What You Should Know About The Auto Glass Repair Process
Do you own a vehicle with a chip or crack in the windshield? Are you worried about being pulled over and getting a ticket but you don't think you can afford to have your windshield replaced right now? While windshield replacement is a good option for many people, it may not be necessary for you. A professional auto glass repair shop may be able to take care of the issue. But before you make any plans, you may want to know what the repair process might entail. Here are some of the steps that can be taken by the shop:
Clean & inspect damage: While many chips and cracks in a windshield can be easily repaired by a professional, there are still some that cannot be fixed. If you have cracks that cover the majority of your windshield or are extremely deep and have extensive pitting, then auto glass repair may not be possible for a variety of reasons. While auto glass repair can fix and stabilize smaller cracks and chips, it may not be sufficient to preserve the structural integrity of the glass when there is a larger amount of damage. The repair technician will be able to tell you whether or not your windshield can be safely repaired or if you'll have to replace it after all.
Inject resin into damaged areas: If the repair technician says that your windshield is a good candidate for auto glass repair, his or her next step will be to inject resin into any cracks or divots in your windshield glass. At this point, if you're watching closely, you may start wondering whether this repair will work. When liquid, the resin may look like ordinary water, and as it flows into the damaged areas, you might not initially notice much difference. But as it cures, the resin should start to take on the optical properties of the glass itself. Unless you know exactly where to look, there should be very little, if any, evidence of the repaired damage.
Polish & clean again: Once the resin has cured for a sufficient amount of time, sometimes in a matter of minutes depending on the resin used, the auto glass repair technician will inspect the repaired area. If needed, he or she will buff or polish the repaired area and clean it once again. If you had a large bulls eye chunk missing from the glass, almost too big to be repaired, the technician will often give special attention to the edges of the repaired area. This is where, no matter how carefully the repair is performed, some of the resin may initially be just a little too thick or otherwise be more obvious than necessary. If this is the case, the technician will buff and polish the resin in order to feather out the edges and make the repair disappear into the glass.
