Don’t Slack On A Crack

January 29th, 2008 • Related • Filed Under • by tisha

Have you ever driven down a road and suddenly you get assaulted by rocks or other debris being thrown back from the vehicle in front of you? It is a scary situation and especially infuriating when it leads to damage. Many times, it is the windshield of our vehicles that take the brunt of the damage. Whether it be a nick, a chip, or a full blown crack extending from one end of the glass to the other, the damage should not be ignored.If the damage is small, it is essential you have it repaired immediately. Even small damage can result in big bucks to have the entire piece of glass replaced. Damage that occurs near the edge of the windshield tends to progress more rapidly and can compromise the stability of the glass. By not fixing the smaller cracks, you are leaving yourself open to more damage and a bigger expense. Should the windshield be hit again, the crack will worsen. Even the weather can play a part in the severity of the damage. Temperature changes make the glass become more flexible, causing small chips to turn into larger cracks if not repair promptly.

Most windshield replacement companies can repair and stabilize small nicks and cracks up to three inches in length. Typically, cracks larger than three inches will require a total replacement of the windshield, which can be quite expensive depending on the make and model of the car. That is unless you are as fortunate as a friend of mine who went into work one morning and came out at lunch to find a brand new windshield in her SUV. Apparently the repair shop was doing a replacement on-site and replaced the windshield in the wrong vehicle. However, most of us do not have that kind of luck and. depending on your insurance deductible; there is a good chance you will have to foot the bill out of your own pocket.

In cases where a total replacement is necessary, make sure you keep your vehicle out of the sun and other extremes in temperature as much as possible to prevent additional damage to the windshield until it the glass can be replaced. As I mentioned, repair shops sometimes offer the convenience of servicing your vehicle at your work or home. Shop around for the best deals and make sure you check in with your insurance company before scheduling a repair.