Frequently I'll get a call asking about how much it costs to repair a windshield. That is followed by how long can I go before I've got to repair my windshield or it cracks out. The answer is unknown as there are too many variables; but waiting just increases the risk of having a cracked windshield. Likewise waiting lets more contamination get into the chip which can affect the strength and the appearance.

Now you don't need to be like the guy who called to tell me had just gotten a chip on his windshield and "had been lucky that it hadn't cracked out as he eased it off the side of I-40 near a street called Sooner". He expected us out their right away as if he couldn't move the vehicle like a blown tire.

On the other hand you don't want to be like the individual that called during one of the last rain storms to inform me that he needed his windshield repaired ASAP. It seems he had gotten a chip on his windshield 3 to 4 weeks earlier about the size of a quarter. In their words it had already grown 2 inches more and they could actually see it moving. As I've stated many times before, rain or snow and windshield repairs don't mix.

So what can cause a windshield chip to crack out.

Invisible Flaws - Which has been found to be a reason for the chips to begin with, could lead to cracking at anytime.

Stress - That can happen when the windshield is installed or while the auto is being driven.

Driving - Where you drive, how rough the roads are ( train tracks, potholes, wash board surfaces, etc.), and even the way you drive ( hard acceleration, hard braking, fast through the curves, etc.).

Vibrations - From either the road or slamming doors, hoods and trunk lids.

Weather - Extreme high or low temperatures, fluctuating temperatures; water that can penetrate the chip and then freezes.

These are just a few of the situations that can lead to a chip cracking your windshield. Your best bet is to have the windshield repaired within a few days when time and conditions permit it.