How To Determine When You Need Professional Windshield Replacement On Your Car Or Truck
The windshield glass in your car or truck is laminated with several sheets of safety glass and a sheet of polyethylene plastic between the sheets to help keep the glass from falling out of the window opening when it breaks. In many new vehicles, the windshield can play a structural role in the vehicle, and determining if your glass needs auto windshield replacement after damage occurs is essential.
Glass Damage
Windshield damage is often the result of a rock or object from the road hitting the glass while you are driving. The damage may start as a small chip that is not really in the driver's view and may not be a big deal. However, it is vital to keep an eye on chips and cracks because they often spread later and can eventually run across the windshield, making it difficult to see out of the windshield.
If the chip or crack in the glass starts to spider web or grow out from the impact area, you need to take the car to an auto windshield replacement shop and have it checked to determine if a repair is possible or if a windshield replacement is necessary. The repair shop can assess the damage for you, work up a quote for replacement or repair, then schedule a time to fix the glass, ensuring you can see out of the glass and the windshield is safe and secure.
Mobile Repair
If you can't take your car to an auto windshield replacement shop, you can have a mobile service come to your home or place of employment to assess the glass damage. Mobile glass repair services can make minor windshield repairs or replace the entire windshield without you having to come into the shop.
Mobile glass repair can be helpful for people who spend a lot of time on the road or are busy and can not get to the shop during business hours. The repair shop can instead come to you and provide the service necessary to ensure your windshield glass is safe and secure in the vehicle.
Most insurance companies cover mobile auto windshield replacement at the same rate they cover work done in the shop, and many mobile services do not charge much more to come to you, so the cost out of pocket does not change for glass repairs made in the shop or in your driveway. Keep in mind if you have a high glass deductible, it will be as high for mobile service as well, so check with the glass company about the insurance coverage if you plan to have the work covered that way.