Dealing With A Rock Chip On Your Windshield
The windshield in your vehicle is made from laminated safety glass and can take a lot of abuse, but rocks hitting the glass can chip it and damage the outer layer of glass. Rock chip repair is often possible, but the chip needs to be checked by an auto glass professional to determine if fixing the glass is okay or if it needs replacing.
Size of the Chip
One of the most critical factors that the auto glass tech is going to check before a rock chip repair can be started is the size of the chip. A small chip is easy to fill in most cases, but if the chip starts to have cracks radiating off of it, it can become too large to repair. Often driving the car for a long period after the chip occurs can cause it to spread as vibrations from the car spread through the glass.
Rock chip repair is typically used when the chip and any cracks running off it are under two inches long. If you can lay a dollar bill over the chip and cover the chip and the cracks, it is most likely repairable, but there can be some exceptions. The best way to determine if windshield rock chip repair is possible is to take the car to an auto glass shop and have them look at the damage.
Location of the Chip
A chip that is in the center of the windshield is better when it comes to rock chip repair because there is good glass all around the damage for the filler to bond to. A chip on the glass's edge is more likely to spread and is much harder to repair correctly.
If the damage to the glass is right on the edge of the windshield, you may not be able to have it repaired, but the auto glass tech will be able to tell when they inspect the damage. If you notice a chip in the windshield near the edge of the glass, take the car to the shop as soon as you can. The best chance of successful rock chip repair near the edge of the glass depends on getting to the crack before it cracks all the way to the edge of the glass.
Mobile Repair
Rock chip repair is a simple process that can be done just about anywhere, and many companies offer mobile repair services that can help you get the repair done quickly. If you call a mobile glass repair service when the chip happens, they may be able to send a tech out to make the rock chip repair right away.
