A weak or cracked windshield increases the chances of injury during an accident. If you’re wondering, the windshield absorbs the collision force, holds up the roof during a rollover and helps the airbags to deploy. Anyhow, check out the following tips for maintaining your windshield.
Don’t Slam Your Doors
We do those little things like aggressively slamming the door that comes back to haunt us. Apparently, door slamming stimulates a vibration effect that weakens the windshield over a long period of time. Actually, if you have chips that need to be fixed, you will only make it worse.
Avoid Parking Under Direct Sunlight ( If you can)
There is no way you can completely evade direct sunlight. Regardless, you should sort out to park under the shade or indoor parking lots. Why? On a long enough timeline, the UV rays can compromise the strength and tint of the windshield. Also, the chips can get affected by fluctuating temperatures.
Repair Small Chips Immediately
Do you see that small chip or crack on the windscreen that you would probably need a magnifying glass to view? As it turns out, that very small chip on your windscreen can develop into a bigger crack forcing you to part with more money to fix it. In other words, if you don’t get it repaired immediately, you may regret it.
Clean & Replace Your Wipers
It’s astounding that a lot of folks don’t know that wiper blades should be replaced after 3 to 6 months depending on where you live and how often you use them. Of course, if you live in places where there are frequent sand storms, the sand particles can get stuck in your wipers. Those who live in snow regions should also switch to winter blades during the colder months.
Otherwise, you should thoroughly clean your wipers whenever you’re washing your car once a week.
Don’t Use Ammonia-Based Glass Cleaners
The ammonia glass cleaner used to clean your home windows should be kept off your car windows. Seriously, the car windows are tinted and ammonia ingredients will do more harm than good. As an alternative, you can use alcohol, vinegar or a special window cleaner formula. On top of that, a microfiber or cotton towel can come in handy to clean the windshield without scratching it or leaving streaks.