How to Repair a Windshield Chip
Chipped windshields may look fine for some people, but a damaged windshield can be very dangerous during an accident or even for daily driving. Once your windshield gets chipped or damaged, you need to take all the necessary steps to repair it. Here’s how you can repair a chipped windshield.
Why Repair a Chipped Windshield?
The structural integrity of a windshield depends on how whole the surface is. Most windshields are made from reinforced laminated glass, which means that the windshield would not shatter in different directions in the event of a crash or an accident. Yet like almost all laminated glass materials, a single chip or crack in the windshield can damage the entire structure over time with small minute cracks that develop into big ones. To assure the safety and security of you and your passengers, you need to repair chips in your windshield if you are not able to afford to replace the whole thing.
Tools
Windshield repair kits can be found in almost every auto supply store. The repairing agent is a clear resin that can be applied to the hole or dent made by the chip. The resin bonds with the surrounding glass and laminate, and provides a quick fix to prevent cracks from spreading and to prevent further damage to the windshield.
Aside from the repair kit, you also need the following tools:
Hand-held rotary cleaning tool
Squeegee
Soap and water
Steps
Clean the windshield with soap and water and a squeegee.
windshield chip
Use the rotary cleaning tool to clean out the dent and remove as much of the debris. You should make sure that the hole is deep enough to hold resin, and that there are no rough spots that could cloud up the resin once it sets. Make sure that the area is absolutely clean to prevent the resin from clouding up and looking translucent.
Inject the right amount of resin into the hole. If you inject excess resin, carefully even out the lump.
Apply the stickers provided for in the kit at the back of the chipped area, and cover the exposed resin with the other sticker.
Allow the resin to cure for at least an hour, although it’s best to allow the resin to cure overnight.
Remove the stickers, and clean the windshield.
Windshield replacement can be quite expensive and time consuming. Repairing chipped windshields with a kit can help you save a lot of money in replacement costs.