Difference Between Windscreen Chip And Crack
Niki Wienberg
As the owner of a vehicle, you can only do so much to prevent windscreen cracks and chips. When small rocks, hailstones or debris damage your windshield, having a plan of action can help you stay calm and will hopefully save your windshield. Whilst windscreen cracks will always need repairing, it is important to first identify the type and severity of the damage to ease your mind and then evaluate what steps to take next. If most damages are identified immediately, technicians are generally able to save you some cash and repair the windscreen rather than having to undertake a replacement.
Edge cracks are often, but not necessarily all the time, caused by exposure to excessive heat. They may occur when the summer sun heats the metal and other materials surrounding the glass. This in return warms the edges of the windscreen whilst the middle stays slightly colder. Even the tiniest temperature differences can cause cracks to appear at the edges of the glass. It often starts with smaller cracks that quickly grow considerably large, at between 25-30 centimetres in length, which makes them a significant issue. A windshield with a significant edge will often have to e replaced entirely since edge cracks usually affect the seal of the windscreen.
Chips are the damage that occurs when a rock or other hard object causes a small piece of glass to come away from the windscreen. When this happens, a visible chip will be left behind, as well as the windscreen becoming unstable and unsafe.
Combination breaks are mostly the result of serious damage, such as an accident or severe impact to the windscreen (e.g., falling rocks and branches). Due to the sheer of number chips and cracks, replacing the windscreen is the more affordable option.
If the chip or crack has gone through all three layers of glass, it likely is unfixable. Even if it is just a small hole, it will be an area of weakness that undermines the strength of the entire windscreen.
In case of an accident, windshields/windscreens are made of laminated safety glass, which means they are constructed using two pieces of glass with a layer of vinyl in between. This design ensures that in the event of a break, the glass remains mostly intact, with the pieces sticking to the vinyl rather than scattering, thereby reducing potential injury.
The windshield (North American English) or windscreen (Commonwealth English except Canada) of an aircraft, car, bus, motorbike, truck, train, boat or streetcar is the front window, which provides visibility while protecting occupants from the elements. Modern windshields are generally made of laminated safety glass, a type of treated glass, which consists of, typically, two curved sheets of glass with a plastic layer laminated between them for safety, and bonded into the window frame.
A windscreen consists of a plastic layer sandwiched between two layers of glass. This arrangement helps to prevent the shattering of the glasses on the occurrence of any damages. Mostly, the chances of incidence of damage in the outer glass are higher than the inner one. Based on the type of damage or crack, the car glass repair Sydney has to be done.
The kind of cracks or chips developed is differentiated based on the place where the object hit the windscreen. A crack is developed as a chip expands. The following are the types of the most common types of a windshield crack and chips,
As for windscreen cover - depends on your own insurance companies cover. For a new windscreen they normally cover it though have an excess dependant on company, for a chip - often this is covered for free if you get it done - as it saves a payout on a full windscreen if the chip turns into a crack. I've always been with a company that pays out for chips (usually a fixed 50quid to the repairer - you don't even have to pay up front - just send them the invoice and its paid) - my windscreen cover is something like 50pounds excess.
In the UK you're can't use your cover for business unless you specifically get the insurance cover for that (Business class 1). You're not insured for business use otherwise. But to be perfectly honest the difference between 3rd party only and comprehensive isn't massive anymore. And business class 1 on top of that is negligible.
In the sue-crazy States, BIG difference between comprehensive and liability. Qualifying for a comprehensive claim is pretty rare. A tree has to fall on your car and/or someone steals your radio. Typically, they won't sell you just comprehensive either. It's usually packaged with medical, no-fault and under-insured.
My insurance this year for a Astra 1.4sxi (2010) was 280pounds - I am 35 and living in London. You can with some companies pay over 12 months but it costs more to do so. I've historically checked the difference between having and not having business class 1 - and in many cases it added 10-15 pounds to my premium which is virtually nothing, to make the car business use legal.
I'm sure the difference for me between tpft and fully comp was about 30% difference - tbh I don't even check these days. I no longer have Business class 1 as in London I don't need the car for work, but certainly given the car is worth about 5k I wouldn't consider less than fully comp as I could not afford to replace the car.
We asked our O'Brien AutoGlass team to share some of the most common factors as to how your windscreen chip could turn into a crack, as well as their top reasons why you should have your windscreen chip repaired ASAP.
Uneven roads can also cause issues. For example, the vibrations caused by driving on gravel roads, roads that are under construction, going over a speed bump or hitting a pothole could cause a bigger problem for your chipped windscreen. Even the slamming of a car door could be enough to cause further damage. Extreme vibrations and bumps can add to the stress that already exists at the point of a chip in your windscreen, which could result in a crack.
Storms can cause debris to fly, and things like small branches could be just enough to cause that chip to crack. And we all know the damage hail can do. So small or large hail stones can also cause additional damage, and not just to the windscreen.
Our professionally trained vehicle glass technicians have the experience and tools to fix a windscreen chip in about 30 minutes. This is in comparison to a full windscreen replacement which usually takes about 90 minutes to get done.
In addition, a chip repair is cheaper than a full windscreen replacement. When you consider the time and materials involved for both processes, a chip repair makes more sense when it comes to minimising costs. And the best thing is, if your car insurance includes cover for glass damage, you could get the repair done for free! But check with your insurance provider as each company is different.
Last but not the least, a chip repair is greener than a full windscreen replacement because it does not require a new piece of glass. A tiny vial of our special resin is used for a chip repair (together with our portable equipment), so the waste is minimal, fitting into the palm of your hand and weighing only a few grams.
On the left are types of chip damage that have not been repaired and you should be able to see a distinct difference in appearance. First, the grey and black colors within the break are bold meaning it stands out. Second, if you take a pointed sharp object to the shinny white area called the impact point (usually in the middle of the damage) and scrape you will hear a gritty sound and feel. If it has already been repaired, it would have a more smooth sound and a tacky or sticky feel. Now you can discern between previously repaired breaks (even if they are poorly done) and ones that need to be repaired.
More summertime travel means more cars on the road, leading to more broken windshields and auto glass. The more you are driving, the higher chance of a chipped or broken windshield due to an accident or debris hitting the glass. Even a small chip should be repaired as soon as possible, as it will quickly spread, especially with temperature fluctuations. Addressing the problem quickly could mean the difference between an easy repair and a full windshield replacement.
Did you know there are different types of chips and cracks that cause damage to your windscreen? Although they may appear the same on the surface, depending on the type of damage caused can decide how urgent it is to get the chip or crack fixed.
Most standard windscreen chips can be repaired simply and quickly. You will need to take your vehicle to an authorised repair centre where the chip will be checked for its size, depth and whereabouts on the windscreen it is located.
It may be safe to drive with a chip or crack in your windscreen, but equally, you may also be breaking the law - it all depends on the size of the chip or crack in question. As far as the law is concerned, a driver must have full view of the road ahead without it being impaired in any way.
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