Most people have no idea that cracks, chips and scratches in windshield glass can be repaired and restored to new again at a huge savings over replacement. It is a proven fact that windshield scratches, nicks and chips can cause added glare and increase or add blind spots while driving. A windshield must be free of any imperfections caused by road debris as it will greatly impede vision and driver safety. Many windshield problems like cracks, scratches and nicks can easily be fixed or repaired without replacement.
Windshield repair was started as a sideline business and has grown into a nationwide aftermarket and additional service. It can be found at almost every used car dealership. There are outside crews that provide services like windshield repair, scratch and paint, headlight repair and restoration and paintless dent removal. All you have to do is ask a used car salesperson or the used car manager about it. If they don't have someone there ask whom they would recommend. All used car dealers use windshield repair instead of replacement, especially since the average windshield replacement is now over $400 and the average windshield repair is only around $25.
Windshield repair may even be free as your insurance company may wave the deductible if you go with a repair instead of a replacement. It saves them lots of money and it improves your driving safety. A windshield repair when professionally done is just as safe as a new or replaced windshield. It also looks a million times better.
Basically a windshield repair squeezes acrylic resin into the blemish by a vacuum that seals out air and moisture. It is then exposed to UV light which hardens the resin and it dries to a crystal clear. When properly done most repairs cannot even be seen by a trained eye and it will stop the spreading or worsening that usually occurs with most cracks. Most small blemishes like nicks, scratches, and cracks can be repaired. Long or spidered cracks that can cover the whole windshield cannot be economically fixed and the integrity of the windshield glass is gone so repair would be futile. A trained windshield repair technician could easily tell you if your windshield is repairable or not.
Scratches are a little different. They will use a glass polishing kit which is made only for glass. This will grind the glass level to the bottom of the scratch and then through different grades of glass polish optical clarity will be brought back. As a final step the best detailers will wax the glass for you. This, when properly done, will have a better effect at removing water and rain then advertised window treatments and it lasts ten times longer (waxing the glass also stops squeaky windshield wipers).
Windshield repair should be professionally done and is beyond the scope of most weekend home repair jobs. Due to its effect on your vision and driving safety and being that the price is only around $25 it is best to see a technician trained in windshield repair.
