How To Determine If You Need A Windshield Repair Or Windshield Replacement?

Replace Or Repair Your Windshield? The Key Considerations. Imagine driving down the countryside and a rock bounces of your windshield leaving an ugly looking chip right in front of your face. This chip does not only hinder you from viewing the road clearly but it looks like if you get hit by another rock chip, pieces of glass will be sprout cracks. You are probably wondering whether you should replace the entire shield or just go for a repair. Gone are the days when a chip on your windshield meant certain replacement. Technology has made it possible to repair scrapped windshields. This does not only save your windshield but also saves your hard earned cash. However, these repair techniques have their limits and some damages call for a complete replacement of the windshield. We spoke with a Volkswagen repair Nashville auto mechanic with years of experience and he gave us insight on how they determine what is needed at their shop. Replace Or Repair? Deciding to replace or repair is merely a matter of looking into some factors concerning the damaged windshield. Here are some of them; Size. The size of the damage if a huge determinant of whether you should replace or repair the windshield. Taking an example, if the size of the damage is bigger than that of a dollar bill, a replacement should be on the cards. Such damages are difficult to repair and it is safer to opt for a complete replacement. Sizes smaller than a dollar bill can be repaired. However, this is not the only consideration that comes in play and it is important to analyze the other ones before making the final decision. Location. The location of the damage can determine whether the shield should be replaced or repaired regardless of the size. If the damage is right in front of the driver, the windshield should be replaced. This is because fixing such would leave a mark that would impair the driver’s vision. The driver needs to have a clear view of the road, and such chips affect the way they see. Intensity. The amount of damage is the other determinant that needs to be considered. A small amount of damage makes it more probable that the windshield can be repaired. For example, if the windscreen has three or fewer chips, it can be corrected. However, one that has more than four chips put the glass at risk of shattering without warning, something that makes a replacement the best course of action. Depth. This factor is related to the size of the damage but refers to how deep a chip has penetrated. A windshield is a glass sandwich with an outer glass layer, an inter plastic layer and an inner glass layer. If the damage penetrates beyond the two first layers, it becomes difficult to repair, and replacement becomes the best option. Other Considerations. Some unique circumstances surrounding the damage can automatically qualify it for either repairing or replacement. One notable one is...