Your car's windshield is not merely a piece of laminated glass that protects you from the wind and rain; it is a critical component of your vehicle's safety systems. Windshields play a crucial role in preserving the cabin's structural integrity and keeping you and your passengers safe in case of an accident. That's why it is imperative to repair any chips, cracks, or deformities in your auto windshield as soon as possible. No matter how minor the damage may seem, it is essential to take prompt action. This blog post will help you understand everything you need to know about auto windshield repair.

Types of Windshield Damage

Not all windshield damage is the same. Here are the various types of damage that can occur and how it happens:

Chips: Small cracks in the glass of your windshield, usually caused by rocks or debris on the road. They usually occur on the front glass and are typically caused by small to medium-sized rocks at high speed. Chips can be repaired if caught in time.

Cracks: Cracks are far more severe than chips and can happen as a result of temperature changes, stress from the vehicle's frame, or an impact from a rock or other object. Cracks can vary from a tiny, barely visible line to several inches across the windshield. In general, if the crack is longer, you need to replace the windshield instead of repairing it.

Bull's Eyes: These are larger chips, usually up to one inch in diameter, with a cone-shaped impact point in the center and a circular deformation of glass around the central point. These are repairable unless they are located right along the edge.

Star Breaks: Star breaks are a series of short cracks that radiate out from the central point of impact. The damage appears in a star-shaped pattern. They are repairable.

Combination Breaks: Combination breaks have both bull' s-eye and star-shaped breaks, making them especially complicated to repair.

Professional Repair

Do not attempt to repair your windshield yourself. Various DIY repair kits are available that make it seem easy, but it is usually not recommended for several reasons. Firstly, windshield repair requires specialized equipment and expertise that the average person does not possess. Secondly, you cannot assess the severity of the damage or recognize any underlying issues that need addressing in the future. Lastly, a botched repair job will compromise your windshield's structural integrity, thus negating its protective capabilities in case of an accident. 

For more information on auto windshield repair, contact a professional near you.