skip to Main Content

Media post: How to Repair Minor Cracks and Chips on your Windshield?

Your windshield is equivalent to your eyes. And just like your eyes, it’s important to take good care of them even in the event that only minor problems come up to bother your eyesight. Regardless of the issue, addressing minor cracks means nipping problems right in the bud. In the case of your auto glass, making sure that the minor cracks and chips in your windshield don’t evolve into a giant cobweb of cracks that increase the possibility of entirely shattering your windshield is a top priority to keep yourself safe on the road.

In this article, we will show you how you can repair minor cracks and chips in your windshield if you cannot immediately contact a windshield repair service near you.

What type of crack or chip is it?

Before you start off with your repairs, it will be good to know what kind of chip or crack is about to rupture your windshield. At North Auto Glass, we have experienced different types of windshield issues. From our experience, cracks, chips, bullseyes, stars, and combinations are all different and need a different method of fixing.

Chips

Chips occur as a result of debris striking the windshield and causing minor indentations in the glass. Your windshield can experience multiple chips or pits, but it’s important to quickly address them to prevent them from evolving into bigger cracks. Some different chips include,

Bullseye chips can be characterized by a glass fragment resembling a crater surrounded by concentric rings that radiate outwards from a central depression.

Star chips may sound charming, but these chips exhibit short cracks that extend outwards, just like how a star’s light rays reach outwards. When these star cracks occur, they’re the most straightforward chips to repair using a glass filler.

Combination chips are a blend of cracks, fissures, and chips. These tend to manifest after multiple impacts and can compromise the glass’s strength to the point that a complete windshield replacement by professionals is needed.

Cracks

These come in different varieties. Some include stress, edge, and floater cracks.

Stress cracks typically originate not just from a single impact gained by the windshield in one day, but rather from repeated impacts over time. Eventually, these repeated and untreated impacts lead to glass failure. Exposure to extreme changes in temperature also contribute to the creation of these cracks.

Edge cracks develop at the outer edges of the windshield and extend towards the center of the glass.

Floater cracks tend to appear roughly two inches or more away from the windshield’s edge and can be worsened by extreme weather changes.

Types of Windshield Crack and Chip Fixes

There are two types of fixes for cracks and chips–fillers and replacements. Fillers are clear glues or resins used to address minor cracks, indentations, and fissures. These are designed to remedy and mend the most prevalent crack types but aren’t suitable for treating extensive cracks or holes. In several cases, these repairs can be conveniently done at home.

 

Replacements, meanwhile, are already required when the chip or hole on your windshield has gotten excessively large to the point that simple fillers cannot easily repair it. These substantial damages often span the entirety of the windshield and are issues that would be best remedied by the skilled hands of a professional windshield repair and replacement service like North Auto Glass.

How to DIY The Minor Cracks and Chips on Your Windshield

There are a few ways to easily repair the minor cracks and chips on your windshield if you don’t have instant access to a professional but need a quick fix. These easy ways can be done through simple household items like superglue or even clear nail polish.

Using clear nail polish is a low-cost and simple technique to stop cracks and chips from evolving into bigger cracks that can further damage your windshield. Though it’s a temporary fix, it’s an effective remedy.

To begin with, make sure to start your process in a clear and shady area where the polish won’t dry too fast. Wipe the windshield completely to ensure that there’s no dirt anywhere near the crack or the glass overall. It’s essential to apply a thick layer of polish around the affected area to make sure the polish fills the whole crack, so make sure the glass is clear and clean and that the process is done in a cool area.

Super glue is another alternative and may prevent the crack from expanding while you wait for an expert to help you with repairs. Some windshield repair experts even recommend applying transparent scotch tape once the glue has dried.

But like nail polish, super glue is just a temporary fix. Note that these two methods are only temporary fixes and should only be done as a last resort, as applying nail polish or super glue over a crack may make further assistance more challenging. In this case, a complete windshield replacement may still be imminent.

To conclude, the minor cracks and chips on your windshield can be temporary remedied even at home but even with these methods, professional help is always recommended to make sure that you have a windshield that can last longer years.

Leave a Reply

Back To Top