How Long Until a Chip in Your Windshield Becomes a Crack?

As you travel down the highway, you begin to shift to the left lane to pass a large truck. Then, a loud crack fills the car as a rock is thrown from the truck wheel onto the center of your windshield. The rock chips the glass and leaves a small crack. You’re glad it wasn’t more serious and decide the small damage isn’t disrupting your view of the road so you put off auto glass repair for a few days.

Unfortunately, even that small amount of time is all your windshield needs for the chip to splinter into larger cracks. What is now a repairable chip can soon make your vehicle undrivable. In most states, operating a vehicle with a crack or damage that obstructs the driver’s view can leave you with a traffic citation.

Causes of Windshield Chips

A chip in your windshield can come from a number of factors, including, motor vehicle accidents, fallen trees or branches, hail storms, foreign objects hitting your car like deer or birds, vandalism, and theft. Regardless of how the chip occurs, it’s important to get it repaired right away. Waiting even a short amount of time allows the chip to splinter, causing large cracks.

Different environmental factors could cause the chip to become a crack within hours.

• Temperature: When it is hot or cold outside, your windshield or other auto glass will expand and contract. This change in the glass can cause the chip to grow. Cold temperatures at night or sitting in the steamy parking lot all day will make the damage more severe.
• Vibrations: When you drive your vehicle, it vibrates. Driving along bumpy roads or hitting potholes can rattle your windshield and expand the crack.
• Dirt: If dirt or dust enters the small chip in your auto glass, the resin often used to repair the damage may not be effective. Taking your vehicle to an auto glass repair shop when the damage first occurs will ensure dirt doesn’t disrupt the repair process.

Contact Diamond Auto Glass if your windshield is damaged. Our professional team will help you with your windshield and auto glass needs, and always provide you with a free estimate.