Your auto glass keeps debris from flying into your face, but it also is an integral part of the overall safety of your car. Every single time that you climb into your car, turn the ignition, and drive off you are putting a lot of trust in your own capabilities but also your car. You want to be as safe as possible, and driving with a cracked windshield is not going to be as safe as possible. Here are just a few ways to know if you need to have a windshield replaced, or if a simple repair will do. 

Size & Depth 

You are driving along and out of nowhere a loud crack. You look at your windshield and see a nice chip. There are times when a rock chip can be repaired. It depends on the size of the chip and the depth of the chip. You may want to go to your local auto glass experts and see what they suggest. Usually if the chip is smaller than a nickel they will be able to repair the windshield. If the chip has many small cracks extending from the center of the chip you may find yourself needing to get a new windshield.

Line of Sight

No matter how big or small a chip or crack is if it blocks your line of sight, it is time to get a new windshield. Your vision is something that is absolutely imperative when it comes to safety. You would never drive with your eyes partially closed. So there is no reason to ever drive with a crack blocking your vision. Even the smallest of chips if in your line of sight can distort your vision. Driving is likely to be the most dangerous thing that you do today. Do not make it more dangerous by driving with a field of vision that is compromised.

Length of Cracks

Once you have a chip in your windshield it is important to get it repaired as soon as possible, if it can be repaired. If you wait to long small particles of dust can get into the chip and make it very difficult for the chip to be repaired. Eventually from that chip you will start to see cracks extending. If you have a crack that is longer than three to four inches the odds are that you had better replace the windshield because the integrity of your windshield is gone. 

To learn more, contact an auto glass repair company.

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