If you want to keep your windshield in tip-top shape and avoid spending time and money on a windshield replacement, you need to learn a few maintenance tips. How you maintain your windshield can change depending on several factors—for example, the season.
Naturally, weather can have major effects on your car. Just think about how your windshield gets covered in ice during the winter months. However, in the summertime, heat is your biggest concern when it comes to windshield maintenance. The brutal summer heat can make your windshield susceptible to cracks and more severe breaks, especially if the glass already has some minor blemishes like chips.
Today’s post breaks down a few of the best windshield maintenance tips for summer.
Buy A Windshield Shade
Don’t Leave Your Car Out In the Sun
If the heat from the summer sun can present dangers for your windshield, then the first thing you can do is keep your car out of direct sunlight as much as possible. You obviously won’t be able to keep it out of the sun all of the time, it’s not like there are special shaded roads you can drive on, but there are ways to limit sun exposure.
If you have a garage, park inside rather than in your driveway. If you don’t have a garage, try to find a shady spot to park on your street. Sometimes it’s not possible to park in the shade, so crack your windows by half an inch or an inch to keep the interior temperature of your car a little bit lower.
Don’t Overuse A/C
Warnings about how heat can damage your windshield, leading to the need for windshield replacement, can sometimes lead people too far in the opposite direction but cranking their air conditioning or washing their vehicle with cold water. That may seem like a good idea at first thought. If heat is causing damage, cool it off. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple, and doing so can actually cause more harm than good.
Rapidly changing the glass’s temperature can be a shock to the material on a microscopic level, resulting in chips and cracks expanding. There’s nothing wrong with using your air conditioning; just don’t turn it on full blast as soon as you jump in, even when it’s excruciatingly hot inside. Also, don’t wash your windshield with cold water if your car has been sitting out in the sun.
Don’t Slam Your Car Doors
We’ve slammed a car door at some point in our lives. Maybe it was out of anger or frustration, or maybe it was just an accident. But, you should avoid slamming your car doors at all costs because of the effect it can have on your windshield. When you slam your car door, it sends a shockwave of force through your windshield, increasing the pressure on the glass. If your windshield has any small cracks or chips (maybe so small you don’t even know they’re there), slamming the door could cause those blemishes to grow and spread, earning you a one-way ticket to the auto shop for a windshield replacement.
Use Windshield Repairs Services
The number one way to keep your windshield in good shape is to get any damage, no matter how minor, repaired as quickly as possible. Tiny chips and crack might not seem like a big deal, especially if they obstruct your vision while driving. But, even the smallest chips compromise the structural integrity of the glass. Get small issues fixed quickly to avoid the need for more costly and invasive repairs like windshield replacement down the road.