EFFORTLESS AND FAST DE-ICING OF CAR WINDOWS

In the winter, car drivers who don’t have a garage are only too familiar with the problem: frozen windows. Especially in the morning, the de-icing of windows is a time-consuming and stressful activity. Here are a few tips to help make the process fast and effortless, while avoiding wet hands.

How can car windows be de-iced quickly?

Quickly get into your car and drive off to work in the morning? It’s often not possible in the winter, because first you have to de-ice the windows. Many people often resort to the classic ice scraper. But there’s also a faster, easier way: With the electric ice scraper EDI 4, car windows can be freed from ice within just a few minutes

De-icing car windows with the EDI 4

The battery-powered EDI 4 comprises a disc with six plastic blades that rotate quickly to remove the ice. Exhausting scraping is no longer necessary, because the electric ice scraper does the work almost on its own. How it works:

1. Hold the EDI 4 in your hand and switch on the device so that the green LED lights up.
2. Remove the safety cap.
3. Position the ice scraper on the window. Press lightly so that the disc starts to rotate.
4. At the same time, move the device evenly over the window to be de-iced, applying only light pressure and preferably moving from the top down – you can then see better which areas have been de-iced. In event of very hard ice, hold the device at one place until the ice is removed.
5. When all the windows have been de-iced: Switch off the EDI 4, remove it from the window and fit the safety cap.
6. If necessary: Brush the loosened ice from the windows with a soft hand brush.

De-iced windows in three minutes

Within just three minutes, the front windscreen, rear and side windows can be freed from ice with the EDI 4. A battery charging of 15 minutes is therefore sufficient for the whole working week.

How to prevent ice from developing on your windshield overnight without car window covers

There’s something beautiful about a crisp and cold winter morning. Getting into your car and wanting to drive immediately on these days – usually not so much. Frozen car windows, cold car locks and fogged up insides are common irritants on early winter mornings. Let’s clear the air with some ideas on how to prevent frozen car windows and other winter morning driver challenges.

First things first: There isn’t a single solution for all your troubles. But the good news is that our tips are economical and easy. When done correctly, you’ll even be stress-free without a car frost cover, garage or a car port.

How to prevent frozen car windows?

It’s an early winter morning and you’re heading out with your car. And the first thing you’ll see when you’re walking toward it is ice on your windscreen. There’s two ways for you to go about this: Either you take preventive measures and stop the windscreen from freezing or you use car de-icers in the morning. We’ve gathered ideas for both scenarios. All suggestions work well, so it’s just a question of when exactly you want to remove the ice on your windscreen.

How to keep car windows from freezing overnight

To keep your windows from freezing, you can either use store-bought windscreen de-icers or even make it yourself. Simply get an empty spray bottle and fill in one of the following mixtures:

• Vinegar solution: three parts vinegar, one part water
• Alcohol solution: two parts rubbing alcohol, one part water
• Salt solution: 4 cups distilled water and 2 teaspoons non-iodised salt, boiled for 20 minutes

These solutions have a lower freezing temperature than water and therefore only freeze over at much lower temperatures. Should temperatures fall beneath this threshold, you should resort to other measures to keep your windshield frost-free. Once mixed, you should keep them inside your home. Storing them in your car lowers their temperature and therefore, their effectivity. Apply your spray mixture of choice every night on all windows. And you’ll wake up to a windshield free of ice.

Our Expert’s Advice:

Don’t ever use boiling water on cold car windows! Glass is very sensitive to sudden temperature changes. When you splash hot water on cold glass, it is very likely to shatter.

Should temperatures fall even below the freezing point of our economical de-icers and you don’t have a car windscreen frost cover at hand, there’s no need to worry. You can also use a towel, a piece of carpet, cardboard or even a shower curtain to protect your windshield from freezing over.

Another trick is to park in the right direction: Just have your car front window point east – that’s where the sun rises. Especially if you don’t have to head out before sunrise and nothing blocks the sun, you can just let nature do all the work for you.

But what about your side mirrors and windshield wiper blades? Well, place a freezer or plastic bag over your side mirror. Then attach it with a rubber band or clothespins. This way, only the bag will freeze. As for the windshield wiper blades: Wipe them down with a soft cloth soaked in rubbing alcohol (or one of our mentioned mixtures) to keep them from sticking to your windshield.

