Getting a new windshield installed can easily cost a few hundred bucks. However, if your windshield is beyond repair, the repair won’t hold, and you’ll have to get it replaced anyway.

How to tell whether you need replacement or repair? It depends on the type of glass you have. Let’s consider the two main types one by one.

Tempered Glass

Tempered glass tends to be stronger than laminate glass. It’s stiffer, which makes it harder to crack. However, when it does crack, it cracks big. If your tempered glass has a crack that extends to one of the edges of the windshield, you should get the glass replaced.

In rare cases, your tempered glass may only have a small chip that can be easily repaired. You have to be quick before the chip becomes a larger crack. The high stiffness of tempered glass means cracks grow pretty fast. A chip will probably become a crack if you drive the car to the repair shop.

You can save the windshield from further cracking by calling our mobile windshield replacement and repair service in Houston. We’ll bring our equipment to your vehicle and repair the windshield without much risk of further damage.

Laminated Glass

Laminated glass has a polymer layer between two glass layers, which makes laminated glass safer when cracked. Even if your windshield has a spider crack, all the pieces will remain there, and a professional auto glass replacement service can easily make it good as new.

Laminated glass is less susceptible to longer cracks, but if a crack reaches an edge of the windshield, you’ll have to install a new one. You’ll also need to replace the auto glass if it’s cracked outside and inside. Touch the cracked glass from the inside of the car to see if the inside layer is intact.

At the end of the day, only a professional can tell you whether you should get a new windshield installed or if repairing will save you more money. At AAR Auto Glass, we have offered professional windshield replacement and repair for 30 years. Our affordable rates ensure you don’t waste a single penny whether you get your windshield replaced or repaired.

Need to repair or replace your auto glass? Get in touch now!