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Winter Weather Hazards That Can Damage Your Paint Job
A Winter Wonderland is upon us. Fluffy snow, twinkling ice and a delightful chill in the air…Surprise! All of these things can wreak merry havoc on your beloved paint job. But don’t worry, we’re here to talk about what can go wrong with your winter car paint and the actions you can undertake to make sure your car’s exterior stays pristine. Keeping your car in good shape is necessary due to the increasingly cold temperatures and harsh winter weather. You don’t want to enter spring with your car marred by scuffs and scratches from the uncontrollable winter conditions. So taking the necessary precautions will lessen your chances of paint damage and keep the color pristine. Preparing yourself will result in one less headache as you deal with the unfavorable climate. Here are some of the winter weather hazards that can damage your paint job.
Snowstorms and Blizzards
Depending on where you live and keep your car, snowstorms and blizzards are some of the winter weather hazards that can damage your paint job the quickest. All that fluffy snow is beautiful but can wreck your paint if you leave it sitting on your car. Make sure that you remove it immediately. All that ice and snow on your car paint is moisture that could lead to rust and corrosion. It’s also a safety matter. If you drive around without removing the snow or ice, it could slide off and hurt someone when you’re on the road
One of the biggest tips to protect your car from paint damage is to remove the snow buildup after each snowfall. While shovels are good for clearing your driveway and ice scrapers are good on glass, they can scrape and scratch your car paint during a cleaning. A snow brush would be the best option here, with the softer bristles giving your paint a gentler experience. If you have a garage or a carport, use it to protect your car from snow, ice, and road salt. Otherwise, preheat your car to help melt the snow or cover your vehicle with a car cover. A high-quality, breathable car cover can protect your vehicle from snow, ice, and even falling tree branches, reducing the impact of winter elements on your car’s paint.
Negative Temperatures
You’re not the only one affected when it gets too cold. Your poor car will really feel it too. When temperatures are low, the expansion and contraction of the paint could leave the paint job on your car vulnerable to chipping and cracking. You’ll also have to deal with that lovely sparkling ice. Water has a freezing point of 32 degrees Fahrenheit—or 0 degrees Celsius. Ice can quickly freeze over your vehicle when it sits out in the evening air during a snowfall. You can wake up to your car completely frozen over. When that happens, you must scrape the ice off before going about your day. However, improper scraping can lead to scratches and scuffs. Try to avoid using hot water or aggressively scraping at your car, as that can cause the paint to become damaged. Warm up your vehicle and remove the ice with your hands instead.
High Wind Mileage
High winds can kick up salt, rocks, and other debris onto your vehicle and cause scratches in the car paint. Coming across salt and rocks on the open road is inevitable, so make sure to keep your car clean.
Rinse your car first before going in with a rag or mop to wipe. Otherwise, any rubbing can scratch away the paint due to the salt’s abrasiveness.
Road Salt and De-icing Chemicals
Road salt and de-icing chemicals provide important protection on the road that saves lives. Unfortunately, it’s got a bit of a nasty effect on your car’s paint job. The salt used for de-icing roads accumulates as you drive. The salt dropped on the road has corrosive elements that can erode your Clearcoat, leaving the paint underneath to all sorts of issues including paint bubbling, chipping, peeling and fading. We can also say hello to our old friends: corrosion and rust. With road salt, you need to stay vigilant. Make sure to check under your vehicle as well. If this material remains on the undercarriage of your car, working its corrosive magic, you will have bigger problems than faded car paint.
De-icing chemicals can also cause harsh results to your vehicle’s paint job. Like the road salt, these chemicals pose a significant threat to your Clearcoat. They wear down this protective layer, making your paint more susceptible to damage and peeling. De-icing chemicals also can also cause your paint job to delaminate, a process where the paint layers of the car separate. The chemical reactions between the de-icing agents and the Clearcoat can weaken the bonding between the clear coat and the paint, leading to premature peeling.
So what can you do to deal with this?
Check your vehicle for road salt and remove it when you see it. But not everyone has the time to constantly search their car for signs of salt. You can mitigate the effects of road salt by regularly washing and waxing your vehicle. Washing removes accumulated salt and debris, while waxing adds a protective barrier. These preventive measures reduce the risk of paint chipping and maintain your car’s paint job throughout winter. Regular washing can also prevent de-icing chemicals from deteriorating your car’s paint job.
Prep For Winter
Applying protective coating will help lessen the impact of winter on your vehicle. Even a wax before the season starts can help a great deal. A good layer of wax before winter can provide an additional barrier against the elements, helping to prevent water spots and salt damage. But if you want a heavier protection, you have a few options. Paint Protection Film is a thin, clear film that acts like a sacrificial layer. It shields your car’s paint from abrasions caused by road salt, gravel, and debris. It’s especially effective on high-impact areas like the hood, bumper, and side mirrors. You can also apply Ceramic Coating to your vehicle. Ceramic coatings create a hydrophobic layer that repels water, snow, and ice, preventing them from clinging to your car’s surface. They also offer protection against road salt and UV damage.
From our factory out on the West Coast, TouchUpDirect will have your road weary cars, trucks and bikes looking their best once more. If you need Honda OEM touch up paint for your vehicle, visit TouchUpDirect. We offer many OEM touch up kits for any make and car model. In addition to our amazing paint and applicators, we have incredible accessories that will help you get that professional shine for your vehicle. Still a little confused on how to apply paint for that stone chip repair? Don’t worry about it! We’ve got step by step instructions that will help you get the best coat possible for your vehicle. Between our blog posts and the giant library of instructions we’ve created, we’ve got touch up paint walkthroughs for everyone. And if you don’t want to read, check out the many instructional videos on our YouTube page.
