One of the most frustrating winter worries is getting to your car in the nick of time to find the window glass all fogged and frosted up. Fortunately for you, we’ve got some science-backed tips on how you can get the frost cleared quickly, and be on your way!
Moisture is The Culprit
So, what causes your car windows to fog up on cold winter mornings? The answer is moisture.
As most of us are aware, warm air contains more moisture compared to cold air. When the temperature drops, the air starts releasing moisture, which takes the form of all those little droplets of water that fog up your windshield. This process is known as condensation.
Here’s a video of Ex-NASA engineer explaining the condensation and defogging process. As explained in the video, the fastest way to defog is to create an environment which is optimal for the moisture removal process.
Tips on Defogging & Defrosting Car Windows
- Turn on Your Heater: As we’ve already mentioned, warm air can hold moisture better. So start your engine, set you’re A/C on defroster mode, and put the heater on full blast. The hot air emanating from the vents will absorb the excess moisture in the cabin.
- Turn the A/C on: While this appears counter-intuitive to the heater technique mentioned above, the coils in your car’s air conditioning system will actually help dry the air within your cabin.
- Turn Air Circulation Off and Ventilation On: Another quick way to defog is letting fresh air enter your car. As it contains a minimum amount of moisture, the outside winter air will boost the moisture-absorbing capacity of cabin, thereby quickly drying the saturated air trapped within.
- Crack the Windows: This will enable the humid air to escape from your car while allowing the cold outside air to enter. This will speed up the moisture removal process.
- Defrosting the Windows: While the techniques mentioned above are about defogging, this one is about defrostingthe annoying sheet of ice that forms on the windshield and windows. One important thing to remember is that you should never use hot water to melt the ice. Hot water can cause the temperature of the glass to change abruptly, which can result in it cracking or breaking. If this happens, you’ll have no choice other than getting your glass repaired or replaced. If you don’t have the patience to scrape the ice, create a solution that’s two-thirds rubbing alcohol and one-third water, and spray it on your windshield. The solution will instantly start to melt the ice as it has a lower freezing point than freshwater.
If you’re a resident of San Antonio looking for windshield repair or replacement services, Auto Glass in San Antonio is one of the most reputable auto glass experts in the area. Get in touch with us now to schedule an appointment.