having to wait for the home to warm up. Finally, manually adjusting your thermostat can lead to overcompensation and causing your furnace to work harder and longer than necessary. In case you missed part one of this series take a look at our post concerning winter tips for your vehicle’s auto glass.
Don’t hesitate to give us a call at 612-332-7351 to find out more about what you can do to save your precious heating dollars. We will send one of our professional Noble Glass consultants to your home to give you a solid understanding of your existing weatherization and help you determine how much or how little is needed to save you money.
Time to Think About Winter Preparation for Auto Glass and Residential Glass – Part 1, Auto Glass
Snow, ice and bitter cold are tough on your vehicle and rough on your car windows. Now that cold wintertime weather has officially arrived again, Noble Glass offers tips and tricks for protecting your cars auto glass this winter season.
Proper windows maintenance and installation help keep you safe in case of an accident, because cars windows support the defense system of a car or truck, consisting of the airbags.
Stay alert.
As snowplows clear snow and apply sand and sodium to slick streets, Noble Glass encourages drivers to be alert as small rocks and salt pebbles may be kicked up by motorists and hit your car windows. Watch for small divots and cracks, and repair them before they become more serious.
Watch the hot water.
Don’t get into hot water by using hot water on your windows. Avoid the urge to clear snow from your windows by using hot or boiling water. Vehicle glass is not able to withstand those unexpected temperature shifts and may be prone to cracking. Rather, give your car extra time to warm up during the cold wintertime months.
Pay attention to dropping temperatures.
In winter season, the temperature shift as your car heats up and cools down causes automotive glass to expand and contract. As a result, the rate at which small cracks develop is quicker during colder weather. Noble Glass recommends that drivers repair cracked or damaged cars windows promptly to prevent large problems during the long wintertime months.
Precious metal is harmful to your car window’s health.
As tempting as it may be, keys, coins and other metallic objects were not meant to clear cars windows. Using these tools may actually damage your windshield by leaving deep scratches that cannot be buffed out. Noble Glass suggests removing snow and ice using plastic, glass-friendly scrapes.
Totally clear all windows.
The need for clear street view is by no means more critical than in the wintertime when roads are slick and the ground is white. For protection’s sake, Noble Glass advises all drivers to take extra time to clear all snow and its polar environment from every vehicle window before driving your vehicle.
On behalf of our staff, Noble Glass wishes all drivers a safe winter driving season.
Summer Auto Glass Safety Tips in MN: Tinted Car Windows Part 2
Window tinting is a simple process where a thin, transparent sheet of film is applied to a vehicle’s window. With a thickness ranging from 0.001 to 0.004 inches (0.0025 to 0.0102 cm), window films are made from a variety of adhesives.
Here’s some facts and safety tips to keep in mind if you’re deciding to get your automotive glass tinted.
1. Your privacy can be protected. With the tint film applied to the windows, it’s harder to look into the window. The contents of your car are much harder to see. Chances are, a robber would move on to a vehicle that doesn’t have tinted windows because they don’t want to waste time squinting and trying to see what’s inside.
2. Avoid shattered glass. If you are involved in an accident, the tinting film can help keep the glass from shattering. If it does break, it can help keep the shattered glass together instead of falling onto you, or a passenger.
3. Police are aware. Police like to be able to see what’s going on inside your car, and if they have any suspicions, they may pull you over to make sure nothing inappropriate is going on.
4. Auto glass tinting can become tacky and unsafe overtime. Window tint is just a thin film that is cut and stuck to the inside of the glass. It can scratch, peel and even bubble up. Removing it from rear windows, especially around defroster wires, or radio antennas, can be an unsafe and damaging process.
5. Know your limit. Tinted windows can create hazards for drivers at night, so to help ensure safety, some jurisdictions have enforced laws based on the darkness of films.You need to find out if your vehicle only has a law required for the windshield and front side windows, or all of them. Trucks and sport SUVs may have different regulations under local window tint laws.
Vehicle window tinting is almost always regulated under state law. The applicable vehicle code section in your state may discuss vehicle window tinting as “Material Obstructing or Reducing Driver’s View” (in California), “Windshields and windows obscured by non-transparent materials” (in Massachusetts), or “Sun-shading or tinting films or applications” (in Virginia).
Find the vehicle code and window tint law according to your state.
Summer Auto Glass Safety Tips: Tinted Car Windows Part 1
Tinted auto glass windows and teenagers seem to always go hand in hand. The concept remains for those who want to be incognito.
Summer and nice weather are reasons enough to be out driving around soaking up the delicious sun.
Whatever your reasoning is for getting your auto glass tinted in MN, you need to know the facts and receive some safety tips.
1. Tinted windows helps keep the interior of your car 65% cooler. If you drive a black car, you welcome this fact with open arms!
2. Tinted windows help make your leather seats, carpeting and other interior materials last longer.
3. Your air conditioner gets a break. The less your A/C has to run, the easier it is on your compressor and engine. You’ll also burn less fuel. With the interior of your car cooler in the mid-day sun, you won’t have to use the air conditioning as much.
4. 99.9% of UV ways are blocked with the proper tinting film. UV rays not only damage your skin, but also your upholstery.
5. Reduce glares. This helps during the day and night. During the day, the density of the tinting can cut the glare from the sun and at night cut the glare from other vehicle’s headlights. The glare from snow in winter can help be blocked, too.
Safety Tip: Cleaning Your Auto Glass
It’s important to keep your auto glass clean. Clean glass not only looks better, but it also helps you drive better.
The best way to clean tinted windows is by using a soft cloth or regular paper towel with soap and water. Don’t use ammonia based products unless they are designed for aftermarket tint. You can also try a spray foam glass cleaner.
The film can dry in a few hours in the summer and up to a few weeks in the cold winter months. Your window can appear hazy and have some small water pockets caused by excess moisture trapped between the glass and the film. Don’t pop, or poke at the water blisters. They’ll disappear once all the water is gone.
Don’t roll your tinted windows down until they are dry, otherwise the film could peel.