4 Tips for Protecting Your Auto Glass this Winter
With winter in full swing, it’s important to be mindful when caring for your vehicle’s auto glass. Since the harsh temperatures tend to put additional stress on windshields, cracks and other related damages become especially prevalent this time of the year. Fortunately, there are a number of measures you can take to safeguard your auto glass this winter.
At Speers, our team in Oakville is backed over 25 years of experience in auto glass repairs and replacements. From simple stone chips and crack repairs to replacing entire windshields, our team has the knowledge and experience to help.
Be proactive and prevent unnecessary damages from occurring this winter by following these 4 tips our experts shared:
Start Your Defroster On Low
While it may be tempting to crank your vehicle’s defroster up to its highest setting on a cold winter day, it’s important to know that sudden or drastic changes in the temperature of your windshield can cause your auto glass to crack. If you park your vehicle outdoors overnight, we recommend defrosting your windshield gradually.
Start with igniting your engine and using your defroster at its lowest setting. Then, gradually increase the strength of the heat overtime. Additionally, if you’re defrosting your vehicle on a snowy morning, be sure to also check that there is no snow blocking your tailpipes; failure to do so could result in carbon monoxide entering the interior of vehicle.
Brush and Scrape From Left To Right
Before attempting to brush and scrape the snow/ice from your windshield, we recommend slightly loosening it with the help of your vehicle’s defroster. Then, brush or scrape the remaining snow and ice on your auto glass using a gentle left-to-right-motion, moving horizontally across the windshield. This tip is crucial simply due to the fact that moving left-to-right mimics the path of your windshield; not only is this a more natural sensation for your windshield, it also decreases your chances of inflicting damages on your windshield which could ultimately lead to a full auto glass replacement.
Chip Ice Only When Necessary
If heavy ice has formed on your windshield, avoid chipping it off forcefully. With temperatures dropping well below zero in Oakville this winter, your auto glass is under a lot more stress than usual; consequently, this means that your auto glass is also more fragile.
As a result, attempting to chip away at the ice could result in cracks and scratches in your windshield. Therefore, if you must chip off the ice, we recommend that you only use ice scrapers which were specifically designed for ice removal after defrosting your windshield.
Leave Your Wipers Up
Prevent your windshield wipers from freezing over your auto glass this winter by positioning them upwards when you park your car. Believe it or not, the weight of your frozen wipers paired with the layer of ice on top of your windshield could compromise the durability of your windshield. As a preventative measure, we recommend leaving your wipers up.
Not only will this extend the life of your wipers, it will also prevent excess ice left behind on your scrapers from scratching up or damaging your windshield should you need to use it before it is completely thawed. Beyond this, we also recommend replacing your wipers regularly. While defective wipers pose a danger to drivers year-round, it is especially important to ensure that your wipers are in good condition this time of the year as worn out wipers can further reduce clarity and visibility on the roads over top of the existing weather conditions.
Stay safe this winter and be proactive about the condition of your auto glass by following these 4 tips.
Should you find yourself in need of an auto glass repair or replacement while in Oakville, be sure to contact our team at Speers Auto Glass for quick and affordable service. For more information, give us a call at 905-339-0339.
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