Finally, if you don’t have special windshield wiper fluid for colder seasons, you can adapt it. Just add five tablespoons of rubbing alcohol to your wiper fluid tank to keep it from freezing inside your car. You could also use this mix as car de-icer. Just activate the wiper fluid and you’ll be clearing your windshield in a cinch.

How to defrost car windows in the morning

Should you be more of a morning person and generally don’t mind clearing the ice on your windscreen on the same day, then you can easily just use your homemade de-icer solutions. But instead of just leaving it on your screen, remove it with a squeegee, a soft-bristled brush or, if the ice is loose enough, use your windshield wipers.

Ice on Windows: Causes and Solutions

Ice on windows is a common problem during the colder time of the year. If there’s one thing you can count on during the winter months in most of Canada is that it’s going to be cold and snowy. With a good portion of the huge country vulnerable to arctic blasts from the North Pole from early November to late April, Canada is considered one of the coldest countries on Earth.

Jump To Article Contents:

If you’re like most Canadians, your home or cottage can be equipped with everything from a wood-burning stove to a high-efficiency furnace to a nice, insulated blanket to keep you warm and comfortable. Unfortunately, that might not be enough to prevent cold air and moisture from penetrating inside.

Ice on windows is not uncommon, but it definitely should be cause for concern. Ice is frozen water so anytime your windows, frames, wallboard and insulation experience prolonged exposure to moisture, you may find both aesthetic and structural problems. Melted frost can discolour the window topcoat, crack paint, rot wood, warp window frames, crack the glass and even cause toxic mold and mildew issues.

As you can see, ice on windows can cause major problems if not addressed. We’ve put together a comprehensive list of causes and solutions to ice on the inside of windows, ice on the outside of windows, ice on the inside of new windows, ice on the outside of new windows, how to stop ice on windows, and how to prevent ice on windows.

It’s time to stop ignoring ice on windows and start protecting your home from potential catastrophe.

Ice Inside of Windows

Is it normal to have ice on the inside of your windows?

While ice on the inside of windows may be a common occurrence, it is not normal.

Why do you have ice on your windows?

It forms from an excess of water vapour in the air. Better known as humidity in the summer months, extra moisture gets trapped inside when the outside temperature drops and you close your windows. The moisture is drawn to the window pane, condenses and freezes to form ice crystals.

Ice on the inside of new house windows

Should New windows have condensation on the inside?

The short answer is no. And it’s not your new windows’ fault. The main cause is in the air.

If you’ve got a brand new home with new windows, you probably wouldn’t think you’d have a problem with ice build-up. Today’s new homes are built with efficiency in mind so are often built airtight. While that may help with heating bills, the lack of ventilation in your home could trap warm, humid air inside, condense on the window panes and freeze up.

Is condensation on windows normal?

While it’s normal to experience condensation on windows, its appearance reminds you of excess moisture in the air and your responsibility is to find the source of it. Check if the exhaust fans run properly when the kitchen and bathrooms are in use, make sure clothes dryer vent goes outside and not blocked by debris.

Ice Outside of Windows

While cold air is often thought of as very dry, there are many occasions when there is heavy moisture in the air that can cause condensation and ice on the outside of windows. Just like ice forms on your car windshield, dirt and temperature swings can cause water to freeze and melt on your home’s windows.

Ice on the outside of new house windows

While ice on the outside of your new windows may be alarming, exterior window condensation is usually caused when the window is colder than the dew point. There’s no need to panic as it will melt and evaporate once the sun warms the outside of the window.

Ice on the Window Frame

Air leaks from poorly installed or aging windows can reduce the surface temperature of your window frames and create the perfect condition for ice to form. Often double-hung, single-hung, and horizontal slider windows are at greater risk for air leaks and ice formation. There are several simple ways to find air leaks in your windows. Before hiring a contractor, run the hand test or the candle test to find air leaks. On a cold day with the Heat ON inside your home, use your hand or a lit candle to move around the window frame. If you feel the cold air on your hand or, in case you use the candle, you see the flame dances around then you found the air leak.

Frost on inside of double pane windows

Frost build-up between window panes is an indicator that you’ve probably lost the window seal and moisture is building up inside the two panes of glass. This usually happens in older windows. You may be able to replace the glass units but generally, you should consider replacing the entire window to gain added benefits of energy-efficient Low-E glass coatings, Argon gas or Krypton gas fills, durable vinyl frames, and air-tight construction.

