# Frozen windscreen



## JwilliamsM (Dec 20, 2011)

The mrs windscreen was frozen solid this morning, worst i've seen.
Remembered a thread on here a month or so ago about using luke warm water, so i tried it as i do not use de-icer.
Worked a treat! This forum is full of good info 

My screen though is coated in G1, but was as frozen solid as her car, i would have thought it would have helped


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## minnis (Apr 4, 2014)

jayz_son said:


> The mrs windscreen was frozen solid this morning, worst i've seen.
> Remembered a thread on here a month or so ago about using luke warm water, so i tried it as i do not use de-icer.
> Worked a treat! This forum is full of good info
> 
> My screen though is coated in G1, but was as frozen solid as her car, i would have thought it would have helped


I use an empty 2 litre bottle of coke/lemonade etc, filled up with with water and left by my front door. If I poke my head outside and it's iced up, I grab the bottle of water. It's just about the right size to defrost all the windows. I fill it up that night, and its ready to go again the next morning. 
Just saves time trying to find a container to fill up if you're in a rush :thumb:


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## Sh1ner (May 19, 2012)

I would be very wary of using warm water on a frozen screen. There is every chance of cracking it.


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## foggy4ever (Apr 17, 2014)

I had a weatherproof outside socket fitted at the side of the house so when the cars iced up I leave a small heater inside for 10 mins, defrosts the car and makes it toasty.


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## scoobyboy1 (Aug 28, 2006)

Sh1ner said:


> I would be very wary of using warm water on a frozen screen. There is every chance of cracking it.


Only if its boiling water, Luke warm water wont hurt it, been doing it for years, You wont catch me scraping & scratching my windowscreen to get the frost off.

Just make sure you put your wipers on when doing it, as sometimes the luke warm water will freeze up!!


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## shine247 (Mar 1, 2010)

:detailer::detailer::detailer:


scoobyboy1 said:


> Only if its boiling water, Luke warm water wont hurt it, been doing it for years, You wont catch me scraping & scratching my windowscreen to get the frost off.
> 
> Just make sure you put your wipers on when doing it, as sometimes the luke warm water will freeze up!!


Don't have to do it often but just as he says.(even though he has a pink car)


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## steveo3002 (Jan 30, 2006)

it wont crack if you have the smallest amount of common sense , as long as its luke warm and not boiling then its fine


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## scoobyboy1 (Aug 28, 2006)

shine247 said:


> :detailer::detailer::detailer:
> 
> Don't have to do it often but just as he says.(even though he has a pink car)


Did someone say pink!!


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## hobbs182 (Jul 10, 2013)

might be a little late in the year but might be worth investing in CarChem's pre-icer and de-icer

two very good products imo


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## JwilliamsM (Dec 20, 2011)

Yes it was luke warm nowhere near hot never mind boiling


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## AllenF (Aug 20, 2012)

I just simply removed the windscreen when airbag failed and i head butted it
Yes its cold but it never freezes
Just put more clothes on and turn heaters up


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## Soul boy 68 (Sep 8, 2013)

I sit in the car with the heaters on full blast for 5 minutes, job done.


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## Dougnorwich (Jun 27, 2014)

Same here or I'll walk about and have a ***


Cigarettes before I get any comments


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## GleemSpray (Jan 26, 2014)

steveo3002 said:


> it wont crack if you have the smallest amount of common sense , as long as its luke warm and not boiling then its fine


This.

The water only has to be two or three degrees above freezing to quickly melt the ice on the windscreen. So really the water should feel quite cool to the touch.


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## jenks (Apr 20, 2009)

Fords heated front screen here, job done!


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## AllenF (Aug 20, 2012)

Vauxhall have heated rear screens to keep your hands warm when pushing it


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## fatdazza (Dec 29, 2010)

Dougnorwich said:


> Same here or I'll walk about and have a ***
> 
> Cigarettes before I get any comments


I don't smoke. Does it work if I walk about and don't have "a ***"?


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## Soul boy 68 (Sep 8, 2013)

AllenF said:


> Vauxhall have heated rear screens to keep your hands warm when pushing it


:lol:


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## fatdazza (Dec 29, 2010)

jenks said:


> Fords heated front screen here, job done!





AllenF said:


> Vauxhall have heated rear screens to keep your hands warm when pushing it


I have a Vauxhall, could I not just switch on my heated rear screen, stick it in reverse and pretend I have a Ford?


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## JordanRaven (Feb 22, 2014)

Dougnorwich said:


> Same here or I'll walk about and have a ***
> 
> Cigarettes before I get any comments


:lol:


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## Dougnorwich (Jun 27, 2014)

fatdazza said:


> I don't smoke. Does it work if I walk about and don't have "a ***"?


No mate it will stay frozen, you best start supporting hmrc and take up smoking straight away


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## chrisgreen (Mar 30, 2012)

Unfortunately, I have had a windscreen crack just from using luke warm water to defrost windows (window must have had the smallest of stone chips on it, and the suddenly temperature change was enough to create a proper crack - mind you it was French).

These days I will put pre-icer on the front and back the night before (as they have no external rubber seals to damage) if I am certain it's going to frost up. If the windows are icy in the morning (because I didn't pre-ice), I'll either just warm the car up with the heater on full blast, whip out the de-icer bottle or a spray bottle filled with strong windscreen washer fluid, depending on the severity.


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## Glassy (Nov 13, 2013)

chrisgreen said:


> Unfortunately, I have had a windscreen crack just from using luke warm water to defrost windows (window must have had the smallest of stone chips on it, and the suddenly temperature change was enough to create a proper crack - mind you it was French).


