When Is Windscreen Damage Too Serious To Repair?
Did you know that a typical car windscreen is made with a very special type of glass? It's designed to perform in most circumstances and put up with a certain amount of stress while remaining in good shape, but unfortunately, it can also be damaged by an errant stone. But what can you do in this situation? Is it possible to repair different cracks or chips, or will you need to get a new windscreen?
How a Windscreen Is Meant to Perform
A car windscreen is laminated, which means that it is made of two separate sheets of glass stuck to a translucent sheet. Due to this design, the windscreen will not shatter, which is a valuable safety feature. However, the outer sheet of glass can certainly sustain some damage, leading to various cracks or chips.
Dealing with Bull's-Eyes and Stars
One of the worst types of damage is the bull's-eye crack, which is roughly circular in shape and often caused by a significant impact from a large stone or small rock. Sometimes, a much smaller stone will hit the screen in such a way that it will cause a star effect, with multiple crack lines leading away from the central point of impact.
Stress Based Damage
If you have a crack that seems to emanate from the edge of the windscreen, this may have been caused by a significant stress event, for example, a sudden or dramatic temperature drop or your vehicle coming into contact with a very large pothole. Unfortunately, these cracks will tend to spread quite quickly unless you take action as soon as possible.
Do You Need to Repair or Replace It?
In many cases, a skilled technician can fix these cracks or chips so long as they have not been allowed to develop too far. However, if such a crack or chip is directly in front of the driver's line of vision, you may need to replace the windscreen. Laws vary from state to state, but you cannot drive if you have a windscreen that contains damage in this area, especially if it interferes with the smooth action of the windscreen wipers.
What You Should Do Next
So, take your vehicle to a company that specialises in windscreen repair and replacement. They'll be able to take a quick look at the nature and position of the damage and advise you on what to do next. Contact a professional for more information about vehicle windscreen replacement.
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