Last year we were dry. This year we are setting records for rain fall. With now going on 3 weeks of rain every day it would be nice to see the sun for more than an hour or two. I have taken a lot of calls about individuals needing a chip repair and had to tell them to wait until it's dry. Unfortunately a number have been very upset to say the least.

In the windshield repair business, water is a bad word. Any water in a chip that has resin injected into it, creates irreversible problems to include.

Weaker Resin - If water is mixed with the resin, as in a chip that isn't dry the resin will be weak. Most likely it will fail.

Discolored - Another problem is it can cause even the best resin to change color over time. Again the only way then to correct the discoloration is windshield replacement.

For the repair person it also is a matter of safety. Besides that being out on the side of the road or in a parking lot, doing a repair can be a safety issue when it's dry. When you factor in rain and poor vision it's increased. Yeah, I have some who call wanting me to repair their windshield chip that they just got on the interstate shoulder; sorry I won't do that. After seeing videos of highway patrolmen being hit while writing a ticket, it's not worth the risk. That includes the guy who called from his cell phone, stating he needed a repair as he had just been hit, but had been lucky. As he had eased it on to the shoulder of I-40 near Sooner Road.

As a last note on this, I did a repair on a windshield that the vehicle had sat in a garage and was dry. When I went to clean his windshield after the repair, the glass cleaner just wouldn't completely dry. The customer said his air conditioner in his home had leaked and gotten the carpet wet; guess what he couldn't get it dry. That's just how bad it is.

Now then what can you do. Other than hope for dry weather, watch the use of the defroster. Do Not Sacrifice Your Vision And Safety, but only use enough heat to get the job done. What other choice do you have? Well if water is trapped in the chip during a repair, you'll need to replace the windshield. Just like you would if you hadn't repaired it at all.

Summer time when many take to the road on vacation. With the coming July 4, I thought of this as a good time to pass on some things you should consider doing before hand, along with a few items you should take.

Before you leave here's some things you can do to make traveling safer.

Windshield Washer Fluid - top off your windshield washer fluid reservoir. Don't use water, it's summer and you don't need to worry about it freezing, however plain water just won't clean off bug splats or road film. Keep in mind that come the fall you'll need to drain the water or when it freezes it most likely will crack the reservoir bottle.

Which is better, old blue washer fluid or the new windshield washer fluids that are designed to remove bugs. Personally I prefer old blue. I've tried some of the new insect removal washer fluids and found they didn't work any better, but they cost a lot more. Further come winter time they'll freeze, so you need to drain your reservoir and change fluids. Choose a washer fluid that has a low freeze point, the alcohol in it does a good job of removing bug splats.

CAUTION: Washer fluids that contain windshield treatments can contaminate a chip rendering the damage unrepairable.

Windshield Wiper Blades - Inspect them, if they're cracked, torn or bent, replace them. Don't forget the rear wiper blade if your vehicle has one.

I usually recommend replacing the blade rather than refilling them. Most times a worn frame can create a problem with a refill and that can scratch the glass. Many of today's cars and trucks use 2 different size wiper blades. Refills are sold in pairs, so many times you'll need 2 sizes, which means you'll have an extra set. If you're like me, in say a year when you need them you won't be able to locate them. Your best bet if you still choose to refill your blades is to use the same brand refill as the blades. Refills made by a different company may fit, but may not work as well or could come apart at a bad time. Remember if your wiper comes apart while in use, you most likely will have a scratched windshield.

If you install new blades save your receipt. If in a short time they break and scratch your windshield, some companies will repair or replace your windshield. 

Treat Your Windshield - Apply a windshield treatment like Rain-X or Aquapel. These products are easy to install and can dramatically increase your vision in the rain. If you hate a bug splattered windshield, these products make removal of retired insects from your windshield easy.

Tom's Traffic Tip Of The Day; by Tom Greenwood; The Detroit News; June 25,2007; reports by using one of these treatments you can increase the life of your wiper blades.

Which is better? I'm kind of prejudice since I have a link to Amazon for purchase of the Aquapel product. That said, I've used both products and they both work equally well. What I think tips the scale though is that I can go 6 months or more between treatments with Aquapel. Rain-X is different chemically and I can only get 4 to 6 weeks on a treatment. Simply put with the cheaper Rain-X treat monthly or pay a little more and treat with Aquapel twice a year.

CAUTION: Do not apply any windshield treatment to a windshield that has a chip that hasn't been repaired. Any treatment that gets into a unrepaired chip can render the damage non-repairable. Windshield replacement would then be your only choice.

Things to take.

