What Can You Do About a Car Windshield Crack? Repair Or Replace?

Getting your windshield chipped or cracked can immediately dampen your day. It means a trip to the auto glass repair shop to get it fixed, which thankfully can be quick, as an in-shop or mobile service provider can do windshield crack repair or windshield chip repair it in less than 30 minutes. But, the questions pops up, do you replace it, or do you repair it? For what the auto glass industry standard says about when to repair and when to replace see the Repair of Laminated Auto Glass Standard (ROLAGS).

You have to make that choice, as driving with car windshield cracks can quickly become a safety problem as time progresses.

Windshields can take a beating, no matter where you live. There could be gravel tossed at it, kicked up by large trucks, unknown debris kicked up by passing cars. There's always some hazard out there that can make your day miserable.

The good news is that smaller chips and cracks up to 14-inches long can actually be repaired by professional windshield repair technicians, using windshield repair kits. They usually utilize a special windshield repair resin that can fill the crack, and patch it over, even leaving it clear still so you can see out of it easily.

You need to have a professional do the repair, as these windshield resins might not work with do –it –yourself kits under many if not most circumstances especially when there is water or dirt involved. And you want to make sure that your windshield is as fixed as good as possible.

For most all repairs, especially if they progress beyond a small round bulls-eyes which is all that can normally be addressed by these DIY (do it yourself) kits, you need to take it to a professional.

If a windshield has a chip or crack directly in the line of sight of the driver depending on the type of chip or angle of the crack it can still be repaired, more than three long cracks from the same impact point or chips over two-inches in diameter in the glass, or damaged at the very edge of the windshield longer than fourteen to eighteen inches, it may be time to replace it. 

You should never attempt fixing a car windshield crack by yourself, contacting a professional is a good idea. You don't want to mess up and have to replace it anyway, as that means you paid for both a repair and a replacement.

You should repair or replace it immediately. A small chip can spread quickly across a windshield if you use your defroster, wash it on a hot day, park it in the sun with the windows rolled up, hit a large pothole, drive on a rough gravel road, or take a turn too roughly. Generally, a repair company can come to you, if you're out on the road.

If your windshield is severely pitted from sand, salt, or any other object, replacing it rather than repairing it can be the best option. It can, especially at night, greatly improve visibility and make it easier to see while driving. The effect is similar to replacing opaque headlight covers.

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