Help with ice on the windshield and other winter questions. (Boise: Home Depot, college)

[AlleyTD]

pardon my ignorance but coming from AZ I need some basic winter prep help.

This was the first morning my windshield was icy ... I have a scraper and made the rookie mistake of thinking water would help - NOT!

What is your morning routine on icy days when it comes to a car that's been outside all night?
What works best?

I'll take any and ALL suggestion regarding living, driving, cleaning, shoveling, salt ... whatever.

Talk to me like I'm a two year old.

[jufrbo]

Start your car fifteen minutes before you leave, turn on defroster. When it get really cold, sometimes your car door will freeze shut. Bring out a pot of warm to hot water, and pour it down the crack. You may look like an ass doing it, but it works. Sorry, but I kind of laughed when I saw this.

[micrguy]

Ditto on starting your car a little early, also go out and get the really good ice scraper, not the cheap ones. Get the kind that has a long handle, a brush for the snow and a good scraper. When I was in AZ all I needed was my Blockbuster card for the 3-4 times a year I needed to clean my windshield.

[SergeantL]

With the price of gas these days, I'm not a fan of warming up vehicles. I have also taken far too many auto theft reports from people warming up their cars. In addition, your neighbor may be a greenhouse gas emissions fanatic and nag you about idling your car. There are a number of non-toxic non-polluting de-icing aerosol sprays on the market. I have tried a couple of different brands, and all of them work pretty much the same. Even with the de-icing spray, you will need a good scraper to hasten the process. Also make sure you put at least 50% de-icing chemical in your windshield wiper fluid reservoir.

[logicskier]

stay away from the water!

when i was much younger, my father was stationed at Eglin AFB in panhandle of florida. we had a freak cold snap and i still remember the family two doors down had never seen ice on the windshield. the dad got the hose sprayed the windshield and it shattered. not completely, but lets just say that they had to get a new that day.

[cleosmom]

Originally Posted by AlleyTD

Talk to me like I'm a two year old.

Someone other than me uses that expression??

I don't know if you over in the tropics of Idaho have the same issue we do in the depths of winter. My home faces the East. If we get a good wet snow I always have to make certain that I put some salt down where my garage door hits the ground or it will stick and it's quite ugly trying to get it open, even with having a garage door opener.

[LVGAZ]

Are you that cold in Boise already - that you have ice on your windshields???

[AlleyTD]

Originally Posted by LVGAZ

Are you that cold in Boise already - that you have ice on your windshields???

No, it's beautiful.

It was more like a thick layer of frost (only one morning) nothing in the last two days.

[Grumbler]

Originally Posted by AlleyTD

What is your morning routine on icy days when it comes to a car that's been outside all night? What works best?

I use the yellow can of Prestone Windshield De-Icer that's available at Fred Meyer. Start the car, and turn on the defroster. Spray the de-icer on windshield, and turn on the windshield wipers 15-seconds later.

Look for the telescoping pole with brush/scraper sold by Home Depot and others. I use it to easily sweep the snow off my vehicles before spraying the windows with the De-Icer.

Incidently, I had to replace my car battery yesterday morning. It lasted 14-months longer than what it was rated for. Decided to get the 60-month battery from Les Schwab which has higher CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) than my old battery.

[Lacerta]

I had one time in college that I had to crawl in through the hatchback of my Datsun, since it was the only door I could get open. I wished at the time that I had a cordless blow dryer.

A good ice scraper will work for windshields 9 out of 10 mornings, but every now and then, it isn't frost on the windshield, but little ice chunks. For those mornings, or for frozen doors, a De-Icer would normally be the best bet.

Also make sure you put at least 50% de-icing chemical in your windshield wiper fluid reservoir.

...but be sure not to try turning your wipers on while they are frozen to the windshield, or you will have torn wipers and scratched glass.

Other stuff...driving on snow isn't bad, since it actually gives some traction, but only for the first little while its on the ground. After that, as it gets more compacted, it gets slicker. Best advice, slow down & brake early.