Stay Safe This Winter by Caring for Your Windshield
If you can’t see clearly, you can’t drive safely. You may be glad that summer’s finally over, since you can stop cleaning dead bugs off your windshield, but winter presents its own challenges for visibility on the road.
Don’t let the upcoming seasonal weather stop you. You can stay safe on the road by following these tips for caring for your windshield in the winter.
- Prevent Windshield Damage
If you have any cracks or dents in your windshield, you may have been putting off repairing them. However, if you wait until the cold weather arrives, the damage to your windshield will probably get much worse.
When your windshield gets wet from rain or the morning dew, the water will seep into the cracks in your windshield. Then, as the temperatures plummet, especially at night, the water inside the cracks will freeze. Since ice takes up more space than liquid water, the ice will force the cracks to open wider than they already are.
Don’t wait to take care of any windshield damage you have, no matter how minor it is. If you repair cracks and dents now, you won’t risk them getting bigger as the nights grow colder.
- Take Care of Frosty Windshields Correctly
One of the greatest challenges in the winter is to defrost your windshield quickly and effectively, especially when you’re in a hurry during the winter mornings. Make sure you take care of this task correctly so you don’t damage your windshield or take too much time.
The proper way to get rid of ice on your windshield is with an ice scraper. Make sure you buy a high-quality one, and don’t give in to the temptation to use anything else. If you use a putty knife, shovel, or any other tool that isn’t designed to scrape ice, you risk damaging your windshield, which will only cost you time and money in the long run.
Don’t be tempted to speed up the de-icing process by pouring hot water on your windshield either. The sudden temperature change could cause your windshield to shatter. If you want to make scraping easier, invest in a de-icing spray instead.
- Get Rid of Fog
Not only do you have to de-ice the outside of your windshield in the winter, but you have to worry about the inside as well. Foggy windshields are just as dangerous as icy ones. No matter what, don’t start driving until you’re sure you can see clearly, even if you’ve already taken care of the ice on the outside of the windshield.
Prevent Fog
Get started by preventing fog from forming in your windshield. While you may regularly wipe the outside of your windshield, you probably haven’t cleaned the inside in a long time. The inside of your windshield probably has grease, dirt, and debris stuck to it, and while this grime doesn’t impact your visibility much normally, it causes problems when it gets cold.
When you get into your car, you bring warm moisture with you from wet clothing, your breath, and even any hot beverages you’re carrying. All that warm water vapor will condense into liquid water when it hits your cold windshield — and if your windshield is dirty, even more water will stick to the particles of debris and condense. If you clean your windshield now, you won’t have as much fog later.
You can also prevent some of the fog by limiting the amount of moisture you bring into your car. For example, if your coat and mittens are soaked from the snow, consider putting them in your trunk instead of keeping them with you. The less water you have in your car’s air, the less fog you’ll have.
Eliminate Fog
Even if your windshield is sparkling clean, you will still have to deal with some fog. Start by warming up the engine before you start trying to defrost your windshield. Generally, the temperature of the air in your car’s heating system needs to be about 130 degrees Fahrenheit before it can defog your windows effectively. Plan ahead so you have a couple of minutes to run your car before you leave.
When you turn the defroster on, make sure your car’s circulation is set to pull air from outside the car instead of recirculating the air inside the car. If you only recirculate air, you won’t ever get rid of the water vapor in your car, which makes defogging the windows much more difficult.
Use these tips to care for your windshield in the winter, which in turn will allow you to see clearly and drive safely. If your windshield is damaged and you decide to repair or replace it now before the cold truly arrives, reach out to Central Glass Company. We offer excellent auto glass services to help you stay safe.