Every Ottawa driver has heard the "tink!" of a stone kicked up by the vehicle ahead. Most of the time it bounces off harmlessly. Every once in a while, though, it leaves a small chip — a bright starburst in the glass, usually smaller than a dime. That tiny chip is one of the highest-ROI fixes you can do to your vehicle.
Here’s what actually happens when you bring it in for a rock chip repair.
Step 1: Clean and prep
We start by cleaning the surface of the chip with a specialized solvent that removes dust, water, and any old sealant residue. If the chip is contaminated, the resin won’t bond — so this step is critical.
Step 2: Vacuum the chip
We attach a specialized injector to the glass over the chip and use a manual vacuum pump to pull air out of the damage cavity. That vacuum is what lets the resin flow into the hairline cracks radiating from the impact point — otherwise the resin would just sit on the surface.
Step 3: Inject the resin
A specialized UV-curable resin, roughly the same optical index as the glass itself, is injected under pressure into the cavity. It flows into every micro-crack, filling the space where air used to be.
Step 4: UV cure
We hold a UV lamp over the injector for about 60–90 seconds. The resin cures rock-hard, bonded permanently to the glass on both sides of every crack.
Step 5: Polish and finish
We scrape off the excess resin, apply a thin finishing layer, and polish. The chip is now sealed. In most cases it’s about 90% invisible — you can still see a faint pinpoint if you know where to look, but it no longer scatters light or catches your eye from the driver’s seat.
Why repair instead of replace?
- Cost: repair is a fraction of the cost of replacement, and almost always fully covered by Ontario glass insurance.
- Original seal: your factory windshield seal has never been broken — no risk of future water leaks or wind noise.
- ADAS: no camera to recalibrate, no downstream calibration costs.
- Time: 30 minutes vs. 3–4 hours for a full replacement + calibration.
When to book
Book chip repair the same week you notice the chip — ideally within 48 hours. Every temperature swing (which in Ottawa means every single day of winter) flexes the windshield and can turn a repairable chip into a full-length crack. Once that happens, you’re looking at a replacement instead.
A+ Auto Glass offers same-day and next-day chip repair from our Orleans location and via mobile service across Ottawa. Get a quote by emailing a photo of the chip along with your vehicle year/make/model — we’ll usually confirm your appointment within the hour.
