Advantages and Limitations of Windshield Repair
The windshield repair process offers a number of advantages beyond the safety provided through a structurally sound windshield. The most obvious is the removal of an unsightly chip or crack in your windshield. The greatest advantage that comes with a windshield repair is savings. On average, a windshield repair is 70% less expensive than a windshield replacement. Plus, your insurance company may cover the repair charges for you!
Windshield repairs have saved thousands of windshields over the years but there are limitations to what can be repaired. The windshield repair process essentially replaces the glass that was lost from your chip or crack. The replacement material is a specially formulated windshield repair resin that is injected, heated to expand, and then cured to a hard, clear finish. When injected into large chips (chips larger than a quarter) or into cracks longer than 6 inches, the cured resin is not quite strong enough to restore the windshield's structural integrity.
The Windshield Repair Process
The damage your windshield incurs can take a variety of shapes such as the "bull's eye" or "half-moon". Regardless of the shape, the windshield repair process remains the same:
- The damaged area is cleared of all dirt, water, pieces of glass, and other debris.
- The area is drilled out to make room for the windshield repair resin.
- Windshield repair resin is injected into the damaged area.
- Heat is applied to make the resin expand to fill in all the space created within the damaged area.
- The windshield repair resin is exposed to UV light to start the curing process.