Putting Your Wipers Up During Snow – Windshield Protection
As the winter season starts to roll in, people who park outdoors may find their cars covered in snow. While some may prop their windshield wipers up, others may not do anything at all. Both have their pros and cons, though, but in the end, the goal is to prolong windshield life and avoid windshield repair and replacement services for as long as possible, right?
Let’s Take a Closer Look
Pros of Propping Your Wipers Up
- It prevents damage to the wiper motor if the wipers were left on but got frozen.
- Makes clearing snow much easier
- Does not damage the wipers’ rubber
By preventing the soft rubber from freezing onto the glass, you avoid having to chip away ice from your windshield. While doing so, you may accidentally end up scratching your glass or loosening your wiper blades in the process.
However, if you aren’t careful when setting the wipers down, you may adversely impact the windshield’s integrity. The frozen windshield is already under a lot of stress, and a strike from the wiper blade may cause it to crack.
Pros of Leaving Wipers Down
- Reduces the risk of damage to the blade arm and its mechanism
- Decreases vandalism opportunities
- It can be defrosted easily
- Reduces the risk of windshield damage.
By leaving the wipers down, you avoid having to go through an extra step every time you want to go anywhere in the snow. You will have to sit for a while for the defroster to do its thing, though.
Which Method Is The Best?
Unfortunately, the debate is still ongoing, and until proven otherwise, it entirely depends on personal preference. If you don’t mind taking an extra step, leaving the wipers down can help you prolong your windshield’s life. On the other hand, if you lift them, you avoid tearing your rubber while freeing the frozen wiper blade.
A windshield wiper blade or rubber isn’t as costly as a windshield replacement and repair, though, so be mindful of that as you decide.
If you are still unclear of what to do and would like an expert opinion or need help with a windshield replacement repair service, True Blue Auto Glass is here to help. Give us a call or visit us for a quick consultation and quote!
“There are risks either way,” said Singh. “But the risk of you tearing the rubber trying to free a frozen wiper blade is higher. So, leaving them up is probably your best bet if you can do it.”
According to his experience, Singh says there’s not a lot of vehicle damage reported from leaving wiper blades up or down during a snowstorm. However, he has seen auto claims related to the improper clearing of snow and ice.
“We’ve seen claims where someone tried to use a shovel to get the snow off their car or scratched their windshield by using a metal scraper,” he said. “Even a snow brush can put light scratches in your paint if you’re not careful.”
