A Replacement Windscreen May Not Be Necessary With Early Action
Every driver would agree that being able to see clearly in front of you is an essential but should a chip appear how many will take action before a replacement windscreen becomes the only option?
Chip to Crack to Replacement Windscreen
A small chip can be caused by a stray stone thrown up by passing cars or lorries or indeed a small piece of material falling from the back of a truck or even through a deliberate act. Where the chip occurs on your windscreen will determine the level of annoyance it will cause.
One thing is for sure, if the chip is not fixed it can quickly become a crack. While a chip is easily dealt with, a crack may require a full replacement windscreen.
How to Avoid a Replacement Windscreen
The best advice is to have a chipped windscreen repaired as soon as possible. This can be done easily by a reputable company.
A technician will inject a special resin into the chip, completely filling it. The resin is cured in natural sunlight and is completely clear. The tools used are specialised yet portable meaning that the technician can come to your location to carry out the repair.
Once filled the chip is almost invisible providing a clear windscreen once again. The resin strengthens the windscreen and prevents a crack from ever appearing.
Should the chip have already developed into a crack, as long as the crack is no more than about six inches long it can still be repaired.
A crack is more serious than a chip and something as incongruous as driving over a speed bump or a sudden drop in temperature can render the crack too severe to fix and your only option will be a replacement windscreen.
Final Option – Replacement Windscreen
Should you get to the point where your only option is a full replacement windscreen then this should be carried out by a reputable company. It is important to use a trusted company because the windscreen is an integral part of the protection system of your car.
The company will need to know the make, model and year of manufacture of your vehicle in order to supply you with the correct windscreen.
Replacing a windscreen will take longer than a simple chip repair, anything from one to three hours depending on what type of vehicle you have and it will be more expensive.
So all things considered taking action at the first sign of a chip or crack in your windscreen is the best option, waiting until you need a replacement windscreen is, in the end the more costly option.
Strathclyde Windscreens, based in South Lanarkshire, have mobile fitters who will repair a chipped windscreen or replace windscreen at your location.
Processing your request, Please wait....
