How to Deal With Car Windows Steaming Up

Image by Geesje Philippi on Flickr. Creative Commons Licenced

If there’s one thing I dread being a car driver in winter it’s the windows steaming up inside. It seems like I constantly have to wipe the inside windows free of condensation, or run the air conditioning to help clear it. It’s doubly worse when there’s more than one person in the car, and short of telling my partner to stop breathing there’s not much I can do to stop it from happening. Well, at least that’s what I thought anyway. Of course there are ways, but are there ways that save me money or stop my teeth from chattering as I drive around with my window open? Let’s take a look at some of the ways you can be free of condensation in the car and actually see where you're going.

Before we start though, if the condensation is really bad when you climb into your car and you can't see a thing then please DON'T start driving. Make sure you can see the road clearly before setting off; otherwise you could get into an accident. If you're worried about being late for work or an appointment because you have to spend time waiting for your windows to be fog-free, then simply set off earlier. A few extra minutes in bed just aren't worth sacrificing yours and others safety.

Open the Window

Condensation occurs when hot air (i.e your breath) hits the cold surface of the glass, steaming it up. Opening the window will allow this hot air to escape instead of being trapped inside your car. The problem is that if it’s freezing outside then you're going to feel chilly driving with the window open (especially when you're zooming down a motorway), so make sure you wrap up warm and wear a good pair of gloves. In summer the warm air coming from outside will help heat the windows up, ensuring that condensation can’t form in the first place.

Image by Phil King on Flickr. Creative Commons Licenced.

If you ensure that you have your windows down a few minutes before you leave the car then the condensation won’t have time to build up as it would if you parked up without having your windows open a few minutes before. It won’t get rid of your problem completely, but it may not be as bad when you come to use the car again.

Run the Air Conditioning

It’s easy to run your air conditioning for a while so that the warm blast of air will clear the condensation (and keep you nice and warm too). The problem is that running the air conditioning all the time can suck up your petrol; so much so that I spend twice as much refuelling the car during winter simply because I've been running the heaters too much. If you want to clear it using this way it’s best to keep it on its lowest setting, and run it for a few minutes before you set off. That way you’re not using as much petrol and it won't steam up again as it does if you keep turning it on and off. Ensure that the air is pointing directly at the windscreen for it to work to its full potential, and turn off the re-circulate air setting as you’ll just be adding to the problem.

Leave the Car in a Garage

Obviously this isn’t an option for everyone, but if you do have a garage then park your car in there at night. As the air inside a sheltered building is warmer it will help prevent damp inside your car, thus avoiding the dreaded condensation.

Keep the Car Interior Dry

Remove any wet clothing or other wet materials from the car before you get out. It’s not the biggest cause of condensation out there, but something wet inside the car will contribute towards damp. Check your seats aren't wet either, and dry them if need be. If you tend to be quite wet when you sit down in the car then using a seat cover will help.

Buy Anti Fog Spray

Car supply shops will sell anti-fog or anti-mist spray that you can spray on to your windows, creating a barrier that prevents against condensation build up. We have actually found a really good one recently so decided to update this section of the article and it's called Rain X Anti Fog Glass Treatment. We found it really easy to apply and is long lasting too.

Another small update: After trying out the Rain X Anti Fog and being impressed with what it does I noticed they had another product too. If you live in the UK like I do you will know that the rain can come and go and it's a real pain to drive in. This Rain-X Rain/Water Repellent Glass Treatment really does wonders for improved visibility.

Check for Leaks

It can be hard to find where air or water might be creeping into your car, but this could be a cause of condensation – especially in older cars. Check the footwells, under carpets and boots to see if there are any signs of moisture. If you find any of these areas then there will be somewhere nearby that will need patching up.

New Year - Car Maintenance

Courtesy of askmen.com

Many people go into the New Year with several resolutions, none of which they’re likely to keep. However, there are a select few who like to stick to their resolutions – and the one we’re suggesting to you today will ultimately save you a fair bit of money... Like the sound of that? Keep on reading.

The whole ‘New Year, new you’ thing is a bit overrated and quite frankly, overdone. Thousands, if not millions try this every year and as January comes to an end (if they even make it that far) it’s almost guaranteed that 99% of people will have given up on their resolution. Whether it was to eat healthier, go the gym more often or stop smoking – chances are not many will follow through with their self-improvement.

So, this is aimed at the people who want to stick to a realistic resolution; you won’t need sheer will power to overcome smoking or anything like that. All you’ll need is a bit of common sense, some patience and probably a few tools (we’ll direct you to a place that has a decent range of tools if you haven’t got any, don’t worry!)

What we’re proposing in the New Year is that you start to look after your car yourself – sounds scary, but it really isn’t. We don’t expect you to start changing the clutch or anything that drastic, but just getting a basic knowledge for your car so you can carry out routine maintenance yourself. Interested?

Fed Up of Car Garages Taking You For a Ride?

When you realise you can change your brake pads for just £20 and your local garage is quoting you £90+ you start to see just how much money you’re wasting. Add up all the basic car maintenance tasks that are required every year and you’re likely to save in excess of £150 just from a basic service. Learn to change your brake pads and discs and the savings shoot up even more... Before you know it, everything starts becoming addictive and you won’t want a garage to touch your pride and joy for any reason.

Where to Begin?

First of all, it’s a good idea to get a Haynes Manual for your specific model of car (assuming they do one). You can check eBay or the official Haynes website at the following link: http://www.haynes.co.uk

Now, you’ll probably need a basic set of tools; it’s hard to say exactly what a car needs as every model is different and will require different sized sockets and so on. However, the basics you’ll most likely want to get include a car jack (trolley jack preferably), axle stands and probably a small socket set (consult the Haynes Manual for your car to see what common socket sizes you need).
If you have a problem prone car, it may be a good idea to invest in a diagnostic fault detector device as this can seriously cut down on the time & money spent trying to rectify issues.

Note: Your tool set will gradually increase as your knowledge for car maintenance grows; however, don’t be worried about the outlay of these necessities as it’ll be worth it in the long run. And you also get the satisfaction of knowing you’re doing everything yourself to a high standard and not creating more problems (as some garages have been known to do).
Sadly, we can’t run you through individual tasks to carry out, simply because every car is different, but here are a couple of things you should be doing from the start:

·         Checking oil, coolant and other fluid levels every week or fortnight

·         Checking tyre pressures at the same intervals as the fluids (incorrect tyre pressures can increase tyre wear and reduce fuel efficiency).

·         When carrying out any work on your vehicle, save all the receipts for parts you’ve purchased (this comes in handy when selling the car at a later date).

·         Become a member of your car owner’s forum as there are people with a lot of knowledge and experience who will be able to help you with simple maintenance tasks.

Well, here’s to trying a different New Year’s resolution... *raises glass*. Best of luck!