Preventative Maintenance Checklist

How can you stop your house windows from icing on the inside?

There are a number of things you can do around your home or cottage to help reduce the ice on windows:

1. Check for damaged gas appliances. Your gas furnace and hot water heater may be malfunctioning and expelling excess water vapour into the air. Safety Tip: Make sure you have a functioning carbon monoxide alarm to alert you to any life-threatening leaks inside your home.
2. Look for plumbing leaks. Everything from a leaky faucet to a major break under the sink can add water vapour to the air.
3. Stop air-drying clothes inside. While it may be tempting to hang delicate clothing on a line to dry instead of using a clothes dryer, doing so will add more moisture to the air. If necessary, spin dry the clothes first or damp dry to take out most of the water.
4. Don’t over-water plants. Live plants look great inside and have the added benefit of producing oxygen. However, the soil they’re planted in retains moisture and overwatering them will have a negative effect on the amount of excess liquid in the air.
5. Keep firewood outside. It’s convenient to keep wood inside for fireplaces and wood-burning stoves, but it naturally retains moisture that will evaporate in the warm room air.
6. Absorb condensation. Keep a towel on the window sill to wick away any extra water that drips off the window. This will stop ice from forming on the glass. Replace the wet towel with a dry one each night.
7. Turn up the thermostat. Today’s energy-efficient thermostats often lower room temperatures at night to save energy. Bump up the room temperature by a degree or two or use a space heater at night to stop ice on windows.

How to Avoid Frost/Ice on Windows

There are two main causes of frost and ice on windows—excess humidity and air leaks. There are several things you can do to fix the problem once and for all.

Reduce Humidity:

• Get a humidifier, make sure you adjust the settings based on the outdoor air temperature. National Resources Canada recommends the following:Table of Recommended Indoor Relative Humidity Levels
  

  Outside Air Temp (°C / °F)	Maximum Indoor Relative Humidity At 20°C (68°F)
  -30°C / (-22°F) or below	15%
  -30°C to -24°C / (-22°F to -11.2°F)	20%
  -24°C to -18°C / (-11.2°F to 0°F)	25%
  -18°C to -12°C / (0°F to 10.4°F)	35%
  -12°C to 0°C / (10.4°F to 32°F)	40%

• Use a dehumidifier instead of a humidifier to draw excess moisture from the air. Just as you do during summer months to reduce musty odours in your basement, you can do the same thing in the winter. Use a hygrometer to keep some humidity in the air or you’ll be getting shocks from everything you touch.
• Run exhaust fans or open windows occasionally to improve ventilation when cooking or showering. Make sure your exhaust fans and clothes dryer vent to the outside, not just to the attic. Otherwise, when warm, humid air accumulates and condenses under your home’s roof, the frost will start forming. If you ever wondered “Why Is There Frost In Your Attic?” you need to reduce relative humidity levels.
• Add an HRV system (heat recovery ventilator) to bring in the fresh air and recirculate the inside air. This may be helpful for airtight new homes to reduce condensation buildup and help you save on energy bills.

Reduce Air Leaks:

• • Apply insulating window film to your leaky windows. Energy Star research indicates that sealing windows can not only reduce condensation buildup, it can also cut your utility bills up to 20 percent.
  • Use foam gaskets behind electrical outlets and switch plates to prevent air leaks. Inexpensive kits are pre-cut to fit tightly around wiring boxes. Focus on outside walls near windows for the most effective results.
  • Caulk around windows to seal cracks and gaps. Larger openings can be filled with foam sealant.

• Replace windows with high-performance, Energy Star-certified windows. Consider casement style made from vinyl or wood for the best insulating values. Replace damaged single-pane windows with double- or triple-pane window models to obtain the best thermo-insulation value.
• Make sure to include Low-Emissive (Low-E) coatings and/or Argon gas between glass panes to provide the most insulation against heat loss and air leaks.

Ice on Windows—Make it Stop

It’s important to stop the buildup of ice on windows in its tracks. Whether it’s your bedroom or your window reading nook, you’ll need to identify the problem. Is there too much humidity in your home? Are there air leaks that are adding to the issue? Are your windows old or damaged and in need of replacement?

Now is the best time to address these issues to protect your home from damage, save on energy bills, and provide the best living conditions for you and your family.