The rainy season is here with us. Driving your car with a foggy windshield can be disastrous, however this is not something to worry about if you know the simplest way to clear the fog from the windshield.
Wiping off your windshield with a face towel was never the intention of your car's manufacturer but this is what many people do whenever they encounter mist forming on their car windows. It becomes even worse if you are driving at night. The material used to wipe the windshield leaves behind traces of lines that turn the windshield into glares that destruct the driver's vision. No matter how well you wipe your windshield with a towel, the mist will keep forming until you do the correct thing.
The main reason why the mist forms on the windshield is because of the difference in temperature. The inside is the warmer side while the outside being the colder side causes the warmer air inside the car to condense on the windshield causing it to form mist.
Ensuring that the outside and the inside temperature of your windshield remains the same solves condensation issues and leaves your windshield sparkling clean.
Below are ways of avoiding mist formation on your windows during the cold season.
USE OF AIR CONDITIONING (AC)
This is the most effective way of clearing the mist from your windshield. The only setback with this method is that it leaves the car occupants shivering.
With the car running turn on the AC and direct the cold air to the windshield using the dedicated button for the windshield. Lower the temperature as low as possible. Regulate the fan speed depending on how foggy your windshield is. The higher the speed the faster it clears. This will ensure that the outside temp and the inside temperature of your windshield are the same and no condensation will take place.
INTERIOR HEATING
Many people would agree that this is the friendliest way of clearing the fog from your windshield because of the warmth involved, even though a good number of them still doubt its functionality. Probably because the few who have tried it have ended up creating more mist on the windshield than initially.
This method only works well if the driver is patient. When the heater is switched on and the warm air directed to the cold windshield, the first thing that will happen is, the hot air will be condensed immediately it hits the cold windshield forming a thick mist. Given time, the hot air will start to heat the windshield causing both the outside and inside to attain the same warm temperature and no more mist throughout the journey. This method is useful if the vehicle is stationary for the first few minutes to allow the massive formation of the mist which eventually clears within less than 2-5 min before you start moving.
If you must use the hot air while in motion we advise a gradual increase in temperature from cold to hot to attain the desired temperature without the sudden formation of mist. The interior heating method relies on the engine coolant temperature thus only works well when the engine is hot. Activating this method on the first start-up in the morning does not work well until the engine warms up.
LOWER YOUR WINDOWS
Lowering all your car's windows just an inch lower in extremely cold weather allows for the exchange of outside air to get into the car, while the warm air in the car goes out. This allows for the outside temperature to get into the car thus minimising the chances of mist formation on the windows.
USE OF DEFOGGER
A defogger switch sometimes referred to as demister or defroster, is an electrically operated switch that defrosts the intended windshield. Most cars have both the front and rear defroster switches integrated into the interior heating/cooling panel. For the rear defroster, a small electrical current is used to heat the rear windshield via small conductors (mostly copper lines) engraved on the rear windshield. There have been many cases of rear windshield shuttering by itself when the rear defroster is activated during the hot season due to extreme expansion. This is always associated with system shut off malfunction.
For the front defroster, the switch activates the AC just as earlier explained above under the use of AC. Some cars have special ducts directing the cold air to the driver and passenger windows, a small circuit to heat the side mirrors all operated just with the dedicated front defroster switch.
AVOID AIR RECIRCULATION
The air recirculation button has a car image with a circular arrow drawn inside it. When this button is activated it means that all the vents and ducts directing fresh air from outside are closed. No more fresh air can get into the car. If the windows are closed, it means you are recirculating your breath in the car. Other than getting a fog on the windscreen, this method is not advisable for long periods of driving as it may get the occupants to have mild headaches due to insufficient oxygen. It is only suitable to use recirculation while passing through a polluted environment. For electric dials when the recirculation button glows amber, it means you have activated the shut-off ducts.
USE OF SHAVING CREAM
For those with AC/ interior heating delete, or the systems are just not working, shaving cream is the ultimate savior. For some reason, the shaving cream does not allow condensation to take place. During the rainy season apply a small layer of shaving cream on all your windows then wipe it out using a clean cloth. Drive in the rain without any hustle of mist forming on them.
For people who wear glasses like me, now with the Covid pandemic, wearing masks makes your breath form mist on the glasses. The easiest way to avoid mist is by applying a small layer of the same shaving cream and wipe it off. Put on a mask and relax behind your steering wheel without worrying about the mist on your glasses or your windshield.
Have a knowledgeable week ahead. Until next Thursday, keep safe.
The writer is the owner of Boosted Auto car repair shop
