How Does Windshield Repair Work

We’ve all been there, driving on the road and suddenly – smack! – a rock hits our window.  And then we see it, a chip in our windshield.  A chip in the windshield happens to almost every driver at some point and when you see a chip the best thing to do is get windshield chip repair as soon as possible.  While that small chip may seem like no big deal, it is only no big deal if it does not grow and spread.  And, when you have a small chip you can usually get a chip repair done relatively quickly, easily, and inexpensively.  But, if a chip is left alone and grows and spreads over time it can lead to needing an entire windshield replacement.

When you notice a chip and call to get your windshield chip repaired, a few things will happen.  First, the chip will be assessed to ensure that it only needs a repair and that the windshield does not need to be replaced.  This is important for your safety because driving around with a windshield who’s strength and integrity is compromised is not a good idea.  The windshield repairman will look at the size of the chip and as long as it is fairly small (less than about 1.25-1.5 inches) it can typically be repaired.  A good way to tell if your chip is a repairable size is to place a quarter over it and if it is smaller than the quarter (including any cracks that radiate out from the primary chip) it will likely be repairable.  Additionally, repairman will look at the shape of the crack and general appearance.  If the center of the crack looks like crushed glass, it may not be repairable.  Once it has been determined that your windshield chip can be repaired, the process is quick and easy.  The repairman will inject a special resin into the middle of the chip and any small cracks that radiate from the center.  In a matter of minutes, your windshield will be repaired and depending on the crack, you may not even be able to see where the crack was before or may only see a small, innocuous flaw in the glass.  Additionally, once this resin has hardened it helps prevent the crack from growing or spreading anymore which would lead to a windshield replacement.  Windshield cracks are often small and repairable and by getting it done as soon as possible after the crack occurs you can save yourself the cost of needing to completely replace your windshield.