What to Know About Chipped Windshield Repair

You’re traveling on the interstate, and suddenly, something hits your windshield. It’s distracting, to say the least, taking your attention away from the road. Then, you find a chip in the windshield at your next stop. You don’t know much about windshield repair, so now what?

It’s a good question. A damaged windshield seems like a straightforward repair, but there is a bit more to it. You have to know what your insurance covers and what the current replacement rules and regulations are in your state. Then, who will do the work, and will they follow those rules? Finally, how much is it going to cost?

Let’s start at the beginning of this process of car window and windshield repair.

An Intact Windshield Is Critical to Your Safety

Maybe more than you think. It protects you from flying objects but still allows you adequate range of vision. It protects the integrity of your car if the vehicle should turn over during a crash. Finally, the windshield helps the airbags deploy correctly.

And windshields take a lot of abuse. It is one of any vehicle’s components most vulnerable to damage. Every driver faces the need for windshield repair at least once during their driving life.

As tempting as it is to ignore that small chip in your windshield, it’s dangerous to do so. Over time, the chip could lead to a larger area of damage, which eventually leads to a more expensive repair. Bottom line: The chip isn’t going to disappear on its own. It needs to be addressed—and the sooner the better, both from a safety and a cost standpoint.

What are the next steps, then?

Can a Chipped Windshield Be Repaired Instead of Being Replaced?

The damage is so small. Surely that one spot can be repaired, right? All you can see are dollar signs and hours taken up on the clock when you think about replacing the entire windshield! Is that really necessary?

It depends. Sometimes a small chip can be repaired quickly and at a much lower cost, but there are some things to consider first:

Does the area of damage reduce your visibility as you drive? If the chip is in your line of vision, it is a safety issue. Repaired windshield glass is sometimes a little foggy, and that is a danger if it’s right where you look out at the road. In some states, it is illegal, so check your state laws as you make your decision for a repair or a replacement.
How big is the chip? For repair purposes, it needs to be an inch or less in diameter, and there can’t be any hairline cracks coming from the chipped area. If you live in a hot climate, cracks from the chipped area can develop quickly. A chip larger than an inch across or one that has cracks coming from it can’t be repaired.
How deep is the chip? The damage can’t penetrate the middle layer of vinyl or the second inner layer of glass. And if the interior glass layer is damaged regardless of there being no damage to the outer layer, the windshield needs to be replaced.
Is the chip along the outer edge of the windshield? If so, that damage can grow quickly and threaten the strength of the entire structure of the roof, which protects you in the event of a rollover. Any damage of any size on the outer edge dictates replacement of the entire windshield.

Still not sure if your chipped windshield can be repaired rather than replaced? Set an appointment at Max Auto Glass for their input and advice. We will be glad to help you weigh the pros and cons of this decision.

Windshield Replacement Basics

If it turns out the chip in your windshield can’t be repaired. What next? Here are some basics.

Insurance Coverage

Call your insurance carrier! Replacing a broken windshield can cost anywhere between $400 for a standard vehicle and $1,500 for a luxury model. But windshield replacement is generally covered if you have comprehensive coverage included in your auto insurance. It depends on the company, the state where you live, and even what broke your window, so find out for sure first.

Choose the Experts

Next, determine who will do the work. It is possible to purchase a DIY kit for windshield replacement, but beware! It’s not the simplest of jobs, especially considering you are handling a large, fragile piece of glass. One wrong move and that glass can be damaged or even destroyed. Consider these things when choosing a glass shop:

The shop and its technicians must be properly certified. Look for shops that are both AGSC (Auto Glass Safety Council™)-certified and Dow-certified.
The shop needs to have liability and workers’ compensation insurance. You need to be protected if anything happens while your windshield is being repaired or replaced.
Ask about the shop’s warranty. A high-quality shop will guarantee their work.
Make sure the shop uses high-quality resin and urethane adhesives. Only the best materials will protect you and your family.

We highly recommend using a glass expert like Max Auto Glass to do the job. We have the necessary advanced equipment and the right tools for handling a large piece of glass and then installing it properly.

Set Aside the Time

This is the easiest part of the process! Max Auto Glass does its best to accomplish windshield replacement within 24 hours from the time a customer contacts us. The actual windshield replacement takes only about 60 minutes from start to finish. We even offer free mobile auto glass replacement; our technicians will come to your home or office and do the work there.

Windshield chip repair and replacement doesn’t get any easier—or more professional—than that!

Top Quality Windshield Repair and Replacement at Max Auto Glass

Max Auto Glass will have you back on the road quickly and safely when you need a chipped windshield repair or replacement. Contact us so we can get started today!

