Windshield Repair Process

1. Windshield Damage Assessment

Upon their arrival, the technicians will first examine the extent of damage done to the windshield of the car. Proper assessment is crucial to find the ideal solution to the chip or crack in the auto glass. If the damage is severe, repair will not fix the problem. In that case, the technicians will need to remove the broken windshield and replace it with a new one with a high degree of precision.

The assessment involves taking four key factors into account:

a) Size of Damage:

All damages are not repairable. The size of the chip or crack needs to be properly assessed. Small chips and cracks can be repaired. But large cracks will require a complete installation of a new windshield. Usually, chips of less than one inch diameter and cracks of less than six inches can be repaired. So, let the technician take some time to accurately examine the damage and find out what could be the ideal solution to fix the windshield damage.

b) Depth of Damage:

A windshield has three layers. The outer and inner glass layers are joined together with a PVB layer in between. The depth of damage will vary from one type of auto glass damage to another. Chips caused by low impact will usually damage only the outer layer. High impact can shatter the outer layer but it may not be able to penetrate the PVB layer. The depth of damage will help determine whether or not a repair is possible. Therefore, the auto glass technician will find out how deep the actual damage is and then proceed.

c) Location of Damage:

A front or rear windshield can sustain damage in any part of the windshield. It can be on the outer edge, in the middle, or spread out across the auto glass of the car, SUV, or truck. If the chip or the crack is located directly in the driver’s line of vision, repair will be difficult. Even if you take the repair route, it will almost be impossible to restore clarity of vision.

d) Amount of Damage:

Many times, the windshield sustains more than one chip or crack. While a small chip is usually repairable, a broken windshield with multiple small chips will be hard to repair. Likewise, more than one crack will need a complete replacement. The number of chips or cracks is a serious concern when it comes to determining whether the windshield needs a repair or replacement. In most cases, small damages can get worse simply because you ignored the problem. Always remember to seek professional help as quickly as you spot damage.

2. Windshield Repair Preparation

For windshield crack repair to begin, the area of damage needs to be prepared in a proper manner. Professional technicians follow all steps of the repair procedure to complete the job effectively.

It is crucial to hire only experienced auto glass technicians. If you get the repair job done by an ameatur, you will not get the desired quality of service. At the Magic Glass Repair in Austin, TX, our team of technicians follows the entire process in a professional manner so that there is no damage to other parts of the vehicle and the quality of repair is of high quality. The prep work involves detaching some parts of the vehicle as well as covering the hood of the car.

3. Windshield Cleaning

After preparation work has been done, it is next time to clean the area of damage. Unless the chip or the crack and its surrounding area on the windshield is cleaned, the repair work will not be successful. 

Whether it is a small chip or crack, the glass technician will clean it using various types of tools and products. The debris particles and the dirt and dust on the windshield should be cleaned in an effective manner. Not just that, the technician will pull out the air from inside the crack. If air or moisture remains trapped inside the damage, the repair will not be successful. Trained technicians carry out the cleaning process in a way that doesn’t cause any more scratches on the screen. So, you should always rely on highly trained and qualified technicians who have several years of experience in performing the repair of a broken windshield.

While you have technicians from the Magic Glass Repair by your side, you can feel confident that the damaged or cracked windshield will be done in a proper manner to ensure a successful repair.

4. Application of Glass Resin

The next step is to inject glass resin into the chip or crack. This is a task that requires a great deal of precision.

Once the area of chip or crack has been fully cleaned, the technician will be ready to apply glass resin. Glass or windshield is a special type of resin technicians use to repair a small chip or crack. What is crucial is to inject the resin in a way that it reaches every part of the damaged area. If there is an imperfection in the injection of the resin, the quality of repair will be poor. The technician uses a tool to apply the resin and then heats up the resin so that it hardens.

5. Curing of Resin

Once the glass resin is skillfully injected, it requires time to cure. Glass resin has the property of hardening on being heated. So, the technician will use a heating tool to get the job done. In a repair, technicians use ultraviolet light to heat up and solidify the auto glass resin till it hardens.

6. Removal of Excess Resin

The job is not over after the injected glass resin has hardened. The extra resin will now need to be removed.

The goal of repairing a chip or crack is to restore the previous clarity of vision. After the glass resin has solidified, extra resin will remain in and around the area of damage. So, the glass technician will get rid of surplus resin to refine the quality of work. The excess resin will be removed and the area polished so that the repair work is completed and the windshield looks brand new again. Unless the repaired area is polished to a smooth finish, the process will not be over.

7. Done

The windshield repair process is now over. After cleaning the windshield once again, the technician will remove the hood cover. You are now ready to move out of the auto glass repair shop and hit the road.