Can a Windshield Chip Spread Overnight? (+ When to Repair vs. Replace)
You notice a small chip in your windshield on Monday evening. By Tuesday morning, it's turned into a spiderweb crack stretching across your field of vision. Sound familiar? You're not alone. Thousands of Mississauga drivers face this exact scenario every year, and the question on everyone's mind is, how fast can a windshield chip really spread? How fast does a windshield crack spread? The short answer: faster than you think. A windshield chip can spread into a full crack in as little as 24 hours under the right conditions. Temperature changes, road vibrations, and even cabin pressure from closing your car door can turn a minor chip into a major problem overnight. Here's what actually happens. Glass expands and contracts with temperature fluctuations. When you park outside on a cold night and then blast the heat in the morning, your windshield experiences rapid thermal stress. That tiny chip becomes a weak point where the glass can't handle the pressure, and suddenly...