Windshield Repair and Replacement
Experiencing damage to your car windshield can leave you feeling insecure and endangered out on the road. Even minor cracks and chips can impact visibility and cause a windshield to exhibit structural weaknesses that can leave passengers and drivers vulnerable in an accident. Glass Doctor® of Charlotte, MI, is your best option for windshield repair and replacement in the area. Our specialists will carefully gauge damage to your windshield to determine whether repair or replacement is appropriate to the situation.
Windshield Service Factors
While repairs are often simpler and more affordable means of fixing a damaged windshield in comparison to windshield replacement, damage could necessitate replacement depending on its size and extent. When deciding whether to repair or replace, specialists consider the following:
- Size of damage: If a chip is smaller than 3/8 inch, it can usually be repaired. However, larger chips and cracks that are longer than three inches cause enough structural damage and visibility interference on a windshield that the windshield needs to be replaced.
- Location of damage: When damage is located along the edge of a windshield, it is likely to become larger over time if the windshield is not replaced.
- Timespan since damage occurred: Windshield chips and cracks often spread if they are not repaired right after the damage occurs. Specialists from Glass Doctor of Charlotte will be more likely to recommend replacement if a considerable amount of time has elapsed since the damage.
We will communicate with your insurance company and find out if you are eligible for insurance coverage, but it's also a good idea for you to talk to a local agent regarding coverage before you bring your vehicle in to Glass Doctor of Charlotte, MI, for service.
Repairs on Car Windshields
Repairing chips and cracks on a vehicle windshield prevent them from spreading and are typically more affordable than windshield replacement. When possible, our specialists opt for windshield repair over replacement for the following reasons:
- Convenience of the repair process: Windshield repairs performed by our specialists are usually completed in an hour or less.
- Affordable cost: It's less expensive to have a windshield repaired than it is to have it replaced.
- Insurance coverage: Insurance companies often prefer windshield repair because of the lower costs.
- Sustainability: Repair restores the original windshield, keeping it out of a landfill.
When performing windshield repair, our specialists will clear away debris and prepare the windshield for the application of our repair resin. This resin is injected into the windshield where damage is present. Then, the resin is cured and polished.
Replacement of Car Windshields
The Auto Glass Safety Council has found that a vehicle windshield accounts for as much as 60% of the windshield's structural integrity during a vehicle rollover. Our specialists go through these steps when replacing a windshield:
- Specialists remove the damaged windshield while taking care to avoid damage to the vehicle that could increase risks of the development of leaks and corrosion.
- A proper replacement is found for the windshield that offers Original Equipment Equivalent (OEE) quality.
- Adhesives approved by the Auto Glass Safety Council™ (AGSC) are used to affix the new windshield.
- A one-hour drive-away time is observed so that the adhesive can cure.
- Glass Doctor of Charlotte offers a Windshield Protection Plan that offers coverage on windshield damage for 12 months after we provide service.
Taking care of windshield damage as soon as possible is important for maximizing safety. Thanks to our convenient scheduling, you can easily arrange an appointment with Glass Doctor of Charlotte, MI, so that you can get your windshield back in perfect condition. Contact us for more information on our repair and replacement services.