Windshield chip - what constitutes “edge” of windshield and can I DIY this?

Question

I have a small chip in my windshield I got today driving home from work.

It's less than the size of a dime, with a bit of surface damage and some small cracks (which appear to be subsurface? hard to tell from visual and touching).

Reading online makes me believe this is a relatively straightforward repair, so long as the chip is away from the "edge of windshield."

It is never clear what "edge" actually is, literally on the edge? Close to the edge? The chip in mine is at closest 4+ inches away from the edge of my windshield - I assume this is repairable.

Assuming so, how complicated is it to repair it myself? It is completely not in my field of view and so a subpar repair job isn't necessarily the end of the world, so long as the problems are visual only and not structural.

Answer 1

They have to have enough space to put the suction cup at the center of the chip. I would think 4" should be more than enough ... I'm pretty sure the suction cup is usually around 5" (or 2.5" radius). I'm assuming from what you've said, this is a "bulls-eye". I've never done the repair myself, but for the cost of having a professional do it, I haven't worried about it. Especially since most insurance companies cover the cost of chip repair without a deductible.

If however you choose to do the repair yourself, I believe it is very straight forward. A couple of things. You need to ensure the suction cup is well seated and can draw a vacuum. Also ensure the chipped area is clean. Use a razor blade perpendicular to the windshield to scrape off the excess resin. Just be careful and take your time and you shouldn't have an issue.