Did a rock hit your car windscreen? Stone chips are conventional especially in the area where large trucks are present on the road or where work is being done. While some stone chips are just aesthetic complaints, others affect the driver’s vision or become larger cracks with the elements that affect the area of the damaged windscreen over time. Should you replace your windshield or repair it?
First, let’s explain the role of the windscreen in its vehicles and its security aspects. It’s primary use is to allow you to see through and protect you from the wind, dust and rocks. Because of its important, Australian states have laws that establish when it will be necessary to replace or repair your windscreen.
Usually, there is a section of your windscreen that is classified as the critical viewing area which is the part of the windshield located directly in front of the driver’s seat position and extending to all the height of windscreen. In most cases, a crack outside this area can be repaired since the damaged area is no more than 50 mm in diameter. Usually, a cracked windscreen repair cannot be done if it is within the critical viewing area.
The windscreen is very important; For example, the front side airbags are designed to bounce off your windscreen vehicles while inflating and a poorly adjusted windshield can pose serious safety issues in the event of an accident. The deployment of an airbag will quickly expel the poorly regulated windscreen resistance in the roof structure and expose the occupants to the threat of being thrown from the vehicle.
Cracked windscreen repair versus windscreen replacement:
Due to all the safety aspects involved, you may or may not have the option to opt for a windscreen repair. If the affected area fails to meet any of the strict safety guidelines: loss of critical vision, structural integrity, it will be necessary to replace it.
Chips to break in a replacement windscreen
A small chip can be caused by a lost stone thrown by passing cars or trucks or even by a small piece of material falling from the back of a car or even through a deliberate act. The place where the chip occurs in your windscreen will determine the level of discomfort it will cause.
One thing is for sure, if the chips are not fixed, they can quickly become a crack. While a chip is easily handled, a break often requires a complete replacement of the windscreen.
How to avoid a windscreen replacement
The best advice is to have the chipped windscreen repaired as soon as possible. A technician will inject a special resin into the chips, filling it. The resin is cured in natural light and is entirely transparent. The tools used are specialised but portable, which means that the technician can go to your location to repair. If you’re stranded on the side of the road, Dean’s auto glass has a mobile service so you do not have to wait long before your windows or windscreen are fixed.
Once filled, the chips are almost invisible and provide a clear windscreen again. The resin reinforces the windscreen and prevents a crack from appearing.
If the chips have already become a crack, as long as the crack is no more than about six inches long, it can still be repaired.
A crack is more severe than a chip, and something as unpredictable as driving over a speed stop or a sudden drop in temperature can make the break too harsh to repair, and your only option will be a windscreen replacement.
The final option – Replace a windscreen.
If you reach the point where your only option is a windscreen or window replacement, this must be done by a reputable company. It is essential to use a trusted company because the windscreen is an integral part of your Tesla car’s model x screen protector system.
The company must know the make, model and year of manufacture of its vehicle to provide the correct windscreen.
Replacing a windscreen will take more time than a simple chip repair, from one to three hours, depending on the type of vehicle you have and it will be more expensive.
As you can see, depending on the severity of the damage, it will be decided for you whether the windscreen can be fixed or has to be replaced. Laws are in place and all vehicle must comply with it. While replacing a windscreen is not the cheapest option, look at the upside: it is the safest for you and your family.
