DIY kits and online videos make glass repair look easy. Many kits make it seem as though repairing a broken pane is as simple as filling in the crack with resin, using a brush as if you were painting your nails.
Why DIY Glass Repair Isn’t Always a Good Idea
While these kits can temporarily fill in the crack, they don’t typically work for very long. Reading through these potential pitfalls that come with DIY repairs may change your mind about tackling this home or auto project.
Removing Broken Glass Is Hard to Do Safely
The dangers of handling broken glass without the proper precautions are clear. At best, you might get a small cut that you can treat at home. In a worse-case scenario, broken glass could end up in your eyes or cause a severe cut that requires emergency medical care.
With a major break, you’ll need to remove any remaining shards from the frame. Professional technicians have the equipment and know-how to do this safely so that no one gets hurt.
Repair Kits Tend to Be Low Quality
You’ll find repair kits that range from a couple of dollars to into the hundreds. If you’re looking for the cheapest solution, then you’ll typically get what you pay for. Many DIY kits come with the lowest quality materials that you can find on the market. Over time, they may turn yellow or even fall out of the crack.
Bad Repairs Can Limit Visibility
We often see people try to do their own repairs on their car windshields. These repairs can lead to smudges and foggy coverage that makes it unsafe to continue driving until you fully replace the windshield.
You can see similar effects on home windows. While poor visibility might not be such a safety issue in a home use situation, you’ll still find that the repair materials don’t always blend well with the surrounding glass. This can lead to aesthetic issues that lower the curb appeal of your home.
Energy-Efficient Windows Might Not Work Properly
Home windows often contain two or more panes that have special gas trapped in between them that help to improve energy-efficiency. Once a crack breaks through the surface of a pane, the gas can be released. Typically, window replacement is the best way to ensure that you get maximum energy-efficiency.
Poorly Repaired Glass Is More Likely to Shatter
After a DIY glass repair, you might be congratulating yourself on a job well done. Many of these types of repairs do manage to turn out okay in the beginning. Then, the repair materials tend to begin breaking down with age.
This can lead to small cracks developing around the edges of the repair that trap moisture and flex in response to temperature changes. Once the stress on the glass becomes too much, it can shatter and leave you with a bigger problem, along with the risk of injuries.
In addition to being dangerous, DIY repairs may also void any warranty that you currently have on your windows. We guarantee our work and offer manufacturer’s warranties that make it easier to arrange for professional repairs.
Instead of risking a serious cut or further breakage, let us check things out. You’ll be safer knowing that the panes and frames are fully stabilized, and the results will last far longer than what you would get with a kit.
