There’s no worse feeling than cruising comfortably down the highway only to catch a last-second glimpse of a rock getting kicked up off of the road by the semi-truck in front of you, which dings right off of your windshield. You can see that the front windshield is visibly damaged, but how bad is it? When a customer contacts windshield replacement companies in Bucks County, PA, the first question they often ask is, “Does my windshield need to be repaired or replaced entirely?”
As one of the most trusted windshield repair companies in Bucks County, our team of experts at ABS Auto Glass want to give our customers a better understanding of when a windshield can be repaired using an injection of thick resin as opposed to having to perform a full windshield replacement.
When To Repair
Luckily, if caught early enough after the incident, small chips and cracks in the windshield can be filled in by a professional who will ensure that the repair is executed correctly and the risks of the damage spreading are minimized.
Not only will a windshield repair make traveling safer for the driver and their passengers, but it’s also far more cost effective than having to replace the entire windshield. As a general rule of thumb in the auto glass industry, if a dollar bill can entirely cover the damage, then you’ll most likely be able to repair rather than replace.
When To Replace
When a windshield is damaged in any way which causes an obstruction to the vision of the driver, or if an initial chip or small crack has splintered beyond 3-4 inches, it’s time to replace the entire windshield. When a crack extends to the windshield’s outermost edge, the structural integrity of the windshield is compromised and should be replaced immediately.
No matter which area of the country one lives in, our windshields take beatings daily from natural and external factors that are often out of our control. If initial windshield repair is neglected, it’s only a matter of time before the damage spreads or breaks through entirely, which is a significant safety risk for everyone in the vehicle, as well as other drivers on the road.
Though there are many DIY windshield repair kits on the market, it’s a better idea to rely on our automotive glass professionals at ABS Auto Glass, where we have both the knowledge and know-how to give our customers a proper evaluation of damaged auto glass and make sure the repair or replacement is done correctly. For more information or to schedule an appointment, give us a call at 215-664-8397 (Bensalem, PA) and 609-526-3278 (Trenton, NJ) or fill out a contact form through our website today.