3 Wintertime Auto Glass Tips That Could Save Your Windshield

During the winter, you might be more worried about keeping your car on the road and getting to work on time than you are about your auto glass. Unfortunately, a few simple mistakes could lead to auto glass damage, which could mean a replacement windshield. However, you might be able to prevent problems by following these three wintertime auto glass tips:

1: Remove Ice the Right Way

Nothing is worse than missing the nightly weather forecast, and then having to deal with surprise snow and ice covering your car when you try to leave for work. Unless you unintentionally woke up twenty minutes early, you might grab whatever you have handy to try to remove that snow and ice, so that you can get on the road.

Unfortunately, some items just aren't made to use near auto glass. Although you might be tempted to use that metal garden shovel to unbury your car or those keys to chip ice away from your windshield wipers, both tools could knick your windshield in an instant. Some people even decide to pour warm water on their auto glass, which could cause any underlying damage to quickly turn into a massive crack.

If you want to avoid damaging your auto glass, take the time to remove snow and ice the right way. Brush new snowfall away from your car with a nylon-bristled broom. When you can reach your door handle, turn your car on to give the ice a chance to melt on its own. After a few minutes, use a plastic ice scraper to clear your windows and mirrors.

Although proper ice removal might take a little more time than your quick fix, paying attention to your auto glass might save you from making an extra trip to the auto glass repair shop later.

2: Keep Your Distance

After taking the time to uncover your car, you might be running a little late for work. In an effort to beat the clock, you might be tempted to rush down the road and prompt others to do the same by following a little too closely. However, in addition to being against the law, tailgating could also mean bad things for your auto glass.

If you follow other cars too closely, debris like small pebbles and big chunks of rock salt can be kicked up by their wheels, and smash into your windshield. Although damage can be hard to spot during the winter months, you might notice several new rock chips when you start washing your car during the spring. Those chips might seem harmless, but studies have shown that rock chips are more than 90% likely to spread into cracks later.

However, you might be able to avoid this problem altogether by keeping your distance on the road. To keep your windshield safe, try to stay at least 10 meters, or around 30 feet, away from the cars ahead of you. If you spot windshield damage, have it repaired right away to prevent crack formation. Auto glass technicians can fill the spots with strong resin, which will restore the structural integrity of your windshield.  To avoid the temptation to tailgate, try to leave for work a little earlier during the winter months.

3: Prevent Snow and Ice Buildup

Do you hate the idea of careful snow removal and the thought of getting up early for work? Fortunately, you might be able to prevent snow and ice buildup from forming on your car in the first place by trying one of these techniques:

• Cover that Glass: If you want an easy way to whisk snow and ice away from your windshield, consider investing in a snow cover for your auto glass. These simple devices look a lot like the sun shields that you would put inside of your car during the summer, but they are simply laid on your windshield overnight. To remove snow and ice in a snap, all you need to do is move the cover in the morning.   
• Use Chemical Ice Shields: Believe it or not, there are even chemical ice shield sprays that you can apply to your car in the evening, which will keep ice and snow from sticking to your car overnight. These chemicals have a much lower freezing point than water, to quickly melt snow before it accumulates. 

If you can keep water from freezing on your windshield, you might be able to avoid reckless ice removal, while speeding up your morning routine.   

By understanding how to prevent wintertime auto glass damage, you might be able to avoid undue hassles and stay safer on the road. Check out sites like http://www.kcglassinc.com/ for more information.