Clear Packing Tape - One of the small rolls of clear packing tape, in case you get a windshield chip. Regular tape will work but isn't as durable. Place it on the outside of the windshield, over the damage. Note: Do not place the tape over the chip if it is wet.

CAUTION: Do not place tape over the chip if it interferes with your vision.

Automotive Glass Cleaner & Paper Towels - Many times I've pulled into a gas station and they had nothing to clean my windshield. If they do, alot of times it's nothing more than a bucket of water and squeegee.

Having some glass cleaner and towels means while you fuel your car or truck you'll have something that will do a much better cleaning of your windshield.

Household glass cleaners I find just don't work as well.

Over all by being prepared you can have a more enjoyable, less stressful and safer time on the road with these tips. You can also prevent damage that would require glass replacement. Driving with a clean windshield I find is also less tiring. Have a safe road trip so you only remember the good times.

I've had some ask me how old of a car or truck can the windshield be repaired? While I can't give a precise year, I'll say I understand windshields on vehicles made in the fifties or that have laminated glass can be repaired.

Older auto and trucks, if they have the old glass in them will have chip damage that is usually larger then chips on newer vehicles. That is due to the windshield being much thicker. The size of the chip is in relation to the thickness of the glass. Older windshields didn't chip as easy, but when they did they were huge.

Over the last couple of years I've had the pleasure of repairing a few of yesterdays classics. These include a 68 GTO, convertible, 66 Mustang and today's 69 Chevelle, shown below.

Front view of a 69 Chevelle, that had it's windshield repaired.

Side view of a 69 Chevelle.

This vehicle was clean both inside and out. The inside has been restored to look like factory. It packs a 350 engine, (not the original) and automatic transmission. I was told it has between 80 and 90 thousand miles on the odometer.

Periodically I will get a call from someone who has gotten a chip on their windshield. They feel that the driver of the truck or car that threw a stone at their vehicle should be made to pay for the damage. Yesterday was unusual in that I took a call from someone that stated they had been driving down one of our busier streets in Oklahoma City. They had been stopped by another driver. It seems they had been to the side and behind the vehicle of the person who called me. They claimed this person's vehicle had thrown a stone or rock back at their windshield and chipped it. They were demanding that they pay for the repair. I got a strong feeling that if they didn't comply the police would be called.

This stuck with me for a while so I did some checking. Here is what I know and what I learned from Carla at The Oklahoma Department Of Safety, Public Relations Section. This deals with Oklahoma, some states may be different.

Trucks or vehicles that carry a load, the driver is responsible for damage for anything coming off the vehicle. Truck drivers must tarp or secure their load. Notice I said "off" the vehicle. A dump truck that is carrying gravel, doesn't have the load covered and has a stone leave the truck which damages another vehicle can be ticketed. A driver of a flat bed truck with a piece of construction equipment, that has clumps of red Oklahoma dirt and stone on it is responsible for damage caused by the clumps and stone.

Then this morning I came across a news story from yesterday KCCI 8, Des Moines, Iowa, titled " Drivers Ticked At Windshield Nicks".  It seems unlike Oklahoma, Iowa doesn't require loads like gravel to be tarped. However in both states the driver and/or the trucking company is responsible for damages if an item comes out of or off of a truck. Rocks and stones off the tire or road which can't be prevented are exempt responsibility.

Proving the damage came from a truck is tough. As in this story if a truck is losing his load as it travels down the road you should call the Highway Patrol or 911. I think you would have a strong case for payment of damages if a law officer witnesses the load coming off the truck. As in Iowa, Oklahoma will ticket the driver for losing debris on the road.

Here is some things to keep in mind if you observe a truck losing it's load and your vehicle is damaged.

If the truck has a phone number on it, call the company on your cell phone. I've found in the past most companies will respond quickly.

If either you can't get a hold of them or they won't play ball. Write down the following information.

The trucks license number.

Unit Number

Company Name

The location you are at and the direction of travel.

The date and time.

If the truck is continuing to lose debris call 911 or if you are on a state road Highway Patrol. If the dispatcher tells you they can't help you ask for a supervisor.

Remember the driver is not responsible if a stone or rock comes off the road or tire. If someone tells you that you chipped their windshield from a stone off your tire or the road and they threaten to call Highway Patrol or the police; tell them to make your day. If you want to be nice and pay for the damage fine, but you are not obligated to pay for damage off the road or tire.

Below is a link to the story and it has an attached video.

