The short answer
Most windshield chip repairs take about 30 minutes. That covers cleaning the chip, injecting resin into the break, curing it and polishing the surface. You can drive away as soon as we finish, with no drying or waiting period. Because the repair is mobile, the 30 minutes happens in your driveway or work parking lot, not a waiting room.
What happens in those 30 minutes
- Inspect and clean. We check the size, type and depth of the break and clear out loose glass and dirt from the impact point.
- Mount the injector. A small bridge tool sits over the chip on the outside of the glass.
- Remove air and inject resin. An advanced anaerobic polymer resin is pushed into the break under pressure so it reaches every leg and air pocket.
- Cure. The resin hardens and bonds the broken glass back together.
- Finish. We scrape off excess resin, fill the surface pit and polish it smooth.
The glass is never removed, so there is no adhesive to cure and no wait before driving. That is a big difference from replacement.
What affects how long it takes
| Situation | Effect on time |
|---|---|
| Small, fresh bullseye | Quick end of the range |
| Star or combination break with long legs | A little longer, the resin needs time to reach each leg |
| Short crack running from the chip | Longer, the crack is filled along its length |
| Several chips on one windshield | Each chip adds time |
| Old chip packed with dirt or moisture | Extra cleaning before the resin goes in |
| Hot glass in full sun | We may shade the glass or let it cool first |
Not sure what kind of chip you have? See types of windshield damage.
Repair time vs. replacement time
A windshield replacement involves cutting out the old glass, laying a new adhesive bead and setting new glass, and the adhesive needs time to cure before the car is safe to drive. Cars with windshield-mounted cameras typically need recalibration afterward as well. A chip repair skips all of that. Your original glass and factory seal stay in place. See repairs on cars with cameras and sensors.
Getting it done fast
The repair is short. Getting on the schedule is usually short too. Same-day service is often available Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm.
“I called and 2 hours later he was at my house fixing the windshield chip.”
Teresa C.
Tom S. had been told another company would take two weeks. He had his chip repaired the same day.
To book, text a photo of the chip to 760-500-9281 with a quarter next to it (see the quarter test) and tell us where the car will be. We come to homes, offices, hotels and parking lots across North County, including San Marcos and Encinitas. Read more about mobile windshield repair.
Don’t let a quick fix wait
A 30-minute repair today can save a $600–$1000+ replacement later. Chips spread with heat, cold and road shock, often with no warning. See will a windshield chip spread.
