Generally there are 5 things I look at when evaluating whether a chip can or can not be repaired.

Overall Size - If the chip or damage is much larger than the size of a quarter the quality of the repair and the safety of it would be in question.

This Chip Was Over Twice The Repairable Size.

Surface Cracks - If there are too many surface cracks, leakage would be too great, resulting in an incomplete fill with resin.

A Close Up Of The First Picture Shown Above Reveals Excessive Surface Cracks.

Pit Size - If the impact point is extremely large, the repaired chip will look like a bubble in the center when viewed from the inside looking out. Further on large pits the tendency is for the pit filler to fall out over time.

Generally I prefer to work on damage with a pit smaller than the diameter of the eraser on a number 2 pencil.

Age - A chip that hasn't been repaired for several months will pick up contaminates that will render the repair weak, plus when mixed with the injected resin may cause discoloration.

Location - While I'll perform a repair on almost any location on the windshield, if I believe it will create an unsafe distortion in front of the driver I'll recommend replacement.

The above close up of a chip repair that was performed by another company. The result was due to the damage being much larger than recommended. The impact point being too large and when combined with what I believe to be a poor quality resin.

The owner asked if anything could be done to improve the appearance? When I told them that nothing could be done, they chose to replace the windshield.

Finally here's a chart to help show what can be repaired.

We've all seen the ads here in Oklahoma City, low price or even free windshield repairs at glass shops. By free I don't mean your insurance pays; which I might add is a great way to see your insurance premium costing more or a way to get your insurance canceled. But rather a kind replacement shop just helping out. Or are they helping out? Trust me in this business you get what you pay for and while a few replacement shops will do a reasonable job even those guys won't give the work away.

There's a dirty secret that many replacement shops use to bring you in. It's kind of like fishing, they bait you in with a low price for a repair, then real you in for a replacement windshield. Once they get you in the shop they'll either do a poor job of repairing the windshield. After all you can fix a windshield in 5 minutes or at least that's all the time they'll spend on it. To do a quality repair in most instances you can expect it to take 30 minutes or more. But of course if your not happy with their repair they'll gladly replace your windshield.

Many of these replacement guys will start trying to sell you a replacement windshield before they get out their tools. To borrow from one of my favorite comedians Jeff Foxworthy.

If the chip is the size of a quarter or smaller and the replacement shops tells you that it is to big to repair.

You might want to find another windshield repair company.

If the replacement shop tells you that the chip can't be repaired because the damage is on the driver's half of the windshield.

You might want to find another windshield repair company.

If the windshield replacement shop offers no guarantee on their repairs.

You might want to find another windshield repair company.

If the replacement shops guarantee is that if you aren't happy with the repair or it fails they will credit the repair towards a new windshield.

You might want to find another windshield repair company.

Why have I said all this? Well I hear a regular number of people say they were told their windshield couldn't be repaired so the got a replacement. Hey, the replacement guy told them it couldn't be fixed. Equally I've seen a number of these so called chips that couldn't be repaired. I've then in most cases fixed the damage. Case in point.

The above chip was on a vehicle that had been taken into a glass replacement shop here in Oklahoma City. The owner was told it was too large to repair. I was asked to give my opinion on this damage. Well I repaired it and the customer was happy with the repair.

What do you think, should the windshield been replaced?

Lastly, chips that can be covered with a quarter with few exceptions can be repaired.