Windshield repair is done by thoroughly cleaning the damaged area of all dirt and moisture. Then, a strong resin is injected into the damaged area of the windshield.

The resin bonds with the windshield glass and halts the damage from getting any worse. In most cases, the damage is not completely invisible, but rather a slight scarring can be seen in the glass and if you focus on the area, there will be a slight distortion. The key to having a repair done is to have it done quickly, soon after the chip or crack occurs in your windshield.

Failure to fix your windshield crack or chip promptly will likely result in the chip or crack extending across the entire windshield or filling with dirt and moisture, making it too difficult to repair and thusly requiring a replacement.

If you notice a small chip or crack in your windshield that looks like a bull’s-eye, or a small crack and it is not located directly in the field of the driver’s vision, then it’s likely possible to have the chip repaired instead of replacing your whole windshield.

Most insurance companies will waive the deductible on your auto glass insurance coverage to have the windshield repaired instead of replacing it. A quality auto glass repair shop will ask you a variety of questions about the chip or crack to determine if it can be repaired or not.

It’s important to remember that windshield repair is structurally sound, and is an environmentally safe process; however it will not return your windshield to its former pre-chipped condition. There will be some slight scarring and distortion where the windshield repair was done, so if the chip or break is in your field of vision, it is not recommended to repair it, but rather replace the windshield.

Thus, only some types of breaks and chips can be repaired – long, spidery cracks in your windshield can not be repaired and you will have to replace the windshield. However, small chips and some small cracks can be repaired, which is why it is so important to have your windshield crack or chip repaired as soon as possible, to avoid spreading of the damage and resulting in the need for windshield replacement.

If you need to have your windshield replaced, find a quality auto glass replacement shop in Houston to do the work. You are not required to use the glass replacement shop that your insurance company prefers in most places.

When your windshield has been replaced, find out how long your vehicle needs to remain stationary to allow the adhesive to cure properly – this can be as short as one hour or as long as eight, depending on the humidity, temperature and weather conditions.

Most auto glass repair and replacement shops offer both in house and mobile services, however if the weather is poor, common sense says that in house replacement or repair is best.

Most auto glass insurance policies will cover windshield repair with no deductible being required by you. This helps to offset the cost to the insurance company of paying for a windshield to be replaced.

Breaks in a windshield can often be repaired because they are made with laminated glass, to prevent shattering. However, most side windows are not made with laminated glass and should be replaced if damaged instead of repaired.

Catching a break or chip in your windshield quickly is important – if you don’t have it replaced soon, the crack or chip will grow and extend across your entire windshield, rendering it impossible to fix and replacement becomes necessary.

Check with your insurance company to see if repairs are covered for your windshield and how much it will cost you to replace your windshield (your deductible amount).

Compare the cost of the deductible plus your premiums to determine if replacing your windshield through your insurance policy is worth the rise in premiums or not. Some windshields can cost thousands of dollars to replace, while others are only a couple of hundred.

1. Tire Wrench, angled or cross type is always a must. But sometimes service shops over tighten the nuts on the wheels that regular physical strength can’t loosen. You will need a length of pipe that the handle of an angled tire wrench fits into it, or, a length of steel bar for a cross wrench. That will make un-doing the nuts easier and with less effort.

2. Spare tire. You had a flat and only to find out that it has gone way below normal pressure. Many rarely check a spare tire’s pressure! A portable electric pump is a must if not a foot pump. Foot pumps are more reliable for me.

3. Fuel Container. A mile or more before the next gas station your runs out of fuel. It is always handy to have an empty gallon container to help you get some gas. You could also use it in case radiator water level is low or when the car overheats.

4. Basic Tools: Mechanical and long-nose electrical pliers, flat-end and cross-end (Philips) screwdrivers, vise-grip, hammer, adjustable wrench, a complete set of combination box-and-open wrench, metal file, jumper cables, scissors, cutter, hacksaw blade and knife. If possible a set of Allen and star keys.

