Typical chips up to the size of a quarter are very repairable as long as the surface of the glass is reasonably smooth, not too crumbly from the impact. Larger than that is on a case by case basis.
Little Surface Nicks
Small nicks on the windshield that just take off the tiniest little surface of the glass (like the tip of a pin or pen) are typically just a surface hit that did not break the glass, therefore not repairable as there is no crack to inject the resin into to seal a crack. If there is any size crack, however small, that Is repairable and should have a repair service completed. With the right conditions, any size crack can spread to the size that is no longer repairable, and a replacement is required. If you see a small chip or crack in your windshield, do not hesitate to give us a call at 206-257-2244 to get it repaired as soon as possible.
We can typically repair crack lines up to 4-6″ in total length of damage, but are willing to attempt with reasonable success up to 8″ in length. We will not do cracks longer than 8″ as they often will just continue to spread due to the pressure on the glass and crack. Chips and cracks must be cool and completely dry for a good repair. If too hot, the resin will run out of the crack, and water and the resin do not mix. We will do our best to help you prepare your car for a cool/dry glass repair.
We say most chip damage will diminish in visibility up to about 50%, and depending on the damage, some almost completely, though you will likely still see that it was there. For longer cracks however, the crack lines do not disappear, often just darken so not as obvious, but still very visible. We attempt to help them diminish as much as possible, but the main goal is to keep them from spreading.
A repaired chip/crack may change in visibility with extreme hot or cold temperatures, this is a natural occurrence. Only if the crack lines start to grow again is the damage such that we may need to re-visit to assess.
Insurance and Repairs
With comprehensive coverage, most insurance companies will waive your deductible (large or small) to cover the cost of rock chip repairs, making it no out of pocket expense to you. That said, in most cases, not matter how many chips are on your window, they typically will only pay us for one repair, and even that is typically at a rate under the actual market value. Therefore, if we are billing insurance directly for repairs, for most insurance companies, we will only complete two rock chip repairs per insurance claim. If there are more than two chips to be completed, we ask the customer to pay the complete charge at the time of service and we will provide a paid receipt to submit for reimbursement. In most cases, the insurance company will reimburse you in full.
Presently, we provide All Mobile service for repairs and replacements. Though whenever possible, we are willing to extend our service area to complete repairs and replacements, we maintain a very strict service area for rock chip repairs. When scheduling, we will confirm timing and your location.
