You might think that that tiny crack on your windshield is something nail polish, duct tape, or glue can fix. While do-it-yourself (DIY) kits or home remedies may be creative, “quick-fix” solutions, they offer a temporary solution. Before you know it, that little star-shaped crack can quickly turn into a giant spider, leading too much more trouble and costing you more money than you expected.
Rather than spending a few bucks on a DIY kit and wasting your weekend on a windshield repair project, it is better to leave the danger behind and have repair experts do the work.
Professionals at North York Auto Glass believe that there’s nothing wrong with being a creative, DIY warrior. However, when it comes to your safety, fixing windshield auto glass should be left to experienced technicians. DIY solutions might be riskier than you think and they may just be as bad as ignoring a cracked windshield.
Here are reasons you should get your windshield auto glass immediately fixed by experts, rather than making it a DIY repair project:
Cracks Obstruct Your Vision
A crack on the windshield itself already provides distraction no matter how tiny it is. Applying clear glue or nail polish won’t erase the crack. Adding duct tape would just make it a bigger obstruction. If you’re planning on using a DIY windshield repair kit, you might just end up buying sub-standard kits.
Also, most DIY kits are made from resin. Resin easily contracts and expands with changes in temperature and humidity. When too much resin is applied and it hardens, it may just create a larger dent and develop into a greater safety hazard. Resin also loves moisture and when improperly applied, could fog up your windshield, increasing the size of obstruction and the possibility of an accident.
Cracks Can Get You a Ticket
In most areas in Canada, driving with a cracked windshield, even if the crack is just a small chip or blemish on the glass, is considered a road violation. Fines can reach up to hundreds of dollars. If you’re caught driving with a badly cracked windshield, you can get a ticket, an order to have it repaired by a certain date, or even an order to remove your vehicle from the road.
Cracks Might Cause Your Airbags to Malfunction
In case of collision, your airbags deploy, cushioning impact and preventing whiplash and other injuries. If your windshield is cracked, it may not be able to withstand the force of the inflating airbag and break. This is much more dangerous as you won’t have both the windshield and the airbag to protect you from injury.
Cracks Weaken Roof Support
A cracked windshield weakens your car’s structural integrity, the roof particularly. In a rollover accident, the windshield acts a support beam which keeps the roof intact. If there’s a cracked windshield, then it won’t be able to support the weight of the roof and result in a collapse.
While DIY solutions and home remedies may reduce the appearance of the crack in your windshield, they don’t totally fix it. To be on the safe side, it is better to have your windshield repaired or replaced by professionals rather than fixing them yourself. In the long run, the cost you have paid for repair or replacement will keep you safer on the road.
