Have you ever wondered what the black dots around your windshield do? Your Baytown windshield repair company is here to give you the answer! There are many rumors going around about this area of your windshield, from helping your antenna get better reception to concealing sensors in your car. While this sounds cool, it’s not really true.
The black band and dots around your windshield are called the “frit,” or the “frit band.” The frit band is a strip of black enamel around your windshield that is baked into the glass and it performs many functions.
What Does the Frit Band Do?
This area is vitally important for your Baytown windshield repair technician. It has multiple purposes for your windshield. Most importantly, it helps keep your windshield securely fastened to your vehicle for safety.
Bonding Your Windshield to the Frame
Before the frit band became standard, most car manufacturers used metal trim around the outside of the windshield to keep it securely in place. However, beginning in the 1950s and 1960s, some auto manufacturers started switching to adhesive to bond the glass directly to the vehicle’s frame instead. Today, this is the standard way to affix a windshield to a vehicle.
The frit band offers a better surface for the adhesive to bond to. The rough surface allows the glue to stick better to the glass. That’s why this seemingly small detail on your auto glass is of huge importance to your Baytown windshield repair technicians. Without the frit band, the adhesive might not hold your windshield in place, leading to potential safety concerns and needing more frequent replacements.
Protect from UV Radiation that Could Lead to Baytown Windshield Repair
Once the adhesive cures and your windshield is well-attached to your vehicle, the frit also offers ongoing protection for your windshield. The band helps block the adhesive from UV radiation. Long-term exposure to the sun can weaken the bond between your car and the windshield, as it degrades the glue. Instead, the frit band guards the glue from this radiation to help preserve the integrity and strength of the adhesive.
Preventing Distortion
As if these weren’t important jobs in and of themselves, the black dots also play another important role for your windshield. You’ve likely noticed that your windshield is slightly curved, rather than flat like your windows. To make the glass curved, your auto glass manufacturer must heat up the glass. However, if one area heats faster than the others, it can cause distortion in the glass which would make straight lines appear curved. This distortion is also called lensing. This could really affect your visibility and lead to unsafe conditions while you drive.
A solid black frit band heats up faster than clear glass. This means that the frit band makes your windshield more prone to lensing. However, it’s a necessary component of your windshield. How do windshield manufacturers get around this? The black dots around the edges of the frit band help the glass heat up more evenly, by slowly transitioning from black to clear. This helps reduce distortion during the heating process.
A Polished Look
The frit band also helps improve the look of your vehicle. The solid black band around the edges of your windshield helps hide the adhesive from your view. Without the frit, not only would your windshield fall off, you’d have to see the glue between your windshield glass and the frame every time you looked at your car.
The black dots are also an aesthetic feature of your windshield. These dots help provide a more attractive visual transition from the black to the transparent areas of your glass. Rather than having a stark line where the frit band ends and the clear auto glass begins, the dot matrix helps make this area easier on the eyes.
How Does the Frit Band Affect Baytown Windshield Repair?
So, how does the frit band affect Baytown auto glass repair? An estimated 75% of cracked windshields have an object impact the frit band. There are a few ways to explain why this is. First, it can be difficult to see windshield chips in the frit. This means that many people need Baytown windshield repair in their frit band but aren’t aware of the damage. Over time, this can lead to more complex cracks. Additionally, it can weaken the overall integrity of your windshield.
Also, the edges of your windshield are under more pressure than other areas of your auto glass. Therefore, the frit can be more prone to cracks and breakage that require Baytown windshield repair or even replacement. Damage in this area can actually loosen the bond between your windshield and your frame, which can be a serious safety concern. Therefore, it’s best to contact your Baytown windshield repair company as soon as possible when you notice damage in the frit band.
Depending on the severity of the damage in your frit band you may be able to repair chips and cracks. However, generally damage in this area requires a windshield replacement. Otherwise, you could risk even further windshield damage and even put yourself and others on the road at risk. Therefore, it’s always best to discuss your options with an experienced Baytown windshield repair technician to determine the safest approach for your damaged windshield.
Call your Baytown Windshield Repair Specialists
At Joey’s Glass, we are a leading Baytown glass company with over 47 years of experience providing comprehensive glass services to our customers. We offer state-of-the-art windshield repair for chips, cracks, and other damage. Our technicians also offer replacement services for when repairs aren’t possible. We help you find the most practical and affordable options for auto glass damage.
In addition to Baytown auto glass repair, we also repair and replace glass for your home and business. We offer a wide range of solutions to suit your needs and budget. Call our team of specialists today at (281) 427-4705 to talk to one of our glass experts or request a quote. We are here to serve you.