Windscreen chips are a blemish on both aesthetics and visibility. What should you do if you get one?
You strayed too close behind a truck carrying gravel and the next thing you know, a piece of gravel has struck your windscreen, causing a chip.
Windscreen chips and cracks are some of the worst things to happen to your car.
It’s a glaring blemish on an otherwise pristine sheet of glass.
Not only does it impact aesthetics, but visibility too. Having that chip in the middle of your windscreen could distract you from driving, even if momentarily.
Previously, that would mean replacing the entire front windscreen of your car.
However, modern windscreen repair techniques have advanced sufficiently that you can easily repair your windscreen after getting a chip.
Should I replace my windscreen, or repair it if I have a crack?
Be warned, though, that modern techniques only go so far.
If the crack is severe, you might need to replace the entire windscreen.
That goes for cracks severe enough that they spiderweb throughout the entire windscreen.
If you feel the crack isn’t that big, and that it’s not worth replacing the glass, you can look into repair services.
Most repair shops deem the threshold for repairable windscreen chips to be no bigger than a 20-cent coin.
The crack also cannot be too close to the edge of the windscreen.
How do shops repair windscreen chips?
The shops use a combination of a special resin and UV light to cure it.
First, the resin is poured into the crack under a vacuum.
Then, the UV light is placed over the affected area to cure it.
Once it’s cured after a few minutes, the windscreen is cleaned and polished to ensure a smooth surface.
However, if you simply feel the crack is too large and affects your vision, then you probably should think about replacing the entire windshield.