Drivers Ticked At Windshield Nicks

Today I had a person call that wanted to know if a crack that was 8 to 10 inches long and changed direction could be repaired. If you've read my past posts I think you'll know the answer. Due to safety and liability I won't repair such damage. With there being no independent study that shows it works and a risk to those in the vehicle during an accident, I decline this work. Understand that on the driver's side there will always be a distortion. On the passenger side many airbags deploy against the windshield and that it is designed to protect the passenger. Further the windshield is responsible for roof strength. I would not want to be responsible for anyone being killed or severely injured.

The person then asked how long it would be before the crack ran across the windshield? I've had a number of times been asked how long they can avoid repairing a chip on a windshield until it cracks?

First I recommend repairing a chip as soon as possible, say within a week. Leaving it only gives the damage a chance to spread to where replacement is the only answer. Contamination can further rob you of the opportunity of repair and a dirty chip just won't repair like a fresh clean break. Which is better when you glue something together, applying glue to clean surfaces or dirty surfaces? Obviously the clean surfaces.

With that said, there is no way of know how long it will take a chip to crack out. There is no way of knowing how long it will take a crack to run across a windshield or the speed of it. In a blink of an eye damage on the passenger side can travel into the driver's vision. If the vehicle is being driven into the sun or headlights the driver can be temporarily blinded. Just like the flash of a camera.

Here are some of the things that can affect what a chip or crack does:

Weather - Extreme cold and you turn on the defroster. Extreme heat, with or without the air conditioning being turned on. Along with what happens here in Oklahoma, where it can be 50 in the morning and 95 in the afternoon. Glass just doesn't like to change temperature and even if the vehicle is parked, thermal shock can destroy the windshield. I can remember being called to repair a motor home windshield in the spring a couple of years ago. The owner had gotten a chip in late summer or in the fall. Since he wouldn't be driving it in the winter, he thought it would be safe in his barn until spring. He called me back to cancel the scheduled appointment, to his dismay his windshield had cracked while his rv was in storage.

Driving Style - Driving in a way that can cause the windshield to flex can speed the process.

Internal Stress - There can be hidden internal stress in the windshield from either the glass itself or from the installation. That includes the factory windshield. Damage in say the top 6 inches or near the sides are high stress areas.

Vibration - Driving on rough roads, over train tracks, uneven surfaces, besides slamming doors, hoods and trunks can cause the damage to grow. Rule of thumb, if it causes vibration it can crack your windshield or cause the crack to grow.

Repairing a windshield chip in a timely fashion is best. Remember driving with a cracked windshield in Oklahoma, can result in you being stopped and given a ticket. Driving with a crack that runs across 2 perpendicular edges like shown below is totally unsafe.

Likewise any cracks or damage on the inside layer of the windshield is a safety hazard. In both instances replacement should be done immediately.

Windshield treatments like Rain-X, Aquapel, along with a number of other products on the market that improve visibility in the rain. Besides keeping bugs and ice from sticking to the windshield are a great product. They can improve driving safety.

With that said they also represent a major problem for windshield chip repair technicians. If you have a chip that has not been repaired on your windshield and you treat your windshield, you just made your windshield unrepairable. That's because any treatment that gets into the chip, makes the inside surface non-stick. There is no way to get the treatment out of the chip and since the resin won't bond to the glass, your only choice is to replace the windshield.

Case in point, the other day I took a call from an RV owner, with several chips on the windshield. The day before he had washed and treated his windshield with Rain-X. In trying to do the repairs I found that I couldn't make the repairs look right. I had run into the same problem once before on a truck. Even worse was on the RV's windshield that was vertical I couldn't keep the injector assemblies over the chips. They would slide down the glass on their own.

Unfortunately due to the windshield treatment getting into the damage, replacement was the only choice at a cost of $1600 or more.

I don't recommend using windshield washer fluid that has a treatment added. That's because they can contaminate a chip to the point of making the damage unrepairable. Personally I have tried these and was never satisfied with the results vs. actually applying a treatment.

If you get a chip on your windshield it is best not to wash or apply a windshield treatment until the damage has been repaired.

Likewise it is best to get the windshield repaired within a few days. However you don't need to stop on the side of the road at the time you get a chip. Like the guy who called me and stated that was on the shoulder of I-35 in Moore. He refused to move the car because he didn't want his windshield to crack out. That in itself represents a safety hazard for the repair technician as far as I'm concerned. Or in another instance Friday, the lady that called at 3 PM stating she had just gotten a chip and had been lucky to get it home in her driveway. She needed it repaired right away since she had things to do and refused to move the car until it had been repaired.

To summarize when you get a chip on your windshield, don't wash the vehicle or apply a treatment until the repair has been performed. Get it repaired within a few days. As far as I'm concerned, once the repair is completed feel free to treat your windshield.