A rock hits your windshield on the highway and leaves a small chip. Can it be repaired, or do you need a whole new windshield? Every chip is different, but there are a few simple rules that decide it. Here’s how to tell, what a repair can and can’t do, and why it’s almost always worth trying a repair first.
The fifty-cent-piece rule
If the chip is smaller than a fifty-cent piece, we can usually repair it. That covers most bullseyes, small star breaks and combination breaks. Long cracks, or damage bigger than a fifty-cent piece, usually mean a replacement.
What a chip repair actually does
The main goal of a chip repair is to keep the chip from cracking out and turning into a replacement. We fill the chip with resin and cure it, which bonds the glass and seals out dirt and moisture so the damage stops spreading.
A repair won’t make the chip disappear. The overall visibility of the blemish usually goes down by about 50%. You’ll still be able to find the spot if you look for it, but it’s sealed and stable.
When a chip means a new windshield
- It’s bigger than a fifty-cent piece, or it has already spread into a crack.
- It’s in the driver’s direct line of vision. If you’re going through insurance, your insurance company will usually want a windshield with damage in the driver’s line of sight replaced rather than repaired.
- The windshield has already had several repairs. Once a windshield has had three chip repairs, it should be replaced instead of repaired again.
Can the windshield break during a repair?
Damaged glass is unpredictable. Any time equipment touches a chipped windshield, there’s a small chance the glass could break, no matter who does the repair. With Magic Glass, it happens less than 1% of the time.
That’s why we back our repairs with a guarantee: once we repair a rock chip, we guarantee the glass won’t break from that original damage. If it does, the cost of the chip repair goes toward a replacement. So there’s really no downside to trying a repair first.
Why you shouldn’t wait
A chip is under stress every time you hit a bump or the temperature changes. A cold morning with the defroster on, a hot afternoon with the A/C blasting, or a pothole can all turn a small chip into a crack across the windshield. The sooner a chip is repaired, the better the odds it stays a small, inexpensive fix. Just got hit? Here’s what to do after a rock hits your windshield.
What about insurance?
Many policies with glass coverage pay for chip repair, and a repair costs far less than a new windshield. We work with any and all insurance companies, and our dedicated insurance specialist can help with the claim. No glass coverage? Ask us for a cash price. See how a windshield insurance claim works.
Common questions
How long does a chip repair take?
Most chip repairs take less than an hour, and you can drive right away.
Can you repair the chip where my car is parked?
Yes. Our mobile service can repair chips at your home, workplace, farm or job site.
Will I be able to see the chip after the repair?
Yes, a little. The blemish usually becomes about 50% less noticeable, but it won’t disappear. The goal is to stop it from spreading.
What if my chip turns into a crack anyway?
If the glass breaks from the original damage we repaired, the cost of the chip repair goes toward your replacement.
Get your chip looked at
Magic Glass repairs chips at our shops in Lafayette, IN, Champaign, IL and Danville, IL, or wherever your vehicle is with our mobile service. Learn more about windshield chip repair, see windshield replacement if the damage is too big, or request a quote and a real person from your local shop will call you back.