Immediately repair cracks and chips before they creep across the glass, necessitating costly replacement.
Once upon a time, any nick in your auto glass would mean a costly replacement. Now, chips and cracks can be easily repaired, saving you money. Whether you need to repair or replace your windshield depends on how big the damage is and where it is located. Cracks at the edge of a windshield quickly spread and tend to threaten the entire structure of the glass. Unless immediately repaired, a crack along the edge usually means replacement. Chips in the driver’s line of vision are also usually replaced for safety reasons. Most cracks under 3 inches can be repaired as can chips up to the size of a quarter. Some auto-glass repair shops can repair glass cracks up to 12 inches, but, again, that depends on where it is and the age of the car. The quicker you repair a crack or a chip, the better. Dirt and water can work their way into the glass and affect the clarity after a repair.
How auto-glass repair works
Your windshield is part of your safety system along with seat belts and air bags. In fact, air bags can't properly protect you unless you have a strong, durable windshield that will stand up to a crash or rollover. More than just tempered glass, your windshield is designed to crack and hold together without showering you and your passengers with shards of broken glass. Windshield glass is a laminated sandwich of two thin, tempered sheets of glass fused to a rubber inner layer. That inner layer provides the flexibility to soften blows from the road and prevent breakage. A direct hit with a large object will usually only break the outer layer. Shattering both layers keeps the glass from covering the car and its passengers as the pieces stick to the rubber membrane. This safety glass can be repaired with an epoxy or acrylic filler as long as it is done quickly after the chip or crack occurs. Auto-glass repair is an essential way to keep your car — and yourself — safe.
