What to Do in the First 24 Hours After a Rock Chip

Tick. That sharp little sound on the highway means a rock just hit your windshield. You look up and see a bright spot in the glass. Most of the time, it is small. And most of the time, what happens in the next day or so decides whether it stays small.

A chip is a weak point in the glass. Heat, cold, water and dirt all go to work on it. You cannot stop every one of those forces, but you can avoid making them worse. This is the short list of what to do, and what to skip, once the rock has hit.

First: stay safe and look

Do not stare at the chip while you are driving. Keep your eyes on the road, and look when you are stopped. If the glass is badly cracked or your view is blocked, pull over when it is safe. Our page on whether it is safe and legal to drive with a cracked windshield in Georgia covers that.

If the chip is small and your view is clear, you are in the common situation. Park, and take a look at it up close.

Check three things. How big is it? A chip smaller than a quarter is often repairable. Where is it? A chip in the driver’s line of sight, or near the edge of the glass, is a harder case. And what shape is it? A round bullseye, a star with legs, and a mix of both behave differently. Our pages on bullseye chips, star breaks and combination breaks show each one.

Take a photo. Put a coin next to the chip for scale. This helps if you file a claim, and it helps us give you an honest read when you send it.

Do not blast the chip with hot or cold air

This is the one that surprises people. After a chip, many drivers reach for the defroster or turn the air conditioner to full cold. Both can make it worse.

Safelite’s guidance on what to do when a rock hits your windshield says not to aim hot or cold air at the impact point. Avoid blasting the defroster or the air conditioner at it, because rapid temperature changes can make the chip crack further. A shop blog from MS Glass Outlet gives the same advice for the first day. It suggests running the air conditioner on low with the vents pointed away from the glass so the windshield warms or cools gradually.

Think about a Georgia summer. Your car has been parked in the sun, and the windshield is hot to the touch. You get in, turn the air conditioner to maximum, and point it at the glass. A hot windshield meeting a cold stream of air is exactly the sudden temperature change that Safelite warns about. Let the cabin cool down with the vents aimed elsewhere, and give the glass time to catch up.

The same goes for a frosty morning in Cumming. Do not point the defroster full blast at a chip, and never pour hot water on frozen glass. Our post on how to defrost a windshield without cracking it has the full safe routine.

Just took a rock hit? Text us a photo of the chip for a free quote, and we will tell you if it looks repairable. We come to your home or work, and we reply within an hour during business hours. Get a free quote

Keep water and dirt out of the chip

A chip is a tiny hole in the outer layer of glass. Water and dirt that get in are a problem for two reasons. They can make a repair harder, and in cold weather, trapped water can freeze and expand. Safelite’s page makes the point that water can complicate the repair and freeze and expand the damage in cold weather. The MS Glass Outlet post adds that the hours after rain are a high-risk time, because water in the chip can freeze and widen it overnight.

So the goal is simple: keep moisture and grime out until the chip is repaired.

What about tape? The sources disagree, and we will be honest about that. Safelite says not to cover the chip with tape. Others, like MS Glass Outlet and MetLife in its tips for protecting a windshield, suggest a small piece of clear packing tape over the chip when you cannot get it repaired right away and rain is coming. Their reasoning is that tape keeps water and dirt out.

If you use tape, here is how to do it sensibly:

• Use clear packing tape only. Not duct tape, not masking tape.
• Put it on the outside of the glass, over the chip.
• Make sure it does not block your view as you drive.
• Press it down so water cannot creep under.
• Take it off before the repair. The technician needs a clean, open chip.

If you are not sure, text us a photo and ask. We will tell you what makes sense for your chip and the weather.

Skip the car wash and the pressure washer

It is tempting to run through the car wash and forget it. With a chip, wait. Safelite’s guide on car washes and cracked windshields says to avoid running a chip or crack through any automated wash until it is repaired.

It gives two reasons. First, high-pressure water jets can push water into an existing crack and widen it. Second, hot water or steam followed by a cold rinse or air drying puts thermal stress on the glass. Safelite says a touchless wash is the lowest-risk option, because there is no mechanical contact with the glass, but it still warns that jets and temperature swings can spread existing damage. Brush or soft-touch washes are higher risk, because the contact adds stress.

For a small chip away from the edge, Safelite says a touchless wash is unlikely to make things much worse, but it still does not advise it. For a chip that already has cracks growing from it, an edge crack, or a crack longer than six inches, the risk is higher.

If your car needs washing, Safelite suggests washing by hand with a gentle, ambient-temperature stream at low pressure, aimed away from the crack, with no hot water. Keep cloths and sponges off the chip.

Do not try a glue fix

You will see super glue, nail polish and clear sealant suggested online. We would skip them and get a proper repair instead. If you want to protect the chip in the meantime, keep moisture out as described above, and call us.

Call and text a photo

Here is the part that actually fixes the problem. Get the chip repaired. Safelite says to get it repaired as soon as possible, because damage can spread within hours or days, and a chip that is repairable now may need a replacement later. The MS Glass Outlet post lists the things that can end a repair: moisture getting in, a break that spreads past six inches, damage that reaches the inner layer of glass, or a chip within two inches of the edge.

We repair chips at a flat $85 for up to 3 chips on the same windshield, mobile service included. We come to your home or work, so you do not have to find a shop. If you have more than 3 chips, we usually recommend replacement. Read more about windshield repair, or see our page on rock chips, repair or replace.

What if it is already a crack?

If the chip has already grown into a crack, the answer may change. A crack longer than about three inches has traveled too far to hold a repair, so plan on a replacement. A crack that touches the edge is almost always a replacement, even when it is short. See our pages on long cracks, edge cracks and cracks that keep spreading.

A replacement is priced by vehicle. We need the VIN, because one vehicle can have up to about 15 windshield versions depending on the option package. The estimate is free. See our pricing page and our windshield replacement page. If your car has a camera behind the glass, a replacement may call for recalibration. We do not do calibration. We refer it to the dealer. Our page on camera recalibration explains why.

Insurance: check before you book

Many policies cover chip repair under comprehensive coverage, and some insurers waive the deductible for a repair. We cannot tell you what yours does, so check. The MS Glass Outlet post also says comprehensive coverage often covers chip repair and that some insurers waive the deductible. Our page on whether insurance covers a windshield repair or replacement has the background.

We are a preferred insurance vendor for all major insurance companies. You can give your insurer our number when you file, or we can file the claim for you if you give us the information. Most people file in their insurer’s app.

A first-day checklist

Print this or screenshot it.

1. Stay safe. Pull over if your view is blocked.
2. Photograph the chip with a coin for scale.
3. Do not aim the defroster or air conditioner at it.
4. Keep water and dirt out. Clear packing tape is one option, and sources differ on it.
5. Skip car washes and pressure washers.
6. Do not glue it yourself.
7. Text us a photo for a quote.

If you live in Cumming, Alpharetta, Buford or anywhere around GA-400, we can come to you. A chip handled early is a small job. A chip that spreads is a bigger one. Our workmanship warranty lasts for the life of the vehicle. See the details on our guarantee page.