Layers of Your Auto Glass Windshield

For safety reasons, the front windshield of your vehicle is required by law to be made of laminated glass. Therefore, a windshield consists of three layers: two sheets of regular auto glass, combined with a middle layer of plastic, known as PolyVinyl Butyral (PVB).

This middle layer of lamination holds the broken outer panes of glass together. In the event of an accident, this layer protects the occupants from dangerous glass shards.

Usually, when a rock hits the windshield, the damage doesn’t penetrate all three layers. This makes minor repairs much more manageable.

Assess the Damage

 ….to figure out if you need a Windshield Repair or Replacement

Fortunately, few car owners find themselves facing a completely damaged windshield, which usually results from major impact damage.

This type of damage can occur when a tree branch or a roof tile falls onto the glass, or when the vehicle is subjected to vandalism, exposing the glass to high force.

It’s important to remember that auto glass, in general, is fragile and susceptible to damage under such conditions.

Stone chips are the most common problem encountered with windshields. If a small stone chip isn’t addressed promptly, it can develop into a larger crack, eventually spreading across the entire windshield.

Fortunately, most minor chips and cracks can be repaired without having to replace the whole front windshield. In assessing the damage, there are four critical factors to consider:

• Damage type
• Size of damage
  
• Depth
• Location on the windshield

First Aid for a New Stone Chip: If a flying object has just hit your windshield and created a new stone chip, the best course of action is to clean the damaged area and cover it with a piece of see-through tape. This significantly increases the chances of a successful chip repair.

Next, book a windshield repair with your local technician.

How do Auto Glass Technicians Repair Windshield Glass?

Windshield repair is a meticulous process undertaken by skilled auto glass technicians.

5 steps to Windshield Repair, taking about 15-30 minutes

1) Inspection and Cleaning
2) Creating a Vacuum
3) Injecting Resin
4) Curing the Resin
5) Polishing

First, the technician thoroughly cleans the problem area of the windshield to remove any dust, moisture, or residue, as these can compromise the integrity of the glass. This cleaning is usually done with compressed air to ensure a pristine surface for repair.

The technician then carefully inspects the damage, considering factors like the size, type, and location of the crack or chip. Next, a special tool creates a vacuum over the damaged area. This step is essential for removing air and moisture and preparing the site for the resin injection.

The selected resin, designed to last your windshield’s lifetime but sometimes serves as a temporary solution before a replacement is required, is injected into the chip or crack.

The technician then uses ultraviolet light to cure or harden the resin, restoring the windshield’s structural integrity and preventing the damage from spreading.

The technician polishes the repaired area as the final step, blending it seamlessly with the rest of the windshield. In most cases, the repair is so precise that you sometimes won’t even be able to see the difference.

It’s important to note that certain windshield features can influence the feasibility of repairs.

Suppose your windshield has features like a heated windscreen, rain sensor, or ADAS systems (such as a windshield camera), and the damage is located in areas affecting these systems. In that case, the windshield may need to be replaced entirely.

Important Points Between Windshield Repair vs. Replacement:

• A windshield replacement is more expensive and takes more time than windshield repair.
• In most cases, a minor chip and crack take under an hour to repair. A windshield replacement, can in some cases, take a few hours (if an ADAS calibration is needed).
• Note, the key is to get rid of the crack as soon as possible. The longer you leave it without proper treatment, the higher the chances of the damage spreading and requiring a complete windshield replacement.
• Windshields are responsible for around 30% of the vehicle’s structural integrity. An incorrectly fitted windshield, or one with too many poor repair jobs, can have dangerous results in the event of an accident.
• Windshields play a vital role in airbag technology. A weak, damaged, or incorrectly fitted windshield can detach when an airbag deploys. The airbag will then inflate over the dashboard instead of protecting the occupant.
• In case that you’ve repaired chips on your windshield more than eight times, you’ll need a total windshield replacement.