Welcome to my blog. When I was a teen, I started dabbling with coloured glass and stained glass art. Later, I helped work on a number of houses, and my partner and I often changed the windows in those houses. Through that experience, I learned a lot about maintaining, protecting and repairing glass. Currently, I am not working on any projects, so I decided to create a blog full of the information I have learned about glass over the years. Whether you are an artist, a glass installer, a homeowner thinking about new windows or anyone else with a question or concern about glass, this blog is designed for you.
When your car's windshield has a crack or other damage, you may not need to just get it replaced. Often you can have the glass repaired by a specialty company or shop that may fill in a small crack or chip with a type of resin that dries clearly, so the glass is safe from further cracking and chipping. This isn't always possible, depending on the type of damage to the windshield and its overall size, but it can be cheaper and faster than having a new windshield installed. Note a few questions to ask before you think about getting your auto glass repaired by anyone.
1. Ask how long before you can safely drive your car
Typically, a repair job only needs a few minutes to complete, but the drying time for the resin that is added to chips and cracks will vary. This will be according to how much resin had to be added to a chip, the manufacturer's drying time, and the like. In many cases, you may be able to drive your car almost immediately, but in other cases, you may need to wait awhile at the repair shop for the resin to dry before taking your car back. Always ask to ensure you arrange your schedule accordingly.
2. Note if the chip or crack may become larger during the repair process
Because of the process of filling in a chip or crack, the damaged area may actually get larger during the repair process. However, the resin that is used is meant to keep the windshield from breaking or cracking. A larger chip or crack after your windshield has been repaired doesn't necessarily mean that the technician is at fault or that your windshield is more likely to break. Instead, the glass is safer against shattering and should pass inspections for safety.
3. Note if you need to remove stickers from your windshield
Depending on the area of the chip or crack, stickers that you have inside your windshield may be affected. The resin may go through the other side and adhere to the stickers if the chip or crack has made a hole in the windshield itself, and then they can't be removed. You may want to remove inspection stickers, oil change reminder stickers, and anything else you have on the inside of your windshield if these are in the area needing repair. A technician may tell you that the crack isn't so deep that these stickers will be affected, but it's good to ask.
For more information, contact a local glass repairs company.
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