Windscreen and Glass Repairs

In the event you have a stone chip or crack on your windscreen what can you do?

Gone are the days when any damage to your windscreen meant that a new screen would automatically need to be fitted! There is now the real opportunity for a full repair to be carried out at a fraction of the cost of a new windscreen.

Windscreens are not only there for the obvious, providing wind and weather protection to you and your passengers, but actually make up a proportion of the overall strength of the vehicle.

In some cases the windscreen will make up to 30% of the cars frontal strength. Most modern repairs restore your windscreen to its original strength so not only giving you clear vision but also making sure the glass retains its full benefits in terms of its strength.

In most circumstances your screen can be repaired but in certain situations either due to the size or the location of the chip a new screen may be required.

A useful tip is get expert advice as soon as you can to see if the damage incurred is repairable,and to make sure the repair is carried out as soon as possible. If you have a crack they can very easily spread relatively quickly,rendering a repair impossible and therefore increasing your costs significantly.

In the event your vehicle is on a Contract Hire agreement even with full maintenance it is unlikely damage to your windscreen will be covered. Most Contract Hire companies will consider windscreen damage to be accidental damage and therefore not covered. You may find your Car Leasing company will have a list of approved and preferred repairers to use, best to contact your account manager for further information.

As the MOT is generally where the windscreen is first 'officially' inspected then it is useful to know what you should look out for

The drivers view must not be impaired.

The windscreen must be free of cracks and damage, small scratches and chips are acceptable so long as they are not obscuring the drivers view.

In the critical areas of vision which is approximately 29cm wide and any cracks or chips in this area must not exceed a diameter of 10mm.

The other area for consideration for the MOT inspector is the area of the windscreen that the windscreen wipers come into contact with. Within this area the any damage must not exceed a diameter of 40mm. It is also worth pointing out where there is damage to the screen this can cause excessive wear to the wiper blades and result in poor vision.

Door glass and rear screen repairs can also be carried out by most repairers.

It is also important that any damage to any of your glass areas is addressed before returning your vehicle to the Contract Hire,Car or Van leasing provider at the end of the contract to ensure you do not receive any refurbishment costs. Contract Hire companies will not necessarily opt to repair the glass but automatically replace it, therefore incurring you additional costs and very often a administration fee for the privilege

As you would expect there are many excellent Windscreen and Glass repairers in the market most of whom provide a mobile repair service and will be happy to come to your home, car park or office. These repairers in many circumstances will also be able to bill directly to your insurance company, which not only saves you time but money as well.