To Repair Or Replace The Glass, That Is The Question

Snap! One tiny pebble and there goes your windshield. Cracked or chipped glasses on vehicles are annoying to look at and can be a safety hazard, especially if they are impairing the driver’s visibility. With that said, many people are simply not aware of this but most small cracks and chips can actually be very easily repaired these days. In fact, today technology has advanced enough to repair damages which would have caused windshields to be totally scrapped some years back. But when should you have windshield or glass damage repaired and when do they need replacement? Here’s when…

Windshield repair or replacement depends upon the size of the damage, its severity and location. Current generation of auto glass repair technology allows repairs to be conducted for quarter sized rock chips as well as cracks up to 3 to 6 inches long. If the damage to the glass is anything more severe, any good auto glass repairman will immediately recommend a replacement.

Next, the location of the damage also plays a crucial role in determining whether the glass needs to be replaced or repaired. For instance, medium-sized cracks on the windshields can spray outwards thereby compromising the integrity of the windshield. In such cases, we generally recommend that you have the windshield replaced.

Also, if the crack or chip is directly in the driver’s vision, the auto glass should be replaced before it spreads, no matter how small the damage is. This is because repair work on auto glass involves injecting a resin into the damaged area which seals it off and prevents the glass from cracking further. While the results are fairly impressive, they can still render the repaired part of the windshield a little distorted which can hinder the driver’s visibility.

Regardless of the size of the damage, it is important that you have any damage to any of your vehicle’s glass checked out before it becomes bigger. Some insurance companies also waive glass repair deductibles for small chip repair in order to encourage people to repair their glasses sooner rather than later.