Getting ready for winter is on just about everybody’s mind right now. Between turning on heaters, watching the forecast for snow, and switching out those tires for your heavier-duty winter ones, there’s plenty to pay attention to when it comes to preparing your home and car for the colder months. One thing most people don’t really think about until it’s a problem (and that’s the worst time to have to think about it!) is windshield wipers. It’s easy to forget that they might not be ready for winter weather until you’re stuck with a patch of snow in your line of sight and suddenly staying on the road has become dangerous and….hello auto body repair. Are there windshield wipers that are better suited for winter conditions? The short answer is yes, but here are some things to consider.
Standard Wipers
It’s easy to choose just any old wiper when you’re in a milder climate or if you bought the wipers when the weather was balmy and beautiful, but when ice and snow enter the mix, it’s important to consider whether or not your wipers have hinges. If they do, are the hinges covered? Even better, is there a hingeless option? A lot of standard wipers have hinges, and that’s where things can start to get a little dicey.
Watch for Ice and Snow Buildup
Hinges on a windshield wiper are the perfect place for snow and ice to build up. At a certain point, the ice and snow buildup restricts the wipers’ ability to contour to the windshield’s shape and starts to miss spots, leaving your vision on the road impaired.
Hingeless Wipers
If you want to go premium, hingeless wipers are a great option. Rather than the traditional metal frame, hingeless wipers are made with flexible plastic that holds the rubber wiper. They are a little pricier, but they are the longest lasting option for a wiper that will hold up against whatever winter throws at it. That being said, hingeless is not your only option when it comes to windshield wipers that can handle winter weather.
Winter Wipers
The main difference between a standard wiper and one that is winter-ready is simple. On a winter wiper, the entire construction, frame and all, is covered by a thin rubber boot. When it starts to get dicey outside, the boot helps prevent buildup and allows the wiper to move as it should across the windshield. You do have to watch for tears in the rubber casing as it can sometimes be delicate. if snow and ice get under it, the metal frame may corrode and freeze up.
It’s not imperative that you have winter-ready windshield wipers, but since snow and ice are pretty common visitors throughout the Colorado winter, it’s worth exploring. Without them, you are much more likely to face buildup and greatly increase your risk of visibility issues. And let’s be honest, winter driving poses enough challenge without the added mess of not being able to see where you’re going clearly.
