Auto Glass

If your vehicle’s windshield recently received a chip or crack, contact us to find out if it can be repaired or if it needs to be replaced. Our trained estimator will inspect the damage and give you a free estimate. Most chips and cracks smaller than 3–6 inches can be repaired by a process that removes the air in the crack or chip and replaces it with a resin that cures with an ultraviolet light. These repairs have the best results when the damage is newer and contains less contaminants.

Tip: If you recently received a chip in your windshield and it’s not in the driver’s plain view, attach a small piece of clear tape over just the cracked area. This will keep contaminants out of the crack which creates a better repair so it’ll be less noticeable.

Contact Bailey’s for your windshield replacement or auto glass repair.

Types of Automotive Glass

There are two types of automotive glass: laminated and tempered.

Laminated Glass

Laminated glass is created with a thin layer of polyvinyl butyral (PVB) that is inserted between two layers of solid glass. Laminated glass is used primarily in all windshields today, and it was first created by accident in the early 1900’s and wasn’t implemented in vehicles until the 1920’s. Laminated glass optimizes occupancy safety by reducing the damage in an accident, rollover, or flying debris. Some auto manufacturers install laminated glass in both the front doors to allow the side airbags to deploy safely.

The windshield not only lets you safely see whats in front of you, it also plays a vital role in your vehicle’s structural support in the case of a rollover. In a rollover, the vehicle’s gross weight is compressing the cabin, and it is supported by the pillars and up to 60% of the windshield. If the windshield flew out before the rollover occurred, due to improper installation or previous damage, the vehicle’s weight is more likely to cause harm to the passengers.
Tempered Glass

Tempered glass is stronger than typical glass. It has a stronger breaking point that withstands minor impacts better, and when shattered it breaks into hundreds of tiny pieces which reduces the dangers to all occupants. Typical glass shatters easily and into larger pieces that presents unacceptable dangers to passengers. Tempered glass is also thermal resistant, meaning it maintains its strength in severe temperature fluctuations. Tempered glass is used in automobile side glass and rear windows as well as patio and bathroom glass doors due to its benefits.

Insurance Coverage

Check with your insurance company to verify if you have comprehensive insurance that will cover all auto glass replacement. If the damage was caused from another driver in an accident and they are at fault, their property damage liability portion of their insurance should pay for your vehicle’s damage. If your windshield or auto glass was damaged from any of the following issues, typically comprehensive insurance will cover it:

Weather related incident (hail storm, tree branch falls on your windshield from high winds or lightning, etc.)
Flying debris (e.g. a foul ball at a baseball game or rock flying up from a passerby)
Animal hits
Acts of vandalism
Fires

We recommend you check with your insurance for the exact coverage you have.