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Windshield Chip Repair FAQs

Can a chip in a windshield get worse?

No driver in the Tucson, Arizona, area wants to deal with windshield damage, but this form of vehicular damage is a fact of life. Still, windshield damage doesn’t always take the form of an obvious crack in your vehicle’s glass. In some cases, you may receive only a small windshield chip. When you’re in this position, you might think chip damage is something you can learn to live with—especially if that would let you avoid paying for a windshield chip repair.

Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Even if your windshield chip is only a minor distraction right now, that won’t necessarily be true for months or years in the future. That’s because any type of damage can weaken your windshield’s integrity as a whole—even an “insignificant” chip.

When you’re driving in Tucson, any number of factors can cause your windshield chip to grow into a much larger problem. Some of these factors include:

Changing temperatures. When temperatures fluctuate, the glass in your windshield actively expands and contracts, which can easily contribute to crack formation if you have a chip. And while Tucson doesn’t get as chilly as some parts of the country during the winter months, it can definitely get cold enough in the area for this to be a real issue.
Sudden impacts. If your car hits something and your windshield is already damaged, the impact could turn your chip into a much bigger problem. These occurrences aren’t limited to fully-fledged car crashes, either. Even driving over a pothole can do a number on your compromised windshield.
Debris on the road. Rocks and other roadside debris can be enough to cause a windshield chip. That means it should come as no surprise to learn that such debris can make existing damage worse.
Vibrations while driving. Is your chip close to the outer edge of your windshield? If so, frame vibrations caused by regular driving could reduce your windshield’s overall integrity.

Since these factors are nearly impossible for any driver to avoid, your best option is to schedule a chipped windshield repair right away. Stop by your local BRAKEmax location to get quick, affordable windshield chip repair from the team at Max Auto Glass!

Should I repair a chip or replace the windshield?

As you already know, a windshield chip isn’t something you can afford to ignore. The good news is that your chip damage can probably be repaired, allowing you to avoid a more expensive windshield replacement. But the operative word is “probably”—some larger windshield chips could require you to replace your windshield outright.

Here are a few chipped windshield repair questions to ask yourself if you’re wondering whether the chip repair service will be enough:

How deep does the damage go? Today’s automotive windshields consist of multiple layers of glass. If your chip penetrates only one of these layers, there’s a decent chance that a repair will do the trick. On the other hand, multilayer damage might not be fixable, especially if you can feel the chip from inside your car.
Where is the chip located on the windshield? The closer your chip damage is to the center of your windshield (without affecting your view of the road), the more likely it is that you’ll be able to fix it. Chips near the edge of your windshield can put the integrity of the entire windshield at risk.
How large is the damaged area? Testing the size of your windshield chip damage is simple—just grab a quarter and hold it up to your chip. If the chipped area is smaller than the coin, you have good odds of being able to get a windshield repair.

By honestly answering the questions above, you’ll be well on your way to determining whether windshield chip repair is enough for your vehicle. However, not every case of chip damage is cut-and-dry. For example, you could have a chip that’s smaller than a quarter and only one layer deep but is close enough to your windshield’s edge that it’s hard to tell whether or not you can repair it. In cases like these, the expert crew at Max Auto Glass will be able to figure out precisely what windshield repair or replacement services you need. Get started by contacting us today!

How long does it take for a windshield chip to spread?

By their very nature, windshield chips aren’t the most obvious form of damage to your windshield. Because of that, they can be surprisingly easy for drivers to ignore in the short term. But even if you haven’t noticed your windshield damage spreading, it could be getting worse invisibly. If that’s the case, it won’t be long before you’re able to spot changes in your windshield.

One of the biggest factors causing chip damage to spread is temperature changes between daytime and nighttime. As the structure of your windshield shifts, the corners of your chip will inevitably weaken. In fact, you can expect your chip to start spreading on a microscopic level as soon as one day after it forms. From there, it should take no more than a few days before the spreading damage becomes visible to the naked eye.

While windshield damage can spread quickly, the process of fixing this damage is even faster. When you choose Max Auto Glass for your Tucson-area windshield chip repair needs, we’ll repair or replace your windshield within the next 24 hours. And it shouldn’t be hard to find a service location close by, since we can help you at any BRAKEmax location in the area.

Even if your schedule is too packed to allow for a “traditional” repair appointment, the spread of chip damage isn’t something you can turn a blind eye to for long. If you’re especially busy but still want to keep your windshield damage to a minimum, the experts at Max Auto Glass can come to you. That’s possible because we now offer mobile auto glass repair across the Tucson area. Best of all, our mobile service is completely free with any windshield repair or replacement, making it the obvious choice for anyone in need of these services!