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Staying On The Road And Seeing Clearly - Deciding Between Windshield Repair And Replacement

2 January 2015

Marvin Simmons

The freedom associated with owning and driving a car is a huge part of modern culture, and it can provide you with a great sense of happiness and accomplishment. However, owning and driving your car comes with a litany of responsibilities that you need to consider before you head out on the open road.

Maintenance and the associated costs are, of course, primary among these responsibilities. Some types of maintenance require some specialized knowledge before you seek out repairs. When your windshield is damaged by road hazards, you should be prepared to have it repaired or replaced. The guide below will assist you in determining which is the best for your situation.

Length

The length of a crack in a windshield is the first factor in determining whether it is able to be repaired. Luckily, the most common forms of damage are chips or dings from debris on the road, so those cracks tend to be relatively short. The modern polymers used to fill in glass and make it whole have to be bonded to be stable, so long cracks are difficult to repair.

Your auto glass service will be able to provide you with a guide that will determine what the product they use can handle. If you find your crack to be too long to be patched, you may still be able to find affordable glass repair from any number of after market sources.

Depth

As with length, very deep cracks can also be very hard to repair. If your windshield is struck by a rock, an animal, or another common hazard, any penetration deep into the heart of the glass may make it too unstable to be effectively repaired.

Many repair firms will also be concerned about the effects on the driver's visibility. Too much layering with the materials used to patch glass can cause some blurring and obstructed vision, and this obviously creates a safety concern that must be avoided at all costs.

Location

Cracks in the center of a windshield can often be patched, as the filling agent can rely on the surrounding glass to provide increased stability. Near the edges of your windshield, however, the crack can cause more instability as more glass is relying on those areas for strength. Also, as with deep cracks, damage that is located in the driver's line of sight can require a replacement because of the potential risk of interfering with the driver's field of vision.

For more information, contact a local auto repair shop, like Loewen Body Shop Ltd.

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