4 Reasons to Have Rock Chips Repaired Right Away

Repairable windshield damage is addressed using a specialized resin. This resin fills the chip and, once it hardens, bonds with the original glass to create as smooth of a surface as possible. When repairs happen immediately, the restored portion will appear almost completely invisible.

If the chip is allowed to expand further across the glass or deeper into the windshield, the repaired portion may become more obvious. Not only can visible repairs be an eyesore, but depending on the placement of the damage, the glass warping caused by repairs could affect your line of sight while driving.

If the repair will cause dramatic changes to the appearance of the glass that is directly in front of the driver, your technician may recommend full replacement rather than repair, which can cost more and take longer to complete.

One of the reasons that rock chips tend to worsen the longer they are left unrepaired is due to the natural expansion and contraction of glass when the temperature fluctuates. Glass expands in hot weather and contracts in the cold.

As this process occurs, vulnerable areas in a pane of glass, such as an untreated rock chip, can spread. Your rock chip may turn into a crack or even a hole, especially if your area is currently experiencing summer or winter weather.

Automotive glass is designed to shatter but stay in place after large impacts. This design prevents many of the secondary injuries that could happen in an accident, like deep glass lacerations.

However, a rock chip changes the structural integrity of your windshield. If you leave a chip unrepaired, the glass is more likely to fall out of its frame if it shatters, potentially causing much more serious injuries in the case of an accident.

Additionally, the windshield accounts for approximately 30% of a vehicle's structural strength. If the windshield is undermined at the time of an accident, especially a rollover, the vehicle is more likely to cave in.

In the case of a rollover, the roof may not have adequate support to prevent crush damage to the vehicle and potential injuries to individuals in the cabin at the time.

Like temperature changes, glass vibration can encourage rock chips to turn into webs of cracks. Your windshield is subject to large amounts of vibration every time you turn your car on, even if you're only idling. Everyday drives can increase the pressure on the glass, especially if you travel at high speeds or pass over uneven terrain.

Once the resin used for repairs has hardened within a rock chip, the risk of the damage expanding during normal driving activity decreases substantially.

Whether your windshield sustains damage in daily traffic or a seasonal storm, visit an automotive glass specialist for repairs as soon as possible to reduce the risks associated with untreated rock chips as discussed above.

For comprehensive restorative automotive work, including windshield and window work, trust the professional team at Coats Auto Body & Paint.