When you get a windshield chip repair, you may expect a perfect, unblemished windshield as the result. If you have never had your windshield repaired, you may very well have this vision, but — sadly — no windshield chip repair ever returns your glass to factory perfect. We do come pretty close, but understanding what the process is will help you understand why it can not be flawless.
Windshield chip repair is a process of filling in the chip with a material that hardens to the same approximate durability as your glass. However, the resin used to fill in the chip does not blend invisibly with the glass. It comes pretty close, and what you have left of the original chip is quite small, and sometimes unnoticeable unless you know exactly where to look for it. However, it cannot disappear completely because the resin doesn’t become glass.
If you have a larger chip, the repair will be more visible, and a smaller one is less so.
If you wonder what size of chip can be repaired, look for chips that are not larger than a quarter and not within an inch of the edge of the windshield, where it meets the vehicle frame.
You will likely need to replace your windshield if the chip is too large or so close to the edge that it weakens the seal of the glass. You may also choose to replace your windshield rather than repair your windshield if the windshield is already sufficiently pitted from long wear that it scatters light when you are driving directly into a sunset, sunrise, or oncoming headlights.
And if you can not see the road during rain at night because the water and light scatter the light too much, you likely have an old, pitted windshield that needs replaced.