How to Tell If You Need Windshield Repair or Replacement

When it comes to staying safe on the road, one of the most important features of your car is the windshield. Clear visibility is critical to safe driving, and even a small obstruction like a chip in the glass can severely impact your ability to see clearly and react appropriately to road hazards. In addition, a cracked windshield is much weaker from a structural standpoint, which makes it a greater hazard in the event of an accident. Because of this, it’s important to know what type and extent of windshield damage can be repaired effectively, and at what point you need a complete replacement instead. In this article, our team at McConnell Auto Glass will go over some of the criteria we use to evaluate whether a vehicle needs windshield repair or replacement.

• Size-The first thing to consider when determining whether damaged glass is suitable for windshield repair is the size of the chip or crack. In most cases, if the damaged area is smaller than a dollar bill, our team at McConnell Auto Glass can repair it, while anything larger warrants a replacement.
• Location-Another factor in the question of windshield repair vs. replacement is the location of the damage. If the damage is located anywhere on the driver’s direct line of sight, we recommend replacement instead of repair, as even a small obstruction to your vision can negatively impact your ability to react to hazards on the road.
• Extent-The third factor we at McConnell Auto Glass generally use to determine whether a vehicle is a good candidate for windshield repair is the extent of the damage. Typically, damage that involves no more than three chips in the glass can be repaired, while more than three chips weakens the overall structure of the glass too much to make repair a safe choice.