Windshield Chip Repair Kits – DIY or Hire Professionals
Summer is here!
While watching the news this morning I noticed a lot of states are reaching and passing temperatures of 100 degrees. If you live in one of these areas and you’re driving around with a chip in your windshield there’s a very good possibility that you’ll need a windshield replacement soon. I previously explained how the heat would affect the glass in a post written on April 23rd, 2012 titled “Windshield Repair and The Summer Heat.” This post also included tips to help protect against further damage if you’re unable to have your windshield fixed immediately. Click here to read the April 23rd blog post.
Windshields can be expensive so save yourself some money and look into having the chip repaired. There are 2 ways to have the chip repaired, 1 – Buy a chip repair kit and do it yourself or 2 – hire a windshield repair technician. There are a lot of chip repair kits on the market for fixing windshields… Question is, which one is the best? If you’re a DIY (do-it-yourself) type of person this post should help supply enough information to make a decision on how to select a kit or whether to hire a professional.
Which windshield chip repair kits are best?
I personally like and have performed repairs in the past using Tri-Glass and Delta kits and would recommend both. These kits allowed me to perform repairs quickly and in most cases the damage was 85 to 90 percent less visible after being repaired. I can’t say too much about consumer grade kits since I’ve only had the opportunity to test one. However, the consumer kit I tested used a syringe injector which didn’t work too well for me and took twice as long to use as my Tri-Glass professional kit. Knowing this, I would suggest spending the $40 to $60 to have a professional do the work unless you’re a very hands-on person with a large amount of patience. All windshield repair kits come with instructions but the experience and speed of a professional will definitely have you back on the road in less time. That said, If you still plan to perform your own repairs then I would suggest finding a kit that uses a screw-in plunger versus a syringe. Windshield repair kits that use screw-in plungers seem to hold positive pressure better during the injection process and negative vacuum more consistently.
Why is the vacuum important when fixing a windshield?
During the windshield repair process the vacuum is created to help pull any air pockets out of the crack. Removing the air pockets will help the newly injected resin cure to all the edges of the chip and present a stronger less visible repair upon completion.
Will hiring a professional save you time and money?
Fixing the glass yourself will save you money but having a professional perform the work will save you time and ensure the work is done correctly. Outside of saving time, below are some other reasons I would recommend hiring a professional.
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Professionals understand the process and can prevent crack outs from happening during the injection process.
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Professionals have fixed every type of chip and understand how much pressure to apply in order to safely complete the repair and achieve the best results.
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Most professionals will be finished within 5 to 20 minutes depending on the complexity of the damage.
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Professional windshield repair tools have better vacuum systems which will help leave a less visible and stronger repair when finished.
In the end, it doesn’t matter if you do it yourself or hire a professional. Just be sure to have the repair before it’s too late and you end up needing a replacement.
