Windshield wipers positioning during snowfall: up or down? (Alaska, Boston, road)

[AlaskaErik]

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

The definitely freeze to the windshield here in Boston, especially late into the winter when the sun is high enough to melt snow/ice, but then as soon as it sets everything refreezes.


I've had to break free wipers from my windshield plenty of times where the wiper motor just didn't have the power to do it itself.

You should never operate your windshield wipers until you are sure the wiper blades aren't stuck to the windshield. That's a good way to burn a motor out.

[emm74]

Originally Posted by AlaskaErik

That's to make it easier to clean the windshields off an entire fleet.

I don't have a fleet of cars but still prefer to make it easier to clean off the one windshield I do have to worry about.

Wipers are up this morning in our 11 degree and snowing weather.

[IShootNikon]

^ Denver resident here also. Had my wipers up. Snow today was dry flaky type so not much risk of sticking but I do it out of habit.

[emm74]

Originally Posted by IShootNikon

^ Denver resident here also. Had my wipers up. Snow today was dry flaky type so not much risk of sticking but I do it out of habit.

My windshield was warm from using the defogger on the way to work, so I always feel like it will melt the new snow coming down and be more likely to freeze. Could be wrong about that, but it's just as easy to take the 30 seconds to flip 'em up.

[JONOV]

Originally Posted by coschristi

I raise mine up.

Of annoyance to me recently is a new "Anti-Puffing" city ordinance that prohibits us from starting our cars early to warm them up.

Apparently this was causing many cars to be stolen but even those with remote starts are not allowed to "puff" at curbside or in the driveway.

I thought that CO legalized recreational puffing

I always liked to leave them up to avoid freezing if I remembered. Here in NC we seem to get mostly ice so I just start the car 12 minutes early and crank the defrost.

[GeoffD]

There are certainly times I wish I'd flipped them up.

I keep meaning to find/make a windshield cover with shock cord that hooks around the side mirrors.

[ss20ts]

Originally Posted by NHDave

Remote start, they're unstuck by the time I get outside.

^^This. Or park in a garage.

My wipers don't stay up. They can only be raised so far from the windshield. They make snow and ice scrapers. Wonderful little plastic gadgets.

[Arktikos]

People around here never used to screw with their wipers in winter, other than to turn them on to wipe snow and turn them off when dry.

Raising them off the windshield is a lower 48 thing that's now migrated to Alaska, though I haven't adopted this practice.

[BostonMike7]

Originally Posted by AlaskaErik

You should never operate your windshield wipers until you are sure the wiper blades aren't stuck to the windshield. That's a good way to burn a motor out.

No kiddin. Imagine that

[s1alker]

I just turn on the defrosters and heater, and remove all the snow with a brush. I don't turn the wipers on until the defroster melts everything and can wipe the excess away. I carry the door remote on a separate key chain so I just let the car heat up while the door remains locked.