“Winterize” Your Car

Harsh winters are a common occurrence in the Midwest especially as snow and sleet sweep across the country. These extreme conditions ultimately wear on your home and car. It’s essential to be well prepared for the frigid temperatures and bitter cold snow because if you aren’t it could spell disaster for your property. When preparing for winter, most people’s biggest priority is their homes and keeping the pipes and heat running, but it is important to consider your car as well. 

3 Steps to Prepare your Car for Winter

You want your car to be in tip-top shape before the snow and ice hits. To make sure your car is ready for winter, with the following maintenance tips:

1. Replace Windows with Cracks 

A minor chip or crack in your window doesn’t seem like a big problem during the summertime, but as the temperatures begin to drop, those cracks can expand and eventually shatter your window. Moisture gets into the cracks and freezes, causing the crevices to grow. It is recommended to do car windows repair or car windows replacement before you hit the colder temperatures.

2. Check your engine coolant and antifreeze level

Antifreeze is the liquid that keeps your engine from freezing during the frigid temperature of the winter. Without it, your engine can freeze, leaving you in a hazardous situation.

3. Use winter windshield wiper fluid

Windshield care is as important as the engine. Not all windshield wiper fluid is the same. The ordinary fluid you use in the spring, summer and fall often become useless in the winter, as it freezes quickly upon contact with your windshield. When winter comes, you must switch out your fluid to winter fluid. Winter fluid is designed for the rigors of winter weather and won’t freeze on your windshield. The liquid helps loosen ice and snow from your windshield, making it much easier to keep things clear while driving. This also protects your windshield as well as windshield wipers.  

Ongoing Winter Car Care

As temperatures drop, it’s essential to prepare your car for the cold weather, but there is also regular maintenance that must be done through the winter season to protect your car as well. Here are some tips for the upcoming winter to avoid costly damages:  

1. Keep it Clean

Not only will your car look good and sparkle in the sun, but it will also remove salt and other debris on the paint. When a storm rolls through and ice blankets the streets, salt trucks are often seen out and about salting the road for your safety. If the salt is left on your car, be sure to wash it off or it will eat through the paint. Keeping your car clean will ensure that rust and other forms of corrosion don’t take their toll on your vehicle. The easiest and safest way to wash your car during the winter is to take it to a car wash. Many people wash their own car during the summertime, but no one wants to wash their own car in the freezing cold, and removing the salt from the car can be a big task. Choose a sunny day, and make sure to go to a car wash that cleans the undercarriage and dries the car at the end. This will ensure all the salt is removed from your car and the water doesn’t freeze up.   

2. Cover your Car

If you don’t have the ability to park your car inside a garage during the winter, you should cover your vehicle. One of the best ways to keep your car protected is to put a cover on it. This will ensure that snow doesn’t sit on the paint or windows, and when the city trucks drive by with salt to de-icing the street, your car won’t get covered. By helping reduce the amount of frost and street debris that develops on your windows, it will make sure your windows don’t get damaged or scratched.  

3. Bring a Snow Scraper  

A snow scraper will be your best friend because if you go into a store or work often, you will come out, and your windows will be covered in snow or ice. If it’s snowing, you should use the brush end to sweep off the snow. If the snow is freezing over on your windshield, you will need to use the ridged side to scrape the ice.  

Prepare for Winter with Kryger Glass

Windshield care is a great place to start when preparing for winter as well as throughout it. Car window replacement and windshield repair is necessary no matter what the weather conditions, but this is especially true as you head into winter. Here at Kryger Glass, we are here to help you with all your glass and mirror needs. If you are in the areas listed below, contact us on our website for all your glass needs. 

• Davenport
• Des Moines
• Sioux City
• Overland Park
• Kansas City
• Springfield
• Omaha