What are different windscreen crack types ?

Windscreen chips are among the most typical automotive issues that leave a car driver confused because of the effect on the critical vision area. This question mostly rises from why should I repair my windscreen chip to why are the repair chips or cracks not invisible?   Windscreen cracks spread at a startling rate. When it comes to preventing the spread of windscreen crack on your car, you must act quickly. When you walk over even the tiniest of bumps, the crack can spread like wildfire. So, how can you avoid a shattered windscreen?

Beyond just glass repair are some things you should consider quickly, so let’s dive into the discussion properly. 

What are Windscreen Chips?

Windscreen chips are unattractive cracks and chips in the glass caused by an object flying through the air, excess resin, and striking it. Depending on the damaged area on the windscreens, there are many various sorts of damage, some of which are easier to repair than others.

Small chips or cracks are most commonly caused by fast-moving stones, rocks, or gravel striking the screen. This can happen when the debris is flung up and across the road by other vehicles’ tires or when things are thrown up and across the road by a car traveling oppositely. Small boulders can fall from trucks carrying loose construction material and land on the glass, chipping it. Although the sound of a large pop on impact may be difficult to detect, most drivers are usually alerted.

A heavy hailstorm can also generate chips. You know that moment when you drive along minding your own business and repeated hits of huge rock-like hail pelt your windshield, causing multiple chips. However, more infrequently as the chips are, driving with a large crack or damaged windscreen can be dangerous, and funnily enough, it is against the law.

Types of Windscreen Cracks and Chips

As you are thinking about whether to repair or replace your windscreen due to chips, you should familiarize yourself with the various types of windscreen damage for easy identification.

Here are common windscreen damage you should know;

Half-moon break

A half-moon (also known as a partial bullseye) is a semi-circle that forms when a circular object collides. The damage resembles a bullseye, but it is not quite circular. Therefore, a Half Moon is unlikely to crack, and it can be easily restored.

Bullseye

Bullseye breaks are called after a dartboard’s bullseye. They are generated by a rock or other object that causes round damage to the outer layer of the glass, usually with a cone. It looks like a chip, but it’s bigger. If caught early enough, this type of damage can easily be corrected.

Stress Crack

A crack that develops without anything striking the glass, usually due to extreme temperature changes, such as a very cold automobile being abruptly heated or a hot car being suddenly chilled. For example, after sitting in the sun, removing ice with hot water, or turning on the air conditioning. Cracks in the windscreen are usually always straight and originate at the edge.

Star Break

Small cracks radiate from the point where the object collides with the glass, forming a starburst pattern. If a star break isn’t repaired right away, it can lead to a slew of large cracks across the windscreen.

Edge Cracks 

The most common sort of crack is this one. The outer two to three inches of windscreens have stress faults due to how they are constructed and placed, making them more sensitive to fractures. Edge cracks begin within two inches of the windscreen edge, and even small fractures can grow to be ten to twelve inches long.

Combination Break

This results in a variety of chips and cracks in the windscreen. It’s a combination of bullseye and star breaks, resulting in considerable damage and missing glass shards. Even with today’s technology, repairing the harm is challenging.

Now that you know the types of windscreen repairs, I know the most important question you are about to ask yourself: Can my windscreen chip be repaired safely with no visible patches.

I got you right? Yeah

Apparently, a chipped or cracked windscreen that has been mended will never be completely invisible. The amount of dirt that has entered the damaged region determines how visible the crack or chip in the windscreen is, which is why It’s critical to get your windshield repaired as soon as possible. If left ignored, a minor chip could grow into a big break, requiring the replacement of the entire windscreen! Windscreen replacements will cost you extra money in terms of both time and money. It’s also crucial to have your windscreen repaired to prevent further damage. When there are pebbles or other debris on the road, a windscreen with a small hole may not be able to provide the protection you require.

It would be best if you understood that the windscreen is a safety component in the event of a collision. In an accident, a cracked windscreen might jeopardize your safety, and that’s no laughing matter.

Windscreen repair kits will suffice if the crack or chip is smaller than the size of a quarter. Windscreen repair kits will stop stone chips or cracks from spreading around the vehicle glass, but it won’t fix the damage, and to repair a cracked windscreen isn’t extremely expensive.

Which cracks and chips can be safely repaired on your windscreen?

Generally, Most vehicles with small chipped windscreens can be fixed, and the advantage of having these repaired as soon as possible is that it prevents the chip from spreading and maybe becoming a huge crack.

A chip or crack greater than 16mm in diameter must be professionally repaired by law if they penetrate more than one layer of glass in a laminated windscreen or obstruct the critical vision area. The same is true for cracks that are greater than 150mm in length.

The repair must be practically invisible to the driver to avoid distracting them while driving. So, if you can’t fix your windscreen to the point where it’s almost undetectable, you’ll have to replace it.

The issue could be the windscreen has several chips or cracks. If a chip or crack spreads to the windscreen edge, it can’t be repaired, and the entire windshield must be replaced.

A stress crack without an impact point is the same. It needs to be replaced rather than fixed.

Conclusion

For your safety, you should make sure to repair your auto glass or car’s windshield immediately you notice a chip or crack.  Also, you might need to do window tinting after a repair to save you from direct sunlight or UV light.

At Windscreen & Tint Blacktown, we specialize in auto glass repairs for all kinds of damage. Our experts will advise you on the windscreen chip repair cost-effective and safe method of repair to ensure that where possible, a repair is undertaken on your car rather than a full windscreen replacement which means getting a new windscreen.

However, if a windscreen replacement for your vehicle glass is required to restore the integrity of your vehicle, we will give you a warranty that will take care of your safety issue. In addition, we can liaise directly with your insurer to make sure you aren’t left out of pocket. So get in touch today to find out more details for a full replacement.