Windscreen Chip Repair – What is Possible?

No-one likes to hear that sound of a windscreen chipping or notice a sudden mark on the windscreen that wasn’t there before.  Sadly it is something we all experience at some point in our driving lives.  The good news is that windscreen chip repair technology has advanced a lot and means more chips than ever can be repaired with the need for windscreen replacement.  So what is possible?

Understanding chips and cracks

Most of us think of a chip and a crack as a similar thing but there are differences and even different kinds of each.  Here are a few of the most common ones you might see:

• Bullseye – circular cracks that radiate out from the central impact point
• Half-moon – a semi-circle of cracks caused by an impact
• Star crack – crack lines leading out from a central point
• Combination – a mixture of different cracks or chips
• Edge crack – within 2 inches of the edge of the windscreen (the most common type)
• Floater crack – a middle windscreen crack that is at least 2 inches from the edge of the windscreen
• Stress crack – caused by something other than an impact such as dramatic temperature changes
• Chip –impact by a hard object that causes pieces of glass to come off the windscreen

When can it be repaired?

There are a few things that come into the decision on whether you need a windscreen repair or replacement.  One of the most important is where the damage is in relation to the driver’s viewing area.

The viewing area is defined as a Zone A and is 290mm in width with the steering wheel at the centre.  Any cracks or chips in this area can’t be more than 10mm or the windscreenneeds to be replaced – and it will fail and MOT with this damage.  The rest of the area where the windscreen wipers cover on the driver’s area is known as Zone B and cracks can be up to 15mm in this area and be repaired.

The Zone C area is the windscreen wiper area for the passenger side and here cracks can be up to 25mm and be repaired.  And the remainder of the windscreen is known as Zone D – here cracks up to 40mm can be repaired.

How is a chip or crack repaired?

If you visit a local windscreen repair company such as Budget Windscreens Ltd in Wolverhampton, then you will see the process in action.  Once an assessment is done to see if the chip or crack can be repaired, then the process is a relatively simple one.

It will mostly involve removing any dirt or debris from the damageto make sure it is clean.  Then a special liquid resin is injected into the damaged area to repair it.  A UV lamp is used to cure this – in other words, harden it and make the repair permanent.  Chip repairs can be done in as little as half an hour.  And should the damage be more serious, you can easily get a replacement windscreen to ensure your car remains strong and you are protected.