If you own a commercial building, and especially for a retail store, restaurant, or other business that relies on foot traffic, you don't want to wait until a front window actually shatters to call for emergency glass repair. Even just a small chip or crack should be repaired right away, or may mean that the glass should be replaced. Since business owners rarely know when damage to their glass might occur, note a few reasons you should call for repairs or replacement as soon as you see the first signs of damage.

Does it obstruct lettering?

Many businesses will have their company name, slogan, tagline, hours, and other such information painted or etched on the glass of their building. Chips and cracks can make it difficult to read your name and other details, and even lead to embarrassing misspellings. For example, if the word "hamburger" were to suffer a chip somewhere around the first "R," customers may read the word as something entirely different and not very appetizing! If a chip or crack or any damage interferes with any of your business lettering, don't wait but have the glass replaced or repaired right away.

The appearance of your business

If your business relies on foot traffic, you need to ensure that the building looks clean and inviting, and most of all, safe. A retail store, restaurant, or other such location can easily look rundown and drab, and even a bit shabby if the front window is chipped or cracked. In turn, people may not want to shop or eat at your location. While you may think that a small chip or crack won't be very noticeable, your potential customers could easily get an unfavorable impression about your business from something just that small and, in turn, decide to shop or eat at the competitor down the road.

Small problems can get bigger

If glass is chipped or cracked in any way, its strength is now compromised. Excessive vibrations or any impact can mean that a tiny defect can easily spread, and the glass may actually shatter when you least expect it. You might not think that this could happen to your building's window, but note that vibrations can be felt by windows from large trucks driving down the street, construction equipment in the area, loud noises, and the like. Rather than risk a small chip or crack leading to a shattered window, it's good to call for repairs as soon as possible.