Every winter drivers
should take active steps to protecttheir car from road salt.
Road salt is necessary
for safe transportation when snow andice accumulate on roads and highways and
cause dangerousdriving conditions.
Salt was first used in
the 1930's in snow and ice control tomake roads safe and passable by creating a
lower freezingtemperature of the water. It is the most available andcost-effective
de-icer. It is easy to store, handle, andapply.
Some 15 million tons of
de-icing salt is used each year inthe U.S. and about 4-5 million in Canada.
Salt keeps snow and ice
from bonding to the pavement and toallow snowplows to remove accumulations
quickly andefficiently.
Studies show that salt
use reduces accidents by 88%.
Washing your car during
wintertime is one of the best thingsyou can do to maintain the value of your
car. Mud, salt,rain, sleet, and snow can damage your car's clear finish.Mud and
salt caked on the undercarriage promote rust,especially in older vehicles, and
can also affect how wellyour car drives.
To prevent winter damage,
it is recommended that you washyour vehicle every 10 days. Wash your vehicle
whenever thetemperature is 40 degrees F. and above. Do it during theday so that
it dries completely before freezing eveningtemperatures begin.
Immediately after washing
the vehicle, open and close alldoors, the trunk, and other parts of the car with
locksseveral times before parking it to prevent locks fromfreezing.
Always wash your car
right after a snow or rain shower.Rain and snow collect pollutants in the air
and drop them asacid rain which can damage the cars protective finish. Snowand
sleet also include the corrosive road salt.
Wash the underside of
your car often during the wintermonths in car washes that do not use recycled
water.
Avoid driving through
large puddles of standing water whichis saturated with road salt.
Any paint chips that are
larger than the tip of a pen shouldbe taken care of immediately.
Wax your car at least
every six months. Put a good heavycoat of wax on your car before the winter
storms hit. Thisheavy coat will protect your paint from the corrosive saltand
cold temperatures.
More frequent waxes are
needed if your car is red, black orwhite because these colors are more
susceptible to acid rainand UV rays.
When spring time rolls
around, treat your car to a good waxjob again. Be sure to remove all road grime
and salt off ofthe car before you begin waxing.
For more
information:
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