Preparing Your Car for the Cold

Area vehicle owners are warned to prepare for the Piedmont's freezing temperatures.

According to the National Weather Service, Tuesday morning, January 7, people in the Piedmont will wake up to temperatures in the single digits. Many area residents don't have a garage or a car port. So their car sits overnight, exposed.

Dennis Harris is owner of Dennis' Automotive Care on Country Club Road in Winston-Salem. Before going to bed Monday night, January 6, he recommends two easy ways to prevent frost build up. "Put cardboard under your wiper blade on your wind shield. This way the frost develops on the cardboard, you pull it off and your wind shield is clean," says Harris. "Another thing you can do is take a garbage bag, let it drape over the inside and outside of your door and shut it up in your car so it'll cover your window glass and door key opening. In the morning, frost is on the plastic so it's easier to get into the car.”

Harris says you can also use a deicer spray on windows and around your door to reduce the cold's impact. He does caution not to pour hot water on a wind shield. Harris says if you have any cracks, they will deepen and spread. Also in single-digit temperatures, hot water freezes very quickly. Harris also suggests making sure there is enough anti-freeze fluid in your car.

Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, Piedmont temperatures will be in the teens. Things will finally warm up Wednesday afternoon with an expected high in the mid-30's.