Palmer Lake sits up at the top of the Palmer Divide and gets more snow than just about anywhere on this side of the county. More snow means more plowing, more sand on Highway 105 and County Line Road, and more of it sitting on the shoulders into spring. It also means a lot more freeze-thaw nights than the Springs gets. And freeze-thaw is what turns a chip into a crack.
Get chips fixed before winter
Here's what happens. Water gets into a chip, freezes overnight, expands, and pushes the crack open a little more. Do that thirty or forty times over a winter and a small, repairable chip turns into an eight-inch crack.
So if you've got a fresh chip in November, don't wait for spring. Tape over it to keep water out and call. A repair in the fall costs $60 to $110. The same chip in March is often a $400-plus windshield.
Steep streets
The older streets heading up toward Sundance Mountain and the reservoir trailhead are narrow and steep, with tight driveways and packed snow half the year. Setting a windshield needs a fairly level spot and room to walk around the car, so let us know if your driveway is steep. We'll meet you on flatter ground nearby if we need to.
Cold means a longer wait to drive
It's colder in Palmer Lake than it is fifteen minutes south, and urethane sets up slower in the cold. A January install up here needs more time before you drive than a June one, usually one to three hours and sometimes more. We use a cold-weather urethane and we'll work in your garage if you have one.
Questions from Palmer Lake
Should I fix a chip before winter or wait until spring?
Before winter, for sure. Freeze-thaw is the main reason chips spread up here, and Palmer Lake gets more of it than anywhere nearby.
Can you get up here after a snow?
Usually, once the roads are open. A plowed spot for the car is the difference between getting it done and rescheduling.
More on what we do and how we do it, or just call (719) 467-3190.