A crack or hole in your windshield is always an unpleasant surprise. But can your windshield be repaired, or does it need to be replaced? According to Jarvis Simpson of QC Windshield Repair, an auto glass repair shop in Charlotte, North Carolina, there are very clear criteria for determining whether or not a windshield can be repaired, but you’ll need the trained eye of an auto glass specialist.
Your car’s windshield, he says, is an important structural component. While many types of windshield damage can be repaired, others compromise the windshield’s integrity to the point that replacement is the only safe option. The effect of a crack or chip on a windshield’s structural integrity, Simpson explains, depends on the type and size of the damage.
Bullseyes, Half-Moons and Starbreaks
The most common types of windshield crack/chip combinations are called “bullseyes,” “half-moons,” and “starbreaks.” As its name implies, a bullseye crack is shaped like a bullseye with a small hole in the middle. A half moon is a chip that is shaped like a “C.” A starbreak has a very small hole at the center with three to six long legs radiating out from it.
These types of chips, caused by something striking the windshield, can generally be repaired if they’re no larger than a quarter and not directly in the driver’s line of sight. “Once the damage gets much larger than a quarter,” Simpson says, “we recommend that the windshield be replaced.”
The reason for this, he says, is that larger holes can compromise the integrity of the windshield or impair the driver’s ability to safely operate the vehicle, even after a repair.
Stress Cracks
A stress crack, Simpson says, is different than the type of damage that occurs when an object strikes a windshield. Stress cracks generally occur in the corner of a windshield and are caused by pressure applied as the result of the car’s movement.
“As the car hits bumps,” Simpson explains, “pressure is applied by the vehicle’s frame to the windshield. Sometimes this pressure is too much for the windshield to handle, and it cracks.” A stress crack, he says, is indicative of a structural weakness and, as such, cannot be repaired.
Why You Need an Auto Glass Pro
Regardless of the size or type of crack that your windshield has sustained, it’s important to have it checked by an auto glass professional right away. “What may look like a simple chip or tiny crack to you,” Simpson says, “could actually be a crack in both layers of the glass.” It takes an experienced eye, he says, to determine how serious the situation might be.
Because cracks of all types will usually get bigger over time, it’s important to have fixable cracks repaired while they’re small. Not only may you be able to avoid replacing the glass, you may also prevent an accident by ensuring that your vision isn’t impaired and that your windshield is strong enough to withstand the pressures of normal driving.