Car experts reveal a bad habit to avoid when cleaning your frozen windshield that can cause the windows to crack
CAR experts have discovered that when cleaning a frozen windshield, you should avoid a bad habit that can even cause the glass to break.
Specialists at Halfords has warned drivers about a major mistake as the weather gets colder.
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As temperatures tend to drop, it’s likely that many Brits will wake up to find their engine’s windscreen covered in frost.
A number of hacks have spread social media as drivers desperately try to find a quick de-icing solution.
However, the team at Halfords urged motorists to proceed with caution.
Their research found that more than 20% of Brits have opted for a particular trick that could actually do more harm than good.
There is a lot of advertising for this on the internet and it seems like a good idea, but using boiling water to remove the ice poses a serious risk.
The logic obviously assumes that the hot water will melt the ice, but it doesn’t take into account the effect of rapidly heating nearly freezing glass.
The main problem is that the glass expands rapidly when heated, with the central point where the water was poured doing so faster than other parts of the pane.
This results in what is known as thermal shock, where the stress placed on the glass causes it to crack or even shatter.
And getting an estimate to fix a crack could be a costly mistake Vehicle window The price is around £225.
Worse still, a full replacement could cost you up to £1,650 depending on the make and model of your car Check a trade.
Instead, the experts shared some top tips for de-icing your windows safely and effectively.
They urged motorists to use a quality ice scraper, available for just £1, to do the basic work while properly using the windscreen defroster function in most modern cars.
A car dehumidifier and a good mix of antifreeze in the washer fluid are also good preventative measures to prevent ice from forming in the first place.
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