To Repair or Replace: What Steps Should Be Taken if You Notice a Crack on Your Windshield?
There’s nothing worse than having a great day on the road ruined by a piece of debris flying up and cracking your windshield. If you notice that you have a crack on the glass it’s important to know what to do, and which steps to take for the best possible outcome.
While we can often live with scratches and dents on the bodywork of our cars, driving with windshield cracks is an entirely different prospect altogether. Depending on their severity and location, these cracks can not only become an eyesore, but they may also grow to impede your vision of the road–increasing the prospect of an accident occurring.
So, let’s imagine that you’ve noticed a new crack appear on your windshield. What steps should you take to ensure that this doesn’t become a problem? Will the costs associated spiral? Or can effective repair work be done without the need for an expert? Let’s take a deeper look at your options when dealing with a crack on your windshield:
Stopping a Crack From Spreading
If you’ve noticed that a new crack has appeared on your windshield, the first step you can take is to make sure that you prevent it from spreading further.
This can be done using temporary patches with super glue or nail polish. To apply these adhesives to the crack, make sure that you clean the windshield with an auto glass cleaner and paper towels and neatly apply the substance.
While this is unlikely to fix your problem, it can be a good way of slowing down the spread of the crack. You can help to stem a spreading crack further by applying clear packing tape around the area to stop dirt in the short term. However, it’s imperative that you make no changes to your windshield if it negatively affects your road vision.
The Dangers of Extreme Temperature Changes
Crucially, it’s important to avoid extreme changes in temperature. Because glass can expand and contract in hot and cold temperatures respectively, keeping a car in a warm garage before driving it in cold temperatures could cause cracks to grow at a faster rate.
To remedy this, it’s worth keeping your car in the shade where you can and avoiding using window defrosters while the crack’s still there.
Should You Make an Insurance Claim?
Depending on the severity of the crack and where the fault lies, you may be able to get in touch with your insurance company to make a claim.
This part of the process involves taking pictures of your car from different angles as part of your evidence in building your claim. If you have comprehensive coverage in your insurance plan, you may find that you can get a replacement windshield in place for free.
If your plan doesn’t involve comprehensive coverage, or your crack isn’t as obstructive, you may be better off making a smaller fix that could help to keep your no-claims bonus down with little impact on your driving experience.
Could You Make a DIY Windshield Fix?
If your windshield crack is far smaller in size, or takes the form of a small chip, you may be able to set up a DIY fix using a credible windshield repair kit.
With these repair kits costing as little as $20, you may find that this can be a cost-effective solution to your problem, but it’s certainly worth doing your research before buying a kit, as some offer drivers little more than a super glue solution to work with.
Some of the better DIY windshield kits feature a full application syringe that helps to vacuum air from the chip and to force the resin in.
The best kits on the market will offer comprehensive instructions that detail the level of difficulty involved and the time frames for the procedure.
There are many options for windshield repair kits on online marketplaces like Amazon, and although their processes may vary, they typically require you to scrape loose material from the crack and clean the windshield before forming a seal around the chip with a holder. Then, you can attach the syringe to the holder to vacuum the air out. After this part of the process is complete, add the resin to the holder and push the syringe down to force the resin into the chip.
While this process can be a cost-effective one, it’s worth remembering that it’s unlikely to work with more complex cracks and chips, and may only serve as a short-term solution if it hasn’t been effectively applied.
Should You Repair or Replace Your Windshield?
Sadly, this can be a complex question that requires many different considerations. Here, it’s essential to consider the location of the cracks. If cracks are positioned towards the edge of the windshield, it’s more likely to compromise the structure of the glass entirely.
If the crack’s impacting your line of sight as the driver, it may also be essential to replace it as opposed to a quick fix.
When it comes to what size cracks could require full replacement, a good rule of thumb is that if a crack is shorter than eight inches in length, it can be fixed at home. If the crack is longer in length, a full replacement could be required.
Although you may be required to replace your windshield, it’s worth noting that the windshield replacement cost for most vehicles can be relatively cheap depending on the company that you hire. This means that it always pays to shop around and find a good, reputable, and local firm to carry out the replacement.
Although windshield cracks can be a major nuisance for drivers, there are plenty of options to remedy the issue before it becomes a safety hazard. By exploring your options and shopping around, it’s easy to get your vehicle healthy and thriving once again.
