We’ve just borne out the onslaught of Storm Ciara over the last couple of days and it’s safe to say that the weather has turned a little on the chilly side… so no doubt we’re going to see lots of frost and ice building up on our cars overnight over the next few days, and possibly even weeks. It’s still a fair few weeks till spring, after all!

Checking the forecast each night would be a wise move if you know you’re going to need your car in the morning, so you can get up as early as you need to and make sure you’ve scraped all the ice off before going to work.

A common way to get rid of said ice is to boil the kettle and then pour it over the windscreen – but you could do some serious damage to your vehicle if this is your plan of attack.

Glass will expand quickly when hot or lukewarm water touches it, but it will contract quickly as well if it cools down when it’s cold outside. This can make the glass of your windscreen crack, even if the water you’re using is only warm and not hot. Those of you who know you’re driving around with chips and cracks in your windscreen should certainly avoid using hot or warm water to de-ice the vehicle.

It’s also worth noting that if it’s particularly cold outside, the water you pour on the windscreen could turn to ice quickly, which could freeze your windscreen wipers to the glass itself… causing all sorts of issues if you don’t notice and start to drive off.

So what’s the best way to go about de-icing the windscreen so as not to cause any damage and ensure that you’re not running late?

First of all, get your vehicle started. Direct the fans in the car towards the windscreen and turn the rear heater on as well. You can also turn the air con on in the car, as well, as this will help to prevent moisture build-up and stop your glass from misting.

Clear any snow off your windscreen and then use your scraper and de-icer on the outside of the car, as you wait for the interior to heat up and melt the ice from the inside. That should do the trick… just make sure that all ice and mist has gone completely before you set off on your journey.

If you’re in the market for a new car, you could even see which brands offer remote heating via the use of an app. There are several out there that allow you to turn the car heaters on remotely – which could be very useful indeed on a frosty morning, when the last thing you want to do is hang around and wait for your car windscreen to clear.

For windscreen replacement services, get in touch with us today.