Windshield Damage:
Repair vs Replace
When you’re driving, a rock from a truck ahead of you, gravel on the road, or debris from other vehicle movements can be kicked up and thrown into your auto glass, creating a crack or chip.
When this happens, you’ll need to have your damaged window repaired or replaced because it’s not safe to keep driving with it. But how will you know which service you might need? It's important to understand the differences.
When to repair a windshield
First, one of our technicians will assess the damage and look at its shape, size, depth, material, and location. From there, they’ll decide what to do based on what they see.
The chip is small
When to replace a windshield
In some cases, our expert technicians will need to do a full window replacement.
The crack or chip is large
A replacement is generally needed with larger chips or cracks, although there are some situations where they can be repaired.
The glass is tempered
Windshields that are made of tempered glass instead of laminated glass, like side and rear windows, are more likely to break into fragments. This means a replacement will be needed to prevent the dangers of shattered glass.
The windshield damage is too deep
Any chip or crack that penetrates past the halfway point of the windshield thickness or both the outer and inner layer of a laminated windshield requires a replacement. Not only is this done for safety, but also to prevent the inner layer from becoming discolored over time.
The damage is in a bad area of your windshield
This includes the driver’s side since the last thing you want is a large obstruction in your line of sight.
The crack spans from edge to edge of the windshield
There are multiple cracks or chips on your windshield
The more damage and impact that your auto glass has endured, the less likely it is to hold up to further ones. If there are more than two damaged areas on your auto glass, schedule a replacement.