All of us have experienced that heart-breaking moment when a loose stone decides to wreak havoc with your windscreen. It is commonplace for your windscreen to have a crack or chip, but how do you know what kind of repairs it demands?
It depends what kind of damage has been done, as to what repairs are warranted. So, let’s have a look at the different types of windscreen damage which can occur.
Chips and stars up to 16mm are repairable, providing the chip is on the outside of the windscreen. If the chip is in the central visual area for the driver, or near the wipers, then the replacement or repair process could be more involved. Getting these small nicks fixed quickly is imperative to making sure extra damage isn’t done, which can cost you a lot more in the long run.
Cracks are similar in that they can be repaired if they occur on the outside layer of glass. If the crack becomes bigger and spreads, then the whole windscreen mustbe replaced. Unfortunately, cracks which are any bigger than 35 cm will more likely involve getting the whole windscreen replaced.
Pitting is when there are tiny chips in the windscreen that are refracting the sunlight. Pitting is formed from small pits, made from tiny stones and debris which fly up on the car. Pitting is something which happens over time as a car gets older, and if it gets bad it can reduce visibility and result in the whole windscreen needing to be replaced.
How do professionals repair a windscreen?
When only a small section of the windscreen requires repairing, it is quite a simple process. Professionals will first vacuum and clean the affected area and then apply a clear resin over it. Once the resin is dry, it is almost invisible, and the repaired area will appear as good as new.
Windscreen repairs are cheaper, from around $60, and they are fast to fix. Windscreen replacement costs can be anywhere from $200 and upwards and will take up to 2 hours. If you have any concerns regarding your windscreen, be sure to get into contact with us, we’re happy to discuss repairing it for you.