Your vehicle’s windshield takes a beating from the weather, dirt, rocks, scratches and natural wear and tear. You need to protect your windshield from the elements, especially if your vehicle spends a lot of time outdoors. Fortunately, this is really easy to do.

Park in the Right Places

Try to park your car in sheltered places when out of your garage. Parking garages, spots under trees or awnings or any covered parking space will work unless it’s a windy day. Then, you should avoid the trees. Too much direct sunlight leads to UV damage on tinted glass, and intense heat from the sun causes stress cracks. Heavy precipitation can also cause significant damage.

You should also avoid parking in high-traffic or construction areas whenever possible. All that commotion increases the risk of debris, such as pebbles or chunks of asphalt, hitting your windshield and cracking it.

Have It Made With a Sunshade

A sunshade can fit any windshield, and it can keep your car from heating up like an oven. Without so much heat, your windshield won’t feel stress in any season. The sunshade will also keep your car’s components from overheating.

Keep Your Windshield Clean With the Right Tools

Clean windshields are more resistant to damage over the long run, but that doesn’t mean you can just scrub them with any kind of soap. You need to use an auto cleaner especially meant for windshields. Using other types of cleaners introduces harsh chemicals that can damage your windshield over time.

You also need to use automotive cloths rather than common sponges or wash rags. The wrong material can scratch your windshield, which lowers its lifespan and makes it harder for you to see out of it. For the same reason, don’t resort to sharp scrapers to remove dirt or mud. Just be patient with the cloth and cleaner.

Put Down Problems Promptly

Windshield wipers have a lifespan, too. If you keep using them after you should, they can scratch up your windshield and wear down any protective coating it might have. Likewise, a single chip or crack, no matter how small, needs attention as soon as possible. If you don’t deal with it right away, you’ll be leaving the door open for it to worsen later.

Proper maintenance, parking and repairs all lead up to one big fact: You need to be proactive with your windshield. Keeping up with maintenance and resolving problems quickly will keep your windshield working for you. When you need windshield replacement services in Oakland, CA, contact Auto Glass On The Move.