This post is the fifth in a series on the basics of auto glass, auto glass repair, and mobile windshield replacement. If you haven’t read parts 1-4 yet, I recommend you do before continuing.

Types of windshield damage (continued)

Crack ships

Now that we’ve covered several types of chips and cracks, you might think the so-called “crack chip” is confusingly named, and for good reason. While a crack chip is a crack (no material is missing from the windshield in this type of damage) it’s a small crack – one that can be covered by a quarter. Chip cracks can typically be repaired rather than replacing the windshield, as long as they don’t touch the edge and there aren’t too many of them in the windshield.

Long cracks vs. short cracks

Generally speaking, short cracks are those less than 6 inches long and long cracks are longer than 6 inches. In the past, repairing long cracks was impossible – a long crack meant it was time to replace the windshield. However, with improvements in windshield repair technology, there are now some cases where long cracks can be repaired. However, if road debris gets stuck in the crack, if the crack includes chip damage, or if the crack reaches the edge of the windshield, the windshield will need to be replaced.

Getting your windshield repair or mobile windshield replacement done the right way

We’ve covered the importance of a strong windshield, and we’ve covered various types of windshield damage. So, when windshield damage happens, what’s the next step? Unfortunately, not all windshield repairs and replacements are created equal. Windshield repair and replacement are complex processes, and there are plenty of areas where an unscrupulous repair shop can cut corners. At Chapman Auto Glass, we use the best materials and techniques currently available in the industry.

Check back soon for Welcome to the Chapman Auto Glass Blog, Part 6! In the meantime, check out our page on mobile windshield replacement.