Although most drivers tend to listen to the advice their mechanics give them regarding their vehicle, there are some areas where people seem to think they know best. One of these areas is regarding the safety and urgency of a chipped windshield.
If someone has a windshield with several small chips in it, then it is likely something that is pointed out to them every time they bring their Nissan in to get maintenance done in San Jose. However, most vehicle owners tend to ignore these chips in their windshield and proceed to drive their Nissan Rogue through San Jose in that state for several months or even years before they get it repaired or replaced.
In some cases, this may not lead to any major issues developing. However, there is always the chance that one of these small chips could lead to something much more severe happening. That is why all drivers should take the time to educate themselves about what having a chipped windshield does to the safety of their vehicle and how to properly handle a damaged windshield. Here is a complete breakdown of why all drivers should repair a chipped windshield as soon as possible and what to do when a windshield does get chipped.
What Causes a Windshield Chip?
Almost everyone will realize when they get a chip in their windshield because it is not a subtle event. These tend to occur when the tires of the vehicle in front of them tosses some small debris such as a rock up into the air.
This small object will hit their windshield at an extremely fast velocity and will cause the front layer of glass to become damaged. This damage will be accompanied by a loud popping sound, which is almost impossible to miss.
Even though the sound is very loud and obvious, the visual signs of damage might not be nearly as obvious. A windshield chip can sometimes be incredibly small, which is one of the many reasons people tend to think that they can ignore them.
Why They Should Be Repaired Fast
When compared to the size of the entire windshield, a small chip can seem fairly insignificant. However, a windshield chip poses a much bigger threat than most drivers realize. As soon as the chip first occurs, it creates an opportunity for all kinds of dirt and debris to become embedded in the area. If this happens, then repairing it will become much harder to do. So if a driver intends on repairing their chipped windshield but waits several weeks to do it, then the end result could be much worse than it would have been had they repaired it only a couple of days after the chip occurred.
However, an even worse strategy is to never repair the chips at all. By letting the windshield chips sit and fester for a long period of time, it increases the chances that these chips could develop into full-blown cracks. While chips rarely make a windshield fail safety tests, cracks almost always do. This is especially true if a crack crosses a driver’s line of sight, which is something that drivers can be pulled over and ticketed for.
So if a vehicle owner is looking for a cost efficient windshield, then it is much smarter to get the small windshield chips repaired quickly rather than risking them turning into cracks, which are far more expensive to repair. If they wait until the damage becomes too expensive, then they will likely have to replace the entire windshield rather than repairing it, which can end up costing quite a bit of money.
What to Expect From the Repair Process
When bringing a vehicle in to get its windshield repaired, the entire process can generally be expected to take about 30 minutes to be completed from start to finish. The first thing that a windshield technician will do is look over the windshield to determine whether or not a repair is the best way to go. During the inspection process, the technician will also be able to determine the state of the windshield chips and can advise the driver on the effectiveness that a repair will have.
After this has been done and the driver has decided to carry on with the repair process, the technician will start to clean the area in and around the chip to try and get rid of any remaining moisture or debris within the affected area. The cleaner that the technician is able to get the chipped area, the better the final product is going to be.
Once this has been done, the technician will move on to the final step, which is pouring a specialty resin material into the chipped area. This material is then hardened with an ultraviolet light to seal up the chip. Once it has been sufficiently hardened, any excessive resin is gently scraped away so that the windshield looks as smooth and damage-free as possible.
The cost of these repairs will vary based on the specific service that is used and the extent to which the windshield was damaged. A general rule of thumb is that it will cost around $50-75 to get a couple of chips in the windshield repaired. This is much better than the cost of getting the entire windshield repaired, which can frequently cost upward of $500.
What to Do When the Windshield Gets Chipped
When a driver unfortunately receives a chip in their windshield, there are a few steps they should take to limit the damage that occurs before they can get it repaired. One of the first things they should do is cover up the chipped area with a piece of clear packing tape, which will help to keep any other dirt or debris out of the area.
They should also ensure they are not taking their vehicle to a car wash, especially one that uses cold water. By following these two steps and taking the vehicle in to get the windshield repaired as soon as possible, the driver should avoid any expensive repairs being needed.
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