Windscreen Repair or Replace?

It can happen to the best of us. We’re driving along when a stone or piece of debris flicks up from the road and onto our windscreen. Sometimes it can be nonconsequential and no damage will occur.

However, there will be times when this seemingly innocuous incident can leave your windscreen with an annoying chip, scratch or even crack. It’s important to get any windscreen damage seen to as soon as possible to prevent it from getting worse and to keep you safe when behind the wheel.

But should you repair or replace your windscreen?

Types of Chips

There are a whole host of different types of windscreen chips including:

• Star break
• Combo break
• Half moon
• Bull’s eye
• Edge crack
• Floater crack

Whether these chips need to be repaired or replaced will depend on a number of factors including size, location and position of the damage.

1. Size of the Damage

Chips that are smaller than a £1 coin can be repaired, however, anything bigger than this will require a windscreen replacement.

2. Position of the Damage

In order for chips to be repaired, they must be no less than 3cm away from the edge of the windscreen. If the damage is closer to the edge than this, repairs will not be possible and a full replacement will be necessary.

3. Driver’s Line of Sight

If any kind of windscreen damage is in the driver’s line of sight, it’s likely that a windscreen replacement is going to be needed. The driver’s line of sight is defined as the middle of the steering wheel area and spans 30cm wide. The only time that a chip or crack in the driver’s eye line can be repaired is if the diameter is 10mm or less.

Repair or Replace?

While the above considerations will give you a good indication of whether a repair or replacement service is suitable for your windscreen, a professional and reputable windscreen repair company will be able to provide you with a service that keeps your vehicle safe.

At The Windscreen Company, once we’ve assessed the damage we’ll advise on which option is best for you.

If repairs are required, we’ll inject a special resin into the damaged area of the glass which will repair the affected area. Alternatively, our team can carry out an entire windscreen replacement to the highest industry standards ensuring you have the correct type of glass in place for your vehicle.

We work across the West Midlands and the South East, and can provide leading windscreen repairs or replacement services to vehicles of every make and model. To find out more, contact The Windscreen Company today.