When people think of winter car care, they usually think about flushing the radiator and buying snow tires. But your car is also at risk of getting a cracked windshield during the cold winter months.
Once nighttime temperatures start dipping into the twenties, it is important to think about caring for your windshield!
To protect your windshield in freezing weather, follow these winter car care tips:
- Avoid sudden temperature changes. Do not use boiling water to defrost your windshield. Turn on the defroster and let the windshield warm up slowly.
- Use an ice scraper to remove ice. You can scratch or chip your windshield using table knives or metal spatulas to remove ice. Plastic ice scrapers are cheap. The investment of a few dollars is worth it to save your windshield. Or try spray de-icer such as Heet or Rain-X De-Icer to melt ice on your windshield…you may not even need to use a scraper.
- Keep the Glass Clean. Running the wipers or using an ice scraper over stuck-on dirt is a common cause of windshield scratches. It is also easier to see small rock chips on a clean windshield than a dirty one.
- Replace Old Wiper Blades. Worn out wiper blades often fall apart in the winter, exposing the glass to the metal or plastic clips. Running the wipers in this condition can severely scratch the glass. If you live in a cold climate, try winter wiper blades…they are more durable and are made to handle clearing snow and ice.
- Check that the washer fluid reservoir is full. I recommend using a winter washer fluid that has anti-fog and ice mix in the solution.
- Get rock chips repaired. That rock chip you got last July could very well crack out your windshield in December! Sudden temperature changes may cause small chips to start cracking. Once your windshield cracks out, it is too late. You will be looking for someone to replace your windshield.
These simple and inexpensive tips can save you hundreds of dollars on the cost of windshield replacement.
If you need small cracks or rock chips repaired, call GlassLogic at .
During the winter, I am open from early morning to dusk.
Save Money • Save Time • Save Your Windshield
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