Your windscreen is designed to maintain your vehicle’s structural integrity and stability while protecting it from elements. This is a huge responsibility, and while fulfilling these duties, this auto glass has to endure a lot of stress, which in turn weakens it from within. Chips and cracks are just the symptoms of these undetected impairments. In this article, we discuss the most common causes of windshield chips and tell you if they can be repaired and how.
4 Common Causes of Windshield Chips
· Abrasion caused by road debris
The roads are full of projectiles of every shape and size, starting from minuscule gravels to chunky pebbles and rocks. As a result of friction with tires, these particles keep flying from all directions, with some of them hitting the windscreen. This constant exposure to scraping and grazing leads to hairline cracks and chipping that remain invisible to the eyes for a long time. It takes a sudden and bigger impact to make them visible.
· Temperature fluctuation causes the windshield chips and cracks
A rapid change in temperature can cause your windscreen to expand and contract very quickly. This abrupt change leads to chipping and breakage. Leaving the car under the summer sun for a long time, using hot water to remove the layer of frost from the glass, or switching on the air conditioner without giving the car interior time to cool down are some of the careless practices that can also cause the car windshield to chip.
· The impact of Accidents and Collisions
This is one of the most typical causes of windshields getting chipped. When there is a crash, an entire windshield transfers the impact of the collision downwards towards the chassis so that the driver and passengers feel the lesser impact. However, an already damaged windshield will not be able to distribute the impact evenly and break or crack, instead.
· Structural Weakness Due to Poor Installation
If not fitted correctly, the glass becomes structurally impaired and is not likely to withstand even a minor impact.
How to Repair
As soon as you detect the slightest hints of chipping or cracking, get the windshield repaired. It’s just a brief process, not taking more than 30 minutes.
The first step involves a thorough inspection by the technician, who will tell you if the chipped windshield can be repaired at all. Generally, a long delay in addressing chips and cracks intensifies the damage even further, leaving it irreparable. In that case, replacement becomes the only option.
Repairing involves three steps. First, the chipped area is cleaned, and trapped-up debris and moisture are removed. In the next step, a resin mixture is applied to seal the windshield chips. The seal is dried using UV rays. The place is then wiped clean, bringing the glass surface back to its original smooth, flat state.
It’s never too early to fix a chipped windshield. The slightest crack can lead to a complete breakage. Even if the crack is not directly impairing your vision, do not ignore it thinking it can wait; delaying the work will only worsen the damage. Get in touch with the nearest center of High-Tech Auto Glass for a reliable windshield repairing or replacement service. Our trained and skilled technicians are just a call away.