Heat expands glass. If there's a crack, the expansion will close it together. This is why a lot of 'repaired' chips 'reappear' a day after if the repairer used heat as part of the process.


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## Storry (Jun 8, 2008)

I just start the engine and leave the blowers on the front screen whilst I scrape the windows.

I refuse to use de-icer or hot/warm water...


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## Glassy (Nov 13, 2013)

Storry said:


> I just start the engine and leave the blowers on the front screen whilst I scrape the windows.
> 
> I refuse to use de-icer or hot/warm water...


Please explain why?


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## ianrobbo1 (Feb 13, 2007)

I use a screen cover, and drape a couple of old drying towels over the side windows, "tucked into the door as it's shut" no ice forms under cover or towels, heated screens take care of anything that does form!! no scraping, no water involved!!


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## Mike! (Jul 3, 2010)

First thing I do when I wake up is get dressed and go out and start the car. Is nice and toasty by the time I've got ready and got in It


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## Rob74 (Jul 29, 2012)

I've got a ford so heated screen as for the side windows I just give them a spray with de-icer. 
I also have a window vac so I remove as much of the moisture from the glass as this also help to stop them misting up as soon as we all get in lol


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## ianrobbo1 (Feb 13, 2007)

Just a quickly, if your going to start the car and "nip" in to finish your brew, use your spare keys to lock the car whilst your indoors, last year a LOT of cars were nicked as they were "de-icing"


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## SKY (Sep 25, 2011)

I too have an outside socket and put a small heater in the car for a few min's.
I don't leave the car running as some people do as I find that it brings all the strong fuel fumes into the cabin.

I also hate de icer as it seems to dry out seals.


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## Estoril Sport (Oct 12, 2007)

GleemSpray said:


> This.
> 
> The water only has to be two or three degrees above freezing to quickly melt the ice on the windscreen. So really the water should feel quite cool to the touch.


I also read about using water cold water to de-ice the windscreen tip, however bad move!!! the water I uses was room near room temperature, however when the water tap came in contact with the windscreen the water turned to solid ice it was a total pig to remove even with de-icer and a scraper!

Now I use a windscreen screen cover and any small ice that has formed used de-icer. ( I don't use a plastic scraper as I might scrape the glass, I just use the rubber blade side!)


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## Christian6984 (Dec 20, 2007)

ianrobbo1 said:


> Just a quickly, if your going to start the car and "nip" in to finish your brew, use your spare keys to lock the car whilst your indoors, last year a LOT of cars were nicked as they were "de-icing"


On the New Mini you can start it up and leave it running (off road) and lock it running, something i tried on my ford and it wont do it.

I will use cold water out of the tap in the house on other cars, no problems with it re-freezing once wipers are loose and ice has gone give the wipers a flick on, have used well not even luke warm water with no problems


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## steveo3002 (Jan 30, 2006)

cold water again today...works a treat no broken glass 

i must just be lucky


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## Storry (Jun 8, 2008)

Glassy said:


> Please explain why?


I've heard many stories of people using warm/hot water and window screens cracking due to the change in temperature, plus I'm not a big fan of de-icer as a) it stinks and b) it's not something I would not want running down my paintwork once the ice has melted.

Each to their own I guess.


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## fester165 (Jan 24, 2011)

I start both the cars have a smoke and a coffee annoy the neighbours for 10 mins then cars all nice and clear and toasty


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## organisys (Jan 3, 2012)

[Smug]
All my neighbours scraping and no doubt scratching their dirty winscreens and taking for ever over it this morning.

I was a few seconds with the luke warm water, and then a couple of squirts with the washers (-20 mix of Sonax) and off I went.

[/Smug]


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## organisys (Jan 3, 2012)

Storry said:


> I just start the engine and leave the blowers on the front screen whilst I scrape the windows.
> 
> I refuse to use de-icer or hot/warm water...


Have you not considered what will happen to the glass with you pushing all that salt and grit around on it !


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## JJ0063 (Apr 1, 2014)

I've been using the luke warm water method for over 6 years now, on 25+ cars and never had a cracked screen. People are way too paranoid! Even poured it on windscreens that have chips in and they've not gotten any bigger.

Worst I saw once was someone walking out with a steaming kettle, that would worry me! Nothing to worry about if you're just using a 2ltr coke bottle with half hot half cold. Our hot tap takes ages to run hot first thing in the morning so it's usually perfect with just using the hot tap.


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## szladob (Jun 5, 2013)

Are you guys using tap water? In our area, the water is so hard, that I would imagine all the droplets left on the paint would create lots of water spots (unless the ice on the paint protects from that...)


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## alan hanson (May 21, 2008)

Ice melting on mine leaves water spots plus its if it defrosts on the way to work the wet panels pick up dirt so water spots id rather see where im going to be honest.

Just chuck some cold water over the windows if you use a fair amount it will run off the windows meanign minimal refreezing


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## nog (Jul 14, 2013)

Christian6984 said:


> On the New Mini you can start it up and leave it running (off road) and lock it running, something i tried on my ford and it wont do it.
> 
> I will use cold water out of the tap in the house on other cars, no problems with it re-freezing once wipers are loose and ice has gone give the wipers a flick on, have used well not even luke warm water with no problems


Fords - remote locking with the spare does not work with engine running but you can lock it the old fashioned way putting key in door lock


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## alan hanson (May 21, 2008)

key in the door lock whats this one speaks of?


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