How To Safely Deal With Ice & Snow Removal From Your Windshield
Posted on: 8 October 2019
Winter is going to sneak up on you before you know it, and your windshield is going to be covered in ice and snow when you go outside to start it up. Your windshield is both strong and delicate at the same time. It can withstand the force of strong winds when you are driving and can keep you safe when you get into an accident. However, your windshield can also get damaged if you don't clean the ice and snow off it properly.
Allow Your Vehicle to Warm-Up for 5 Minutes
When you can see that your vehicle has ice or snow on it, allow your vehicle to warm-up for at least five minutes before you even start to try to remove the ice or snow. This is where having a remote start device for your vehicle comes in handy. For this warm-up period to be as effective as possible, you should have the heat and the defrost on in your vehicle to help slowly warm up the windshield, and help melt some of the ice from within.
Use a Plastic Scraper
Once your vehicle is warmed up, you can scrape the ice and snow off your windshield. You want to use a plastic scraper; a plastic scraper will be strong enough to remove ice and snow, without leaving behind scratches and damaging your windshield. Don't use a metal scraper; the metal can scratch and damage the glass and create a need for a new windshield before the winter is over.
Be Careful with the Force
Be careful with the amount of force that you apply. You shouldn't be chipping away at the ice. If the ice is too hard to scrape off, allow your vehicle to warm up for a longer period of time. Being too forceful could crack your windshield.
Don't Use Hot Water
Don't use the old trick of pouring hot water on your windshield to get rid of the ice. Pouring hot water on the windshield may melt the ice, but it can also weaken the strength of your windshield, and one day when you are pouring that hot water on your windshield, the extreme temperature change is going to cause your windshield to crack.
Get Damages Fixed Right Away
Finally, if your windshield has any damage to it, take it to auto glass professionals and get it repaired right away. Going from cold to warm temperatures, which happens when your vehicle is sitting cold in the driveway and then is taking you down the road on an hour commute to your job, can make a small crack spread quickly, leading to a windshield that needs to be replaced. Avoid replacing your window this winter by getting it repaired as soon as there is any sign of damage.
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