Cold Weather and Your Windshield

The cold weather during our Canadian winters, as they are well known - can affect our vehicles negatively in several different ways. A very important safety feature on your vehicle is your windshield and windshields are extremely vulnerable to being damaged by the effects cold can cause. By educating yourself of the possible ways a windshield is affected by the cold, you will benefit by knowing how to avoid damaging it in the future.

You may be tempted to use quick solutions to remove the snow and ice buildup from your windshield, especially in the morning if you are in a hurry- but by taking the proper steps, damage can be avoided.

The first step is to turn on your car and allow it to gradually warm up, and turn on your defrosters. Do not blast hot air at your windshield as the temperature change can cause cracks.

When using an ice scraper, by using a bit too much elbow grease, you can cause damage to your windshield by aggravating small cracks or chips that are preexisting. After defrosting, you will be able to remove the buildup easier with the ice scraper.

You should never pour hot water on your windshield to attempt defrosting the ice. By applying heat you are causing the glass to expand, but because of the cold weather, the glass quickly retracts which can cause any existing cracks you have, to expand most likely leading to a windshield replacement.

To increase protection on your windshield you can use methyl alcohol instead of regular washer fluid, it has a lower freezing point. Always make sure you are thoroughly cleaning the ice and snow off your vehicle for improved visibility.