Cracks or chips in the windscreen of one’s car is quite a common driving hazard. But no one can anticipate this occurrence, and so it may take a few days to get these repaired.

But the fact is, the longer one drives around with cracks in the windscreen without conducting windscreen crack repair, the more is the risk of worsening of damage and danger to the occupants.

The windscreen is a strong source of structural support for the roof of the car. Poor quality or damaged windscreens may result in caving in car roofs.

Factors to consider

One may consider repair or replacement of the car windscreen in case of the following features:

  • Pitting in the windshield

This is particularly common for those driving on highways at high speed; pitting refers to damage of windshield glass by flying debris like small rocks or gravel. With the passage of time, these can lead to scratches and mini holes on the surface of windscreens that will reflect the light, impacting the ability of the driver to focus on the road. This is more prominent during sunset and sunrise.

  • White haze on the edges

The windscreen of cars is mostly coated with a plastic named PVB (Polyvinyl Butyral). This plastic ensures that in case of shattering of the windscreen, it will result in rounded, small chunks of glass, which will not harm the occupants of the car.

When one notices a white haze in the area surrounding the edge of a cracked windscreen, it indicates that the plastic has begun separating from the windscreen. This poses the risk of getting injured by sharp pieces of glass in case of a collision or accident. So, if this is spotted, one must not take the risk and must get the windscreen repaired or replaced.

  • Blocking of view

Damage to the windscreen compromises one’s ability to drive directly. Any disturbance in what one can view through the windscreen can impact one’s capacity for decision-making.

For instance, a small chip or crack may impact one’s blind spot. It may distort one’s perception of distance. This may be worsened by conditions of wet weather. So, in case one’s ability to drive is harmed by a chip or crack, the latter must be corrected at the earliest.

  • Missing parts

Several car owners typically self-fix their windscreens with glue, tape, or other kinds of quick fixes till they find time to take their car to the mechanic. This results in substantially enhanced risk not simply from the weather but from compromising the structural support provided to the car.

Without proper repair or replacement of missing or damaged windscreen, the frame of the car is at risk of sagging or causing issues in alignment with the frames of the windscreen when one tries to repair or replace the latter, later on.

Checklist for repair or replacement

  • Check for previous adhesive

A technician with the right skills will discard the old adhesive and ensure complete cleaning prior to proceeding to set up a superior seal with better resistance to weather.

  • Check for messy moulding around the frame

In case one notices that moulding around the windscreen is bumpy and not congruent with the frame, it is possibly due to a wrong installation.

  • Check for water leaks

A poor seal surrounding the windscreen will often reveal itself via water leaks surrounding the frame. In case water is coming through the seal, one must immediately consult a windscreen specialist. This is because the windscreen is in danger of coming loose.

Repair versus replacement

One must consult experts to consider whether the windscreen needs to be repaired or replaced. In case the chip is less than a quarter or break is less than 6 inches in length, the stability of the windscreen will not be compromised, and the windscreen need not be replaced.

But because every chip or break is unique, it is crucial to take professional advice. One’s objective is to prevent the crack from worsening by growing larger or compromising the safety of car occupants in any manner.

One can patch the crack or chip using different materials. It is possible to use super glue, clear tape, or even nail polish. Note that these are not long-term fixes, and experts do not recommend driving the car with such fixes for more than a few days. These are simply urgent solutions to prevent the worsening of the damage.

In sum, these are some of the ways to conduct windscreen crack repair or replacement. It is good to take professional advice about which of the two is right for one’s damaged windscreen.