Winter can wreak havoc on your entire car, truck, or SUV. Everything from your engine to your tires can be put under a lot of pressure and stress when the temperature goes down. But your vehicle’s windshield often gets the worst of winter. Here are just a few ways the winter season can affect your glass windshield.
Winter can make your windshield dirty
This is more of a minor inconvenience than a major long-term problem. But when winter rolls around, it will likely start to snow, sleet, and hail more often than it would at other times of the year. This can be problematic for drivers because it can make their windshields dirty. It’s a good idea to fill and refill your vehicle with windshield washer fluid as often as you can during the winter months.
Winter can make your windshield more susceptible to cracking
Sudden temperature changes can cause problems for glass windshields. It’s why you should never consider pouring hot water on a windshield to melt ice. The hot water will likely cause your windshield to crack on contact. But it’s also important to note that hot air can do the same thing. If it’s very cold out and your start blowing hot air directly onto a windshield covered in ice, it could lead to cracking taking place. To prevent this, you should point vents away from your windshield and allow the inside of your vehicle to warm up slowly rather than all at once.
Winter can make preexisting cracks in your windshield larger
If you already have a chip or crack in your windshield as you head into winter, you should look into having your windshield repaired or replaced. The cold temperatures can turn a small crack into a very large crack seemingly overnight. Even if you experience a relatively mild winter with temperatures that hover right around the freezing mark, that could still be cold enough to cause large cracks to form.
Do you want to make sure you don’t experience any problems with your glass windshield this winter? ProCurve can provide you with custom curved glass for your automobile that will stand up to winter and all that it throws at you. Call us at 215-441-9101 today to hear about the windshield options we have for you.