SOUTHERN SHIELD Glass Co. 📞 (334) 466-1815
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Common Questions

Straight answers about windshield chip repair, insurance, warranty, and what to expect.

Common questions

Until your repairKeep the chip dry and clean. Cover it with a small piece of clear packing tape (not duct tape), skip the car wash, and don't use glue or nail polish. Dirt and water in the break make for a weaker, more visible repair.
Will the chip disappear completely?

No, and be careful of anyone who promises it will. Windshield repair restores the structural strength of the glass and stops the damage from spreading — that's the real job. Cosmetically, most repairs improve by roughly 70–90%, but a faint blemish usually remains. We'll show you the result from the driver's seat before you pay.

How long does it take?

About 30 minutes for a straightforward chip — a bullseye or a small star break. Add roughly 10 minutes for each additional chip on the same windshield. You can keep working, stay inside, or run errands — we just need access to the vehicle.

Why don't you repair long cracks?

Because we'd rather do one thing consistently well than two things unevenly. Long crack repair is slow, technically demanding, and the result is unpredictable enough that we're not comfortable charging for it. The national standard permits repairs up to 14 inches; plenty of technicians attempt them. We've chosen not to. If you have a long crack, you need a replacement, and we'll tell you that for free rather than take your money for a coin flip.

Do you take walk-ups or same-day calls?

We work by appointment. Text a photo of the damage and we'll book you into the next opening — usually within a day or two. Scheduling this way means we arrive with the right expectations, the glass is at the right temperature, and you're not waiting around for a window that never comes.

Are you certified?

Yes. Kent is a GlasWeld Certified Windshield Repair Technician, trained hands-on and credentialed through August 2027. Every repair follows ANSI/AGSC/NWRD/ROLAGS 002-2022, the American National Standard for repair of laminated automotive glass.

Will my insurance cover it?

Often, yes. Alabama law doesn't require insurers to waive your deductible for glass, but many carriers waive it voluntarily on chip repair because it costs them far less than funding a full replacement. Call your carrier and ask specifically about "windshield repair" — we're glad to walk you through it.

Can you drive right after?

Yes. The resin is fully UV-cured before we leave, so there's no waiting period and no adhesive to set. That's one of the real advantages over replacement, which typically requires a safe-drive-away time of an hour or more.

What if the chip spreads while you're repairing it?

It's uncommon, but it's a real risk with any windshield repair — especially on older damage and star breaks. The glass is already broken before we arrive, and pressure, drilling, resin, and temperature change can all cause a break to run. We'll tell you honestly before we start if a particular break carries elevated risk, and you sign a short authorization acknowledging it before we touch the glass — you can read that page here, and we'll text it to you when we book so it's never a surprise. If a repair we performed later fails, our warranty credits everything you paid toward a replacement.

Do I need my camera or sensors recalibrated?

Generally no. Chip repair doesn't remove or reposition the glass, so ADAS cameras mounted behind the windshield stay exactly where the factory put them — that's a replacement issue, not a repair issue. If damage sits directly in a camera's field of view, we'll tell you and recommend against repairing it there.

What's the warranty?

For as long as you own the vehicle. If the break we repaired spreads, we credit 100% of what you paid toward a windshield replacement. The warranty covers the specific damage we repaired — not new damage from a new impact.

Got a chip? Text us a photo.

Firm price before anyone drives anywhere. Launch special: $50 per chip through Nov 30.

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📷 Text us a photo · (334) 466-1815