Winter is the season when people worry the most about their autos, for those in the blustery, bitter cold climates. The harsh, extreme conditions can wreak havoc on the tires, making them somewhat flatter, straining the battery, and wearing the wiper blades. That’s something you need to pay special attention to.
If ice and snow are collecting on the windshield, you should be sweeping off the heavy. When you scrape, it’s vital to wait until there’s no solid block of ice and be gentle in your approach. You could have a microscopic chip or minor crack with the potential for shattering, given enough pressure.
Let’s look at the effects a brutal winter season can have on the auto’s glass, especially the windshield, and the steps you can take to protect it.
How Does The Winter Weather Impact The Auto’s Glass And Windshield
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The standard conditions exist in the winter, as do throughout the entire year. An auto is exposed to rocks flying off tires on the roadways and debris, but the weather can cause chips and cracks like large icicles falling from trees.
The glass with a vehicle is susceptible to changes in temperature, with it expanding when there’s extreme heat and contracting in the bitter cold.
If the temperature goes from one extreme to the next, suddenly, it can be hard on the window, especially the windshield. That’s seen more often in the summer when the AC is blasted on a hot summer day.
It’s less likely in the winter, but other factors combined with the weather, including a poor install, lack of maintenance, neglected damage, or scraping errors, can lead to major issues. How will each affect the glass? Let’s learn.
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A poor installation can eventually contribute to damage
When a windshield is adequately installed with a trusted, reputed, and well-qualified auto glass shop like Insta Glass, Chilliwack, there should be no fear of chips or cracks due to merely the bitter cold temperatures.
If the installation is poor, there is a major opportunity for damage since a greater degree of stress put on the glass will eventually create stress cracks. An average consumer won’t recognize whether the windshield was installed correctly or if it was done poorly.
The best you can do is to get recommendations, read reviews, and check ratings, so the shop is legitimate and of a high standard.
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There was damage that was either neglected or unnoticed
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No matter how tiny, the auto is unsafe to drive when there’s a chip. The glass has the likelihood of shattering around that chip or crack. Once you notice damage, you’re obligated to stop driving it and take it for repairs immediately.
You won’t be endangering only yourself by driving in a hazardous situation, but you’ll be compromising those motorists surrounding you on the roadways.
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Simple maintenance can help reduce some instances of damage
The lack of adequate maintenance can result in scratches or eventual cracks from worn windshield wiper blades. These are easy to upkeep. When they become worn, or you notice they’re not cleaning the windshield thoroughly, they should be changed. You don’t want them to wear down to the metal.
That will result in the metal scraping against the glass, eventually creating a crack depending on how long it goes on. A good rule of thumb is to change the wipers each time you have an oil change, whether they need it or not and depending on the frequency of use.
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Clearing ice from the window in inclement weather needs to be done properly
Many auto owners are guilty of trying to clear their windshields while being exposed to the frigid temperatures as little as possible. That means showering the windscreen with hot water to clean the frost and putting the defrost on blast.
That changes the glass temperature dramatically, which is unsuitable for the window, leaving the potential to crack.
Source: pixabay.com
Final Thought
While you can’t remove your car from the winter conditions, you can protect it as much as possible by regularly changing the wiper blades and keeping them clean. When heating the vehicle or using the defrost, gradually turn it up.
If you want to hurry the ice off the windshield, use cold water, not hot, to prevent extreme changes in temperature and scrape gently with a plastic tool.
Please pay attention to the glass, and inspect it periodically throughout the season. If there are any small chips or cracks, take them immediately to a legitimate, trusted shop for adequate auto glass repairs for optimum safety while driving.
