A cracked windshield can either be replaced or repaired. Whether to replace or repair a cracked windshield depends on different factors like size, depth, location, and type of crack.
Once your windshield is cracked, if you’re in the United States, the first step is to take your car to a reputable windshield dealer for an accurate diagnosis. Such individuals will assess your windshield’s state and determine if it requires replacement or repairs.
If your windshield is cracked and you don’t know whether to repair or replace it with the help of a windshield dealer in Arizona (if you’re from that state) or nearby, continue reading as this post provides substantial information on when you need to replace or repair your windshield.
Types Of Windshield Cracks
Windshield damage can be caused by multiple reasons. Anything can damage your vehicle’s windshield, from head-on-collisions and the like. However, it’s important to note that the cause of the damage can result in different impacts. For example, an on-road animal collision can cause a windshield crack, while a tiny stone hitting your car can cause a windshield chip.
- Windshield Chips
As already stated, a windshield can have cracks or chips depending on the cause. As far as windshield chips are concerned, they refer to tiny blemishes resulting from falling glass layers of the windshield.
If the chips are small and insignificant, they can be easily and quickly repaired. Nevertheless, if they’re deep that they penetrate the windshield’s protective layer, the best solution might be a replacement.
Though windshield chips are considered harmless, they can result in huge cracks as time passes. In fact, most windshield cracks result from chips left unattended for a prolonged period. If you’re considering replacing your windshield, you might want to consider windshield replacement Phoenix and nearby to get your windshield replaced professionally.
- Windshield Cracks
Windshield cracks usually start as insignificant separation of the glass layer and increase in length and depth as time passes.
A crack on your windshield can spread easily due to the contraction and expansion of the windshield due to the shifts in temperatures. It’s important to take care of your cracked windshield to avoid further crack spread.
Since a crack can be the entry point of dust particles into the windshield, it might help if you put transparent tape over the crack to prevent spreading and keep dust particles at bay as you determine whether to replace or repair it.
When To Replace A Cracked Windshield
Sometimes a windshield crack can call for its replacement.
When the crack is too large and deep, the best solution might be a replacement. Nevertheless, you can have a tiny crack but deep enough to require the replacement of the entire windshield. As already said, a crack can begin as a small harmless line but later develops into a significant one.
In short, your windshield might require replacement if:
- The crack is huge: Similar to tiny cracks, a large crack can also be repaired. Yet if the crack is longer and visible to everyone, you might consider replacing the windshield.
- The crack is deep: If your windshield has any crack penetrating through the different layers of your windshield, you should replace it before it exposes the plastic layer leading to discoloration. In such an event, replacing the windshield might be the ideal solution, even if it can be repaired.
- The crack is located on the driver’s side of the windshield: Any crack on the driver’s side requires replacement. If you happen to experience a windshield crack while on the road, don’t hesitate to go with the windshield replacement option.
- There are too many cracks: More than one crack calls for windshield replacement. Even if they’re currently tiny, as time goes by, they can develop to larger sizes and result in a severely damaged windshield.
Replacing a windshield should be done by a professional experienced in carrying out such auto repairs.
When To Repair A Cracked Windshield
Repairing a windshield is a cheaper solution compared to replacing it. But repairing a cracked windshield depends on the type of crack, its size and depth, number, and location. While you might consider the repair costs over replacement expenses, the repair should be done as soon as the crack shows up to avoid being costly in the long run.
Generally, for a windshield crack to be deemed still repairable, it should be less than two inches and ⅜ inches deep. Larger and deeper cracks can still be mended though it might not be the ideal solution.
Conclusion
When repairing and replacing are both solutions, most individuals will settle for a cheaper solution which is repairing. However, before settling on repairing, weighing the immediate and long-term benefits is vital.
For example, while repairing a cracked windshield, you must consider the nature of the crack and determine if you’ll have to change the windshield at any time sooner. If the windshield will serve for quite some time after the repair, then you may proceed with it. But if you’ll still replace it after a month or two, the ideal solution might be replacing the cracked windshield entirely.