A windshield repair kit from an auto-parts store may look like a simple and inexpensive solution. For a very small, uncomplicated chip, a careful do-it-yourself repair may sometimes improve the damage.
The challenge is that not every chip is simple—and it can be difficult to determine what is happening beneath the surface of the glass.
The first challenge is evaluating the damage
Before repairing a windshield, a professional examines the location, depth, size, contamination and pattern of the damage.
Certain conditions may make a repair inappropriate, including damage to the inside layer, damage that penetrates both layers, multiple long cracks, severe contamination, stress cracks or damage around windshield-mounted technology.
A retail kit cannot tell you whether the windshield is a safe repair candidate.
Professional tools do more than cover the chip
A proper repair process removes moisture and contamination, evacuates or displaces trapped air, injects resin throughout the break, cures the material and finishes the surface.
If part of a star break or crack remains unfilled, it may continue reflecting light and may remain vulnerable to additional movement. Professional technicians inspect the damage from multiple angles to identify unfilled portions.
A failed attempt can limit later options
Once resin or another sealant has hardened inside a chip, a technician may have less access to the original break. This can make it more difficult—or sometimes impossible—to remove contamination, evacuate trapped air and completely refill the damage. Larger cracks are particularly poor candidates for consumer repair kits.
Consider the value of the windshield
Windshields on newer vehicles may include cameras, sensors, heating elements, antennas and other technology. Avoiding a preventable replacement can save considerably more than the price difference between a retail kit and professional repair.
Executive Windshield Repair provides mobile service throughout the Milwaukee area, often completing repairs in approximately 30 minutes. You do not have to leave the car at a shop or attempt the repair yourself.
A DIY kit may look less expensive at first, but professional repair provides an experienced evaluation, specialized equipment, appropriate materials and a completed repair that can be inspected before the job is finished.
Before putting anything into the chip, call Executive Windshield Repair at (414) 975-5513. The damage may still be professionally repairable.