You may think that you can wait to get your windshield repaired if the damage is minimal, but the fact is that you really should get it fixed as soon as you possibly can. There are several reasons for this. 

1. Increasing Damage

One reason to get your windshield fixed as soon as possible is that it's possible for the damage to spread and get worse. The worse the damage gets, the harder it's going to be to possibly repair, and you will end up with having to completely replace your windshield. There are different ways that the damage could increase. One is that moisture can get in the crack or chip and cause delaminations.

Your windshield is actually made out of two or more layers of glass that have a strong adhesive in between them. That makes the windshield stronger than it might otherwise be. But, if moisture gets in between those layers, then it can cause the windshield to separate out, and you can lose visibility. You also have to worry about the freeze/thaw cycle when it comes to moisture in your windshield.

When water freezes, the crystal structure actually causes it to expand. So, if you have a crack in your windshield and water get into it and freezes, it's going to push the crack that little bit more open. When the water melts, it will go deeper into the crack, and the cycle continues. 

2. Safety

Another reason that you want to get your windshield replaced as soon as possible is that it is part of your car's safety system. Your windshield helps to keep the frame of the car rigid and strong. It also is supposed to keep you in the car as much as possible. Your windshield is designed to break in a specific way when it does break. Because it's laminated when it breaks, it should still stay stuck to itself, and it should look more like a spiderweb than anything else.

That's because the separate layers don't generally both break, so the adhesive and the other layer keeps the damaged layer in one place. Even if both layers of glass were to break, the pieces should pretty much stay together with the rest of the windshield. 

If you see a crack starting in your windshield, you should make sure that you replace or repair your windshield as soon as possible so that it doesn't turn into a bigger problem. For more information, contact your local auto glass repair service today.