Can Your Windscreen Be Repaired or Does It Need to Be Replaced?

Windscreen repair companies often offer to fix a crack or chip in your windscreen; these can typically be filled with a type of resin that dries clear and which then gives you a windscreen that looks brand new, for much less money than replacing the windscreen itself. While this repair can be done for a number of defects you might get in your windscreen, not all chips and cracks can be fixed this way. Note a few factors a technician will consider when it comes to having a windscreen replaced versus repaired, so you can better expect the type of repair bill you might face for your car.

1. Depth of the crack or chip

Your windscreen glass is actually made up of more than one layer of glass, for added strength and safety during a collision. If the crack or chip has reached the second layer of glass, it may not be easily filled in with a resin. Not only is it too deep for the resin to repair, it might also be compromising the safety and strength of the glass. The resin used to fill in cracks and chips will help to keep the windscreen strong, but it's not typically as strong as new glass itself. If a technician feels that the depth of the crack compromises the safety of the windscreen or is too deep for the resin to keep the glass bonded, the windscreen may need to be replaced.

2. Length of the crack

Because the resin used to fill in the crack or chip of a windscreen is not as strong as the glass itself, the length of the crack needs to be considered. The longer the crack in the windscreen, the less durable the glass, and resin may not be able to actually bond and hold it together. If a crack in your windscreen has already spread across the screen itself, you may need to replace it altogether.

3. Location of the crack of chip

Even though a resin used to fill in cracks and chips dries clear, there may still be small imperfections in the screen left behind after a repair. If this compromises a driver's visibility, it's best to have a new windscreen installed. If a crack or chip is near the edge of the windscreen, this can make the windscreen more likely to break away from the frame during a collision. This too might mean that it's best to replace the windscreen rather than repair it.  

For more information, contact a local windscreen repair company like Glasszilla


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