When to get your windshield replaced
When to get your windshield replaced
Posted on April 24, 2022
Ping! We've all been there. That one stone hitting your windshield in the wrong way, and there is a chip or a little star.
The questions start flying through your head. Can it be repaired? Must it be replaced? How much is this going to cost?
Modern windshield glass is tough, but stones and debris thrown up by other vehicles can cause it to chip and crack. If this happens, the integrity of the glass is compromised, and you may have to replace the windshield if it cannot be repaired.
Well, let's look at when to replace your windshield. If you have any doubts, take it to a professional dealing with windshield replacement in Victoria.
To start with, let's look at why it's essential to have a good windshield.
Why Is It Essential to Repair This Damage?
Your windshield is an important safety and structural support component of the vehicle as it accounts for around 30% of the structural integrity. The windshield is also crucial for the correct inflation of the airbags. A windshield that is compromised and fails in an accident can cause the airbags to inflate incorrectly, meaning they won't provide the protection that they are intended to provide.
Apart from allowing the driver to see where they are going, the windshield protects the occupants from weather and other airborne debris.
Don't Delay!
Don't delay taking your car in for the windshield to be repaired. Dust can settle into the cracks making them more challenging to repair.
Also, a small, easily repaired chip can quickly develop into a significant crack if it is not fixed quickly. A small crack or chip can rapidly spread as the air inside your vehicle expands in hot weather or the windshield contracts in freezing weather.
What Damage Can Be Repaired?
If the damage is a chip that is less than 2.5cm, or a crack of less than 8cm, then there is a good chance that it can be repaired, saving you an expensive replacement.
What Damage Results in Replacing a Windshield?
Any of these cases will mean you have to replace the windshield:
- If the damage is within five to seven centimetres of the shield's edge, it will not be repaired as damage at the edges will immediately compromise the windshield's integrity.
- If the damage extends through to the inner layer of glass.
- Any chips or cracks that are located within the driver's field of vision. If they will, in any way, compromise the driver's vision, they will not be repaired, and a new windshield will be installed.
- A badly scratched windshield, which is often caused by scraping off snow with a shovel or other metal instrument, can permanently damage a windshield.
- Often, in older vehicles, the windshield becomes sandblasted. This can happen with any abrasive particles such as sand or icy snow. The wind whips up these abrasive particles and flings them against the vehicle. These tiny abrasive particles will, over time, pit the windshield, so there are no cracks or chips, but the driver will find it difficult to see, especially in poor light as the windshield looks a little murky. There is no way to repair this type of damage, and it will have to be replaced.