How To Determine If You Should Repair Or Replace Your Windshield
Posted on: 28 November 2015
A crack or chip on your car windshield can leaving you with a sinking feeling in your stomach, but there are some pieces of good news. First, many insurance policies cover windshield repair. Second, you can opt to have a mobile repair unit fix your window if you are pressed for time. And third, you may not even need to replace the entire windshield. The following guide will help you decide whether replacement or repair is the better option.
Where Is the Damage?
The location of the crack or chip is a good indicator on whether it is repairable. Any damage that is directly in front of the driver may necessitate a replacement. This is because even well-done repairs may slightly warp the glass, which interferes in the driver's line of sight. Cracks and chips near the edge of the windshield may also require full replacement, since these compromise the strength and integrity of the glass. Generally, chips and cracks that occur a few inches in from the frame, in either the center or passenger half of the class, are good candidates for repair.
How Bad Is the Damage?
Small chips and cracks are the best candidates for repair. These are usually relatively shallow – they do not go completely through the windshield – and they are still small in size. For example, a chip smaller than a quarter is repairable, but larger chips can cause too much distortion for a clear view after a repair. The same is true of cracks: the smaller the better. In other words, don't put off a repair, since temperature fluctuations can cause cracks and chips to get bigger, necessitating replacement.
What Type of Damage Is It?
As a general rule, only cracks on the exterior of the window can be repaired. Of these, small dings or divots taken out of the glass, or full or half bulls-eyes, are the simplest to repair. Single cracks are also usually easy to repair. Replacement may be necessary for chips that have cracks radiating out from the center, since these cracks will continue to grow with time. Cracks that branch or spiderweb also usually necessitate a full windshield replacement.
Getting your car in for a repair as soon as possible gives you a better chance of having a repair rather than a replacement. Contact a local windshield repair facility, like City Wide Auto Glass, for more information.
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