Although Arizona winters are mild compared to other areas of the country, fogged windows are still a serious problem on those chilly winter mornings. The air inside your car is usually warm. When the cold night air makes contact with your car windows, condensation can collect on the windows, making it difficult to see when you first get in your car in the morning. It can especially be a problem if you need auto glass repair in Arizona. The good news is that there are options when it comes to defogging your windows. The following tips will help you see clearly as you make your way to work or wherever you need to go this winter.
Turn Up the Heat
It may not be your first instinct to turn up the heat in your car to get rid of the fog; after all, it’s the chilly air outside that caused the fog to begin with, right? However, this should be your first step to clear up the fog that has formed on your windows. As the windows warm up, the moisture will begin to be absorbed back into the air, starting the process of clearing your windows so you can drive more safely.
Turn on the Air Conditioning
After your car and windows are sufficiently warmed up inside, switch over to your air conditioner instead. This may seem counterintuitive for removing the fog from your windows. After all, the mixture of cold and warm air is what caused the fog in the first place. However, the cool air will further absorb the moisture from the windows, helping to clear them up.
Turn off Recirculation
Many people use the option to recirculate air for a number of reasons when they use their air conditioning, but this can actually make your fog problem worse because it’s recirculating the moist air throughout your car. While this won’t stop the defogging process entirely, it will make it last longer. Because you shouldn’t drive while your windows are fogged, it’s best to get the defogging process done as quickly as possible.
Open the Windows
You don’t have to open your windows all the way in order to defog them. In fact, cracking your windows even slightly can have a major impact on defogging your car windows. The more windows you open, the faster the moist air will be replaced with drier air from the outside, removing the fog effect from your windows.
Learn to Prevent Fogging
There are also steps you can take to prevent fog from forming on your windows in the first place. If you need auto glass repair in Arizona, this can go a long way toward keeping your windows free of fog. If you still have problems with fog, you can take these steps to keep your windows fog free. First, clean the windows well with an ammonia-free window cleaner. After the window cleaner, use an alcohol-based spray designed to remove oils and lubricants. Once all the grease is removed from the inside of your windows, you can apply an anti-fog solution. This solution should be left to dry for up to five minutes. Once it’s dry, buff the glass with a microfiber towel. This should eliminate any fogging you experience in the future. This process can be repeated as needed.