While driving miles every day, we encounter different weather and road conditions and no matter what climate you live in, you need to protect your car from being damaged by these elements of nature. A huge hail storm could hit, debris could smash into your car after a windy day, or if sunlight is always shining on your car, these are all some reasons you need to take extra precautions to protect your car.
The first safety cover that protects us from external objects, extreme weather, and other debris coming our way is the windscreen. We cannot control these conditions and circumstances we may have to drive in, hence, ensuring windshield protection is non-negotiable.
If you are not willing to spend a fortune on buying a new car or repair work, here are some things you should do every day to protect your car.
Park In The Shade
If your car sits in the sun for hours each day, direct sunlight can do a lot of damage to your car. Sunlight can make the car paint fade, lead to cracks in the dashboard and seats and also fade the upholstery on the seats and floor.
The best way to protect your car from storms and sunlight that hits your windshield is by parking your vehicle in your garage or a shaded spot. By so doing, you prevent heating up and contracting, which can cause chips or cracks.
Use A Windshield Sun Protector
In most cases, parking in the sun will be unavoidable, make sure you use a windshield sun protector to keep the sun rays away from your car’s dashboard. According to American Windshield, if your windshield has even the smallest crack, take care of it by either fixing it or completely replacing it to prevent further damage to your vehicle, or worse, yourself. Addressing the issue immediately can save you time and money in the long run.
Beware Of Extreme Temperatures
During summer, your vehicle’s interior can get up to very high temperatures. You should never crank up the air conditioning immediately you enter your car as this can cause cracks in your windshield. Prolonged exposure to heat also weakens auto glass. Try cracking a window when you park to allow some of the hot air to escape.
Also, unless you want instant cracks and shattering, never pour boiling water on a frozen windshield. Rather than immediately blasting hot air on the cold window, let the bottom heaters and defrosters do the work.
Keep A Safe Distance
Large or cargo trucks throw rocks or stones up and out and while moving at a certain speed, this could crack your windshield. We should avoid vehicles carrying cargo that are not securely tied down.
Not only can this tip save you, your passengers, and your vehicle can also benefit from this. Always keep a safe distance from vehicles like this, especially when there is a lot of traffic or there’s any sort of glare caused by the sun.
Keep Your Auto Glass Clean
Clean auto glass not only makes sure your vehicle looks good, but makes sure all materials, like tree sap, debris from the road, or bird droppings, are off and helps to preserve the life of the glass. Focus more on your windshield, as that is the window where visibility is most important.
Avoid Harsh Chemicals When Cleaning
When cleaning or waxing your automobile, use products specifically made for auto glass cleaning. Don’t use it if it doesn’t say your glass is safe. In addition, to prevent scratching and other damages to your vehicle, use microfiber cloths when cleaning your windows. Don’t use products containing ammonia, as it dries out plastic, rubber, and vinyl, and can even dry out your glass and the protective barrier around the glass.
Be Gentle And No Door Slamming
Slamming that door can cause a ripple effect that weakens your auto glass. Be conscious and cautious about this when entering and exiting your vehicle. You should also remind your friends and family to do the same.
Avoid Potholes, Debris, Or Fallen Branches
As much as possible, never drive over large potholes as this can crack your auto glass and even cause damage to other parts of your vehicle apart from your windshield. Avoid this.
Maintain Your Windshield Wipers
If your windshield wipers cannot push away all the water on the glass, not only will this impair your visibility, when metal parts of wipers are exposed, damage as fine scratches that won’t go away will be inflicted on your auto glass. You’ll then need a full auto glass replacement. You should also make sure your windshield wiper fluid is always full.
When all these precautions are not heeded, things go wrong and there’s bigger damage overall to deal with. The windscreen provides protection from the elements, protects passengers from injuries, reduces highway noise, and blocks UV radiation.
A good auto glass properly cared for offers enhanced driving visibility and always strive to keep your windshield in top shape to avoid the need for repairs.