How Cold Temperatures Affect Your Windshield

Winter is not the time to ignore your windshield. This is particularly true if it has minor cracks or chips. If you already have an issue with your windshield, the cold temperatures during winter will only make it worse.  

Fortunately for you, you do not have to wait until spring to fix your windshield.  

Your windshield is excellent at managing a huge variety of temperatures. This is especially true if it is in excellent condition. The glass will contract when the weather is cold. On the other hand, it expands when the weather is warm.  

Unfortunately, you’ve got a couple of additional stresses with winter weather.  

For instance, when you warm up the interior of your vehicle, your windshield is warm on the inside but cold on the outside. This is typically not an issue if your windshield is in great shape. However, if you’ve got a crack, then you’ll need an auto glass repair Florida service.  

Aside from the regular hazards in the road, how you treat your windshield will have a major impact on whether it gets damaged. Here are a couple of actions that can damage your windshield.  

Utilizing the Wrong Wipers 

You need to utilize wipers that are specifically made for the winter season. These types of wipers are more durable. They can manage ice and snow better compared to normal wipers.  

Almost every single one of them has a durable exterior layer that will not freeze to the windshield, unlike regular wipers.  

Furthermore, winter wipers are heavier compared to regular ones. Thus, they can move snow out of your windshield.  

In addition to that, you should not utilize regular wiper fluid since it does not include a deicer, unlike winter fluid.  

Utilizing Hot Water 

A couple of car owners pour hot water over their windshields. This is particularly true if they’re in a hurry and want the ice to melt quickly.  

Unfortunately, professionals do not recommend this. Hot water can crack or shatter your auto glass. The sudden application of hot water can cause exceptional and sudden stress on the windshield. This action is particularly catastrophic if you already have minor cracks in your windshield.  

Utilizing the Wrong Tools 

You should only utilize tools made for windshields. This includes brushes and ice scrapers. Don’t utilize hammers or shovels since you might damage the glass.  

If you utilize your scraper, make sure you don’t pound or stab into the glass. It does not matter if the ice is thick. You can damage your glass easily this way. It can also make existing cracks worse.  

Utilizing Defogger or Defroster 

You’ll increase the stress on the glass if you blow hot air on the windshield. Typically, hot air is an extremely useful method to make ice scraping easier. However, it is not great if your windshield is already damaged. It will worsen the cracks and weaken the integrity of your windshield.  

If you want to avoid all of these problems, make sure you replace your windshield with a new one.