Top 7 ways to keep windshield / windscreen chips from spreading

WHAT TO DO IF YOU RECEIVE A CHIP

Here are the top 7 things you can do to keep your Windshield chips from spreading into long ugly cracks:

  1. Tape it! Dry the area off and cover the chip with a piece of scotch tape to keep it dry and clean.
  2. If you have a crack, tape that too, but extend the tape 6" after the end of the crack.
  3. The sooner the repair is done the better the results.
  4. Chips and small cracks turn into large cracks very quickly so get it repaired as soon as possible.
  5. Avoid fast changes in temperature when you have an unrepaired chip -
    • In cold weather avoid using defrost until your car is warm.
    • Don't wash the vehicle.
    • Avoid underground parking in a heated garage in the winter.
  6. If your chip or crack is within 8" of the edge of your windshield don't slam the doors
  7. Driving up on curbed driveways twists and torques your car, so approach these slowly to avoid jarring the windshield.

 

DANGERS OF A CRACKED WINDSHIELD

 There usually isn't a danger of your windshield caving in on you because of a chip or crack, but there are inherent dangers to driving with a cracked windshield

  • Glare from the crack can reduce visibility drastically.
  • A cracked or weakened windshield may cause your airbag to deploy improperly.
  • Structural integrity - your windshield actually helps support the roof of your car. A damaged windshield could actually cause problems in a rollover or front end collision.
  • Once a crack starts it will continue to spread until it finds an edge.

 

REPAIR VS. REPLACEMENT

Once your windshield is damaged you have 3 choices: Repair, Replace or Do Nothing. If you do nothing your chip is almost certain to spread the length or height of the windshield.

Repairing is clearly the less expensive route. A good rule of thumb is that as long as the structural integrity of your windshield has not been compromised the crack or chip can be fixed. Repaired cracks can be quite strong but try and find someone that will put a money back guarantee on your repair.

If your windshield has multiple cracks or cracks that extend to the edges you might want to look at having it replaced.

 

Remember the rule of thumb is as follows:

A windscreen / windshield chip less than 3mm (smaller than a matchstick head) does not usually need to be repaired.

A windscreen / windshield chip less than 25mm (smaller than a £2 coin) is repairable.

A windscreen / windshield chip over 25mm is usually non-repairable.

 

Call Us Today

We offer repairs that are fast and convenient. If your windscreen / windshield has a chip we’re here to help. We cover the whole of the midlands – Birmingham, Nottingham, Derby, Leicester, Stoke on Trent, Sheffield, Solihull, Coventry, Mansfield, Chesterfield, Lichfield, Cannock, Wolverhampton, Walsall, Redditch, Newark on Trent, Uttoxeter, Stafford, Burton Upon Trent, Dudley, Nuneaton, Melton Mowbray, Bromsgrove.

For a repair that you know will be done right, call Centre Glass today. Call or WhatsApp on 07923 449354 email centreglass@mail.com visit www.centreglass.org