That out-of-the-way rock chip on your windshield is easy to ignore. But you risk coming out to your car one morning to find a crack extending across the entire width of the windshield. Here is why ignoring that rock chip repair now can lead to bigger problems later and how those chips are fixed to prevent a cracked windshield.
Safety Glass Delays the Problem
Safety glass was designed to prevent the windshield from shattering into sharp fragments that will injure the driver and passengers in the car. It is made by bonding two sheets of glass together with a plastic sheet in between. When the glass breaks, the plastic sheet holds the pieces in place. You get the characteristic spider web pattern on a piece of safety glass.
A rock chip damages one layer of the safety glass, leaving the other intact. This creates a weak point on the windshield. Vibrations while driving the car and temperature differences inside of the car and out put stress on that point. Eventually, the stress causes the glass to crack, starting at the rock chip and extending to the edge of the windshield.
This could happen the same day you get the rock chip, or it could take several months. You may be tempted to ignore the rock chip, but when the crack starts, it progresses quickly. You may leave your car in the company's parking lot with only a rock chip in the windshield, only to leave work and find a large crack across your line of site.
Repairing the Chip and Saving the Windshield
The rock chip repair is a simple procedure and can be done in a few minutes while you wait. Most auto glass repair shops offer walk-in service so you can have it done on your way to work or home at the end of the day. When done by a professional glass technician, the repair will be barely noticeable.
- Dirt and glass pieces are removed from the rock chip.
- A clear resin is forced into the chip and any cracks starting at the hole.
- The resin is smoothed out so it is level with the glass surface around it.
- It is then polished so it is as clear as the rest of the windshield.
Many insurance companies will waive the deductible and pay for a rock chip repair. This is to prevent them from having to pay for a windshield replacement later when the rock chip turns into a large crack.
Contact a service like Premiere Glass And Mirror to learn more.
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