There was a time when you could follow some simple rules to determine whether or not a windshield chip was repairable. If you're old enough, you may remember advice such as holding a dime or a quarter over an impact to determine if it's too large to fix. Fortunately, modern techniques are far more advanced, so auto glass specialists can often fix much larger blemishes.

Of course, these advanced techniques also mean that you can't easily eyeball a chip on your windshield to determine its severity. Even auto glass experts rely on measurements and tools to decide whether they can safely repair windshield damage. Ultimately, one factor often has the most significant influence on these decisions: complexity.

Understanding the Basics of Glass Chips

If you've been driving long enough, you've probably seen your windshield accumulate quite a few chips, dings, and cracks. You've probably also noticed windshield damage can take multiple forms, sometimes seemingly at random. These differently shaped chips have various industry names, such as "bullseye," "star," or "straight line."

Complexity is one of the defining characteristics of each type of damage. A bullseye is the simplest type of chip, usually consisting of a round impact mark with well-defined edges. If a piece of debris hits your windshield head-on at high velocity, you'll likely receive a bullseye impact. Skilled technicians can often repair very large bullseye chips thanks to their low complexity.

On the other hand, more complex chips often involve combination damage. Instead of a single chunk of missing glass, you may have an impact with numerous small cracks (typically called "rays") extending outward. These cracks increase the complexity of the repair, ultimately making it more challenging for a technician to restore your windshield's optical clarity.

How Complexity Affects Repairs

The good news is that you don't need to replace your windshield just because it has one or more complex glass chips. Instead, auto glass repair technicians will consider complexity when evaluating their ability to repair a chip. Generally, you can expect an inverse relationship between complexity and size regarding suitability for repairs.

A large, complex chip may be difficult or impossible to repair, while a simple chip of a similar size may be straightforward. Likewise, position will also matter. It's more challenging to achieve good optical clarity for complex or larger chips, so these may be unsuitable for repair when they are in direct line of sight. Your repair technician will need to make the final call on whether they can achieve an acceptable result.

Ultimately, complexity is only one factor determining whether you can repair a chip on your windshield, but it's still critical to consider. Since so much goes into determining whether you can safely repair a glass chip, it's essential to always rely on a skilled and experienced technician to inspect your glass and perform the repair.

For more information, contact a local repair shop.