5. Tire chucks. This is very important especially when your handbrakes don’t hold well on steep roads. Also when you need to replace a flat tire.

6. Tow rope or chain. When you need to have your car towed and no tow service is available, a Good Samaritan will always be willing to tow your car as long as you have something to use.

7. Rags and hand cleaner. After doing some greasy or dirty job to make the car run, you hardly want to use your greasy or dirty hands to handle anything in the car.

8. Hand-held pump spray with water mixed with a few drops of hair shampoo. You’re caught inside the car with strong rain. Your air-conditioning unit fails or there is none and the windshield demister does not work. Spray the mixture and spread it even with your bare hands on the insides of your car windows and that guarantees clear vision until you get to where you are going. Duplicate car keys in your wallet or purse. You never can tell when you might misplace or lose your cars keys.

9. Vanity mirror. This has always been neglected but always of good help. Helpful for not needing to kneel or slide under a car to check on what could be wrong.

10. Troubleshooting lamp. A flashlight is only good for a short period until the batteries run out. A troubleshooting lamp that you could plug into your cigarette lighter or clamp onto battery terminals will do a better job. If your flashlight is one that self charges by hand pressing then it would also do the job.

11. A generous coil of small gauge galvanized wire, insulated wire and nylon rope. These will help in holding just about anything that comes loose while driving until a good fix is done. Blown out fuses could be temporarily solved by stripping off an insulated wire and use a small length as a replacement.

12. A small container that contains various sizes of screws, washers, nuts and various lengths of nail. These could be remedies or temporary fixes that could get you to a service shop or where ever you are going.

13. Funnel and at least 3 feet of rubber or fuel hose. This will make getting fuel from a container to your tank more convenient and safer from spillage. A good Samaritan vehicle might even allow you to siphon some fuel to get you to the next station.

14. Early Warning Device or Portable Flasher. This would come in handy when stalled in the middle of a road that has no shoulder and at night time, especially along highways. A safety measure so oncoming vehicles are forewarned.

15. Car Fire Extinguisher cannister.

16. A sheet of Clear Plastic larger than your windshield, duct tape, masking tape and electrical tape. Many emergency situations can be saved by these things.

17. Spare or reconditioned electrical fuel pump and fuel filter especially for vehicles that has some years in them. 18. Spare bulbs for headlight, signal or indicator lights, brake and tail lights.

19. Some reading material when there’s nothing you can do except wait for the towing service. Funny but this will get some stress relieved while waiting.

Now a days the cost of replacing a windshield can be very costly. It is not unheard of that the cost can approach $1000.00 very fast. This does not include windshields in buses or other large trucks IE Dumptrucks,18 wheelers and Shuttle buses.Living on the Big Island of Hawaii Sure does have it’s challenges the main one of which is the heavy big truck traffic and all the long time road construction that leads to many cracked and chipped windshields.

Windshields and the Role they Play Now

Double Duty From now On!

You see the role of the windshield has changed a lot in the last few years.Windshields are no longer just a piece of protective glass you know. These days with the addition of XM Radio,Phones,Satalite navigation and all windshields play many more roles than they used to. Windshield replacement for some cars is just plain old outrageous.

Windshield repair is is not only way less expensive it is also very eco friendly as compared to the huge ammount of waste and energy that is expended to make and to dispose of the glass used in all the new windshields.

Windshield repair is more than likely covered in you insurance policy. Auto glass repair and auto glass replacement are covered under most policies Insurance Companies usally waive the deductable when you elect to have the glass repaired.Windshield repair is also less expensive to the insurance company than windshield replacement.

Free windshield repair is for chips and cracks
is a very real possibility. Insurance rates will climb as you make claims to your policy.This is one of the main reasons that it is better to repair the windshield than to replace the windshield. Insurance companies prefer the repair at about $50.00 verses the replace at possibly 5-15 times that.