Luke warm water - frzen screen, ever cracked one?

[HellDiver]

Warm water on a -6C windscreen doesn't even make my already cracked windscreen get any worse. If it's not going to break that, then it's not going to break anything else.

And, before you say it, I'm not getting a new screen until the warmer weather, I've had screens replaced in winter before and they never bonded properly leading to leaks.

Edited by HellDiver on Wednesday 23 December 10:52

[anonymous-user]

If you want a screen replacing properly in the winter then it would have to go in, they shouldn't even fit one when the ambient temp is a certain level outside.

[LocoBlade]

SJobson said:

LocoBlade said:

SJobson said:

Anyway, is it really easier to take a kettle/bottle of water out to the car than to use de-icer and/or a scraper?

Unless you have some kind of industrial sprayer to put the de-icer on with in 5 seconds flat, its lots quicker with water. Scrapers are even slower and generally dont clear the whole screen unless you're there for ages scraping every last bit.

Whenever I have to scrape the windscreen, I have to do the side windows too, and I'm sure I'd need at least a second kettle's worth of water. Plus you have to return the kettle to the house.

De-icer takes, what, 30 seconds to spray all round the car. And there's no risk of it re-freezing on the side windows or leaving sheets of ice round where you've parked.

I just use a plastic measuring jug about 1.5L in size filled up from the hot tap, can do the whole car with that easily. I agree it can re-freeze on the side windows if its really cold but a quick wipe over with the rubber bit of an ice scraper gets rid of the excess water before it has chance.

My experience of various de-icer sprays Ive used is that it's fine with light frost, but with proper ice or a real hard frost its generally pretty slow going to get a genuinely (as opposed to patchy) clear screen. Also if you get the fine spraying cans it covers quicker but is useless when windy whereas the "jet" nozzle types are good in the wind but rubbish at covering large areas, then you have the frozen hand syndrome from the can cooling when spraying.

Having said all that, this winter Ive just left my 1 Series running for 5 minutes with the heater on full chat as it completely clears the screen and side windows very quickly, with the added bonus of a warm car to get into. Its not quite a Ford speed with a proper heated screen, but still impressive. I tried the same with the missus's Leon this morning but it hadnt touched the front screen even after about 10 minutes so I resorted to the hot water again.

Edited by LocoBlade on Wednesday 23 December 13:53

[exitwound]

I been using hot water from the tap to fill a watering can for 40years now. Never had a problem. I pour it just on the edge of the roof and let it sheet down over the glass. Couldn't be *r*s*d with all that scraping nonsense.

Auto glass is a bit more resilient than ordinary window glass, and no doubt concentrating a jet of boiling water on thin cold glass might crack it, warm water on a windscreen shouldn't cause any problems.

[BBYeah]

I'm another cold water tap guy and it's always worked fine. Bit safer, cheaper and quicker than using the kettle.

[smallgun]

Sir Bagalot said:

As long as it's not freshly boiled then it's fine.

Rule of thumb is if you can put your finger in it then it's fine

Shouldn't that be rule of finger then

[BelperJim]

Dave_ST220 said:

BelperJim said:

I just use water from the cold tap on the front and back and put the wipers on then water on the side windows then brush excess off to stop it freezing over. Sorted. Done this nearly every Icy day for the last 6 years and never had a problem.

How does this work if the wipers are stuck solid to the screen? I'm failing to see how cold water on afrozen screen wouldn't simply refreeze pretty much instantly seeing as i have had warm water freeze on contact before now!

It frees the wipers which i then turn on then there is no water left on the screen to freeze.

And there is never enough excess water on the drive to turn it into an ice rink.

[anonymous-user]

I use cold water in a big 2 ltr jug I have.

Start car, set everything to max, get jug of cold water and splash it around.

Check the wipers are free then flick them on the clear the water.

I have a gravel drive, so no real ice/slipping issues.

[OctaneV8]

I see this thread is from last year... so cold to warm water is fine... have rain-x and yes it works really well. Applied vinegar to the screen tonight, see if that prevents frost build up...
I prefer not to use de-icer and try to minimise use of an ice-scraper.

[bazking69]

I've done it since I've been driving and so have my parents with no one cracked screen.

Note, the screen has to be in crack free condition.

[Dangerous Dan]

Hmm.

Not sure on this one. Then again my car is in my garage. Which is heated.

Ho hum.

[JR Hartley]

Have been using warm water from the tap for 30 years never had a problem even with chips in the windscreen.

People who put boiling water straight from the kettle onto the screen are retarded.

[rallycross]

i've been doing this for 20+ years and its never once caused a problem.


to the idiots who think it will cause the windscreen to suddenly self destruct - you just carry on scraping away the ice for 5 mins before you go. It takes me all of 30 seconds to pour from a 1 litre bottle some mild warmish' tap water on windscreen, side windows and rear screen and I am off.



if its really cold like minus 10 you might need to bottles of water to clear it as it can freeze back over the first time but its so quick and easy compared with de-ice sprays and scrapers.

[GarryA]

Never had a problem,

Gavin from Autoglass wouldn't do it though.....

[mrmr96]

The only reason to use de-icer or a scraper is when you don't have access to lukewarm water and a vessel.

[petrolsniffer]

collateral said:

I've heard if you put Pyrex on the stove it goes bang...

Heated front screen ftw

I knew a smug ford owner would chime in damn thier patent although I heard it ran out recently?

I recently tried some stuff called 'pre icer' which you apply the night before did it work? no... although it says on the bottle also a de-icer which it's quite good at

[thinfourth2]

Fan heater in car + extension lead + timer switch + outside plug = No problems

[Accumul8]

Heated front screen. Took all of 10 seconds this morning, though granted the layer of frost wasn't that thick.

[ambuletz]

my dad swears buy it, and does it all the time with luke-warm/tepid water. 1st time he did it on my car, huge hairline crack running down the middle of the windscreen. *rage*

I prefer to just stick to de-icer spray and using plastic ice scrapers.

It would be interesting to know if there is a way of doing a home-made de-icer spray. perhaps dissolving as much salt as you can into some water, let it cool down, then put it into a pump action spray bottle?

[motco]

hick said:

I've done it for donkeys years on a few different cars and no problems

Haven't read all of this but for forty years I have done this and never had a crack occur. Water as hot as you can get from the tap, sprinkled or splashed, not poured, on the glass so as to apply the heat gradually until the glass has cleared, then pour the remainder over tho most important windows to actually warm the glass (rather than merely clear the ice) to prevent misting inside.