What to Consider Before Attempting a DIY Windscreen Repair

DIY fixes, who doesn’t love them? You get to repair damage (albeit hopefully easily) at a fraction of the cost! However, with DIY repairs, some things are best left to the professionals. Unfortunately, when it comes to windscreen repairs, it’s not entirely black and white.

Regardless of whether you choose to fix a crack yourself or take your car into a garage, we’re just glad you aren’t leaving a damaged windscreen. Delaying a windscreen repair while unsightly can also be illegal if it’s damaged enough. But most importantly, it puts your health and your passengers at risk. Windscreens are responsible for 30% of your safety, and damaged glass is 60-70% weaker than undamaged glass.

So if you’re driving around with a damaged windscreen and get caught in an accident, your windscreen is incapable of optimally protecting you. So with the facts settled, we’re here to cover what you need to consider before tackling a DIY windscreen repair.

1. Is it a Chip or a Crack?

The windscreen repair kits you see for purchase are ideal for small chips often caused by debris and gravel on the road, but anything more significant, or a crack, needs to be seen by a professional. While we’re giving you the green light to use these kits until you can make your service appointment, you must remember the outcome and quality of the repair are reliant on you and whether you’re repairing it correctly. Even repaired correctly, these types of repairs aren’t made to last.

If your chip is also near your windscreen wipers, these types of repairs will need to be done by a professional, as this area is under constant pressure and prone to cracking. In these circumstances, you may be a windscreen replacement. As a general rule, if you have a crack that is bigger than the size of a 50c coin, forget about it.

2. DIY Repair Kits Are Temporary

Sounds ludicrous, doesn’t it? But DIY repair jobs aren’t sturdy enough to protect you as efficiently as a professional repair. Even if your windscreen crack is small enough for you to perform a DIY fix, it doesn’t hold a candle to a professional windscreen repair or replacement. Professionally done, repairs or replacements add structural strength to your windscreen. A DIY kit is somewhat of a bandaid; it’s only meant to be temporary.

This is probably the most persuasive reason we can think of not recommending DIY repair kits and booking in a service. Ditching the kit will save you from an additional expense for a repair that’ll need to be professionally fixed at some point. While it’s suitable for a temporary short delay, it’s easier for repair to be fixed the right way the first time.

3. DIY Kits Can Create More Damage

Like we earlier touched on, a DIY repair relies on your own expertise and skills. As you can imagine, most DIY kits are likely to be used by people who aren’t familiar or certified with windscreen repair. In the hands of a novice, mistakes can happen, as using the right amount of pressure and resin can’t always be communicated or interpreted how the instruction manual intends.

Inside DIY repair kits are bonds that are designed to seal surfaces. This resin can’t contact your skin or eyes, or other parts of the car that isn’t the windscreen. As a DIY repair contains the possibility for mistakes, we generally recommend booking in a service instead to prevent yourself from creating further damage.

Qualified technicians have hundreds of hours of experience in their field, so with the help of an experienced windscreen repairer, you can feel confident your chip or crack will be repaired the first time correctly.

4. DIY Kits Can Compromise your Safety

We’ve saved the biggest point till last. All DIY window kits or repairs provide a temporary kit and won’t prevent further damage to your window if the repair is delayed. So, by all means, if you can’t take your car to a service until the next couple of days, using your kit in your garage will help get you through until your service. But don’t think a DIY repair is going to last and provide you with adequate protection.

If you successfully fill your windscreen chip, DIY repairs are often followed by cracks, which will require a bigger repair and sometimes a windscreen replacement. Repair kits serve as a temporary fix, convenient in emergencies, but they aren’t durable. If you choose to repair your windscreen with a DIY kit, your chip could still turn into a crack, which could be disastrous.

Your windshield is responsible for your safety and is essential to protecting you from the elements and debris and in events like a rollover, where your windscreen provides the car cabin with 60% protection. In addition, a well maintained and professionally serviced windscreen can reduce the severity of crash injuries and save your life. So for these reasons, we believe it’s unsafe to gamble with DIY for longer than necessary.

The Recap: Should I Attempt a Windscreen DIY Repair?

Inevitably, you won’t escape experiencing a crack or chip in your car’s lifetime. It’s almost like a right of passage on being on the road. But, when it does, you need to know how to handle it correctly. So while it may be tempting to save a few dollars by attempting your own DIY, when it comes to windscreen chips, it’s always the safer option to visit a professional service provider, especially if you have a windscreen crack.

If you want to restore your car to a newer condition, there are other DIY repairs to undertake instead of your windscreen that are safer. Restoring your headlights and buffering scratches are other DIY projects you can do yourself that won’t or are less likely to hinder your safety on the road.

Novus Autoglass is Here for All Your Repair Needs

Novus Autoglass is a leading and reputable windscreen repair service provider. We understand how stressful vehicle damage can be when it’s added to your list to do, so we’ve made things convenient by offering both onsite and mobile repairs.

No matter if you’re on the road, working from home or at the office, we’ll be there, along with a lifetime warranty on your repair! At Novus, we take service seriously. To book your service today, call us on 13 22 43, or head online to contact us so your repair can be fixed sooner than later. Curious about other car tips? Head to our blog, where you’ll find a hub of valuable tips, tricks and advice on all things vehicle maintenance and care. Novus can’t wait to hear from you!