Crack your car windows just a little -- with our hot weather or else...

:cool-new:

Crack your car windows just a little -- with our hot weather or else...your car windows might just crack from our extreme heat that we get in the summer months.
A friend of mine had shattered windows and a windshield in her car - because she left it parked outside - with her windows tightly shut -- guess the hot pressure in her car could not escape - so burst her windows.

Keep open just a tiny bit .. all auto windows to get that air circulating.

 

never thought that would happen, but it makes sense. that's some heat.

 

I will definitely be asking about keeping window open a bit.

 

Here's a thread discussing the issue. http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=179677&page=2 "Sometimes tempered glass will just break on it's own with no apparent reason. I would say most people would never see it but being in the business I see it all the time both in cars and buildings."

 

This had happened to a friend of mine in the heat of summer -- but -- not to me - - I decided to google it...many different opinions. Here is a little of what I found.



Vehicle Windshields Explode in the Summer Heat
Myth or Reality?
By Judy Hedding, About.com Guide

Some people believe that when the temperatures get very high, your windshield may explode or blow out from your vehicle if you don't leave your windows cracked open.
I am going to provide you with absolutely no empirical evidence to either support or refute this claim (!), but I'll tell you what I think.
I think that in the past, windshields were made differently. In high temperatures, those windshields expanded beyond the capabilities of the frame of the windshield, causing them to crack or blow out. I don't believe that leaving the windows open a little either helped or hindered this process much. Tempered glass was the big thing for windshields, so that in the event of an accident or an object hitting the windshield, it would crack but flying glass was minimized. Now, most windshields are made from a laminate, which can expand and contract better within the frame of the vehicle.
Be assured that in the summer in Phoenix, you won't see mine fields of exploding windshields as you walk to your car in the mall parking lot. Chances are that if the windshield has cracked, it was damaged before the heat got to it.
So should you crack open your window? Some people do it, Some people don't. I don't believe that vehicles are air-tight even with the windows closed, but some people believe that leaving the windows open a teeny bit relieves some heat pressure, and also helps the car cool down faster as hot air is pushed out when you get in and turn on the a/c. A reader contributed the comment that leaving the windows open a bit at the same time as you leave the sunroof open a bit will make a noticeable difference, since the warm air will flow out the top and cooler air will then be sucked into the side window cracks. In any case, if you car will be out in triple digit temperatures for a few hours, make sure you park in the right direction so the sun isn't beating down on your front windshield (heating up the interior faster) and use a window shade. They're cheap, and they make a big difference.

Another opinion from an auto glass service. http://glass4usa.wordpress.com/2012/08/09/can-the-heat-crack-my-windshield/
It gets immensely hot inside your vehicle, so the question is, can this hurt my windshield? Can it make it crack?
The answer is, yes, it can. Does it happen often? No. It’s more common in older vehicles than newer ones. Contrary to popular belief this does and can happen but only if you have a stone chip (spider) in the glass already. Windows without a chip can not crack just do to direct sunlight. There is warming because of heat built up inside closed cabin so, by convection heat is transferred form cabin air to windshields. When you have minor crack it can spread due to the high temperature. If you were running the A/C really cold and parked it in direct sunlight at high temps it can cause it to start cracking from a small chip or crack.
But there are a few ways you can prevent it, and keep your car a little bit cooler. The first is to buy an inside dash cover. The second is to keep your window cracked, as long as your car is in a safe location. It is also possible to use “heat reflectors,” that will reflect the heat. This can be by way of tinted windows, or clear “heat reflecting” type of tint.
In the mean time, make sure you keep out of your car things like canned sodas or anything that can explode. Nothing is worse than a long hot day and soda all over your car!

Just to be safe ! ! -- I always crack my windows a tiny bit. :concern:

 

Haha. the article you posted says it will happen only if you already have a tiny crack in the window. You ended your post saying "I always crack my windows a tiny bit." Double meaning of the word crack made me laugh.

 

AND that should get all's attention ! :abnormal:

 

Once upon a time I had a VW. I had to roll down the window a bit in order to shut the door.
I loved that little black bug but my husband said it was one of the most UNSAFE cars on the road.

I put a reflector in my front window when it is hot. I also have tinted windows.