Winter comes with extremely low temperatures, snow, ice, rain and more snow. While some people look forward to this season, it can be a challenging time for car owners. The frigid weather conditions can easily wreak havoc on your car’s interior and inner working.

As a car owner, you will need a pre winter maintenance – also known as winterization – to keep your car in tip-top shape during this cold season. And to help you with this we have compiled a list of some of the frequently asked questions about car winterization.

How long should a car warm up before driving off?

You’ve probably heard that “your car needs to warm up your car before you can drive off.” And this explains why most people often start their engines before they actually start driving.

However, as it turns out, the whole idea of idling in your car as you wait for it to warm up is just wrong. Auto experts recommend no more than 30 seconds of idling your car before you start driving. Cars get warmed up faster when being driven rather than when idle.

How should I keep my car battery running this winter?

Even though batteries are quite okay under a myriad of weather conditions, very cold weather tends to cause trouble even on high-quality batteries.

Cold temperatures slow down the chemical reaction and can degrade batteries and even render them useless.

Good news, there are a few simple ways to avoid your battery from failing during cold weather. Let’s take a look at some of them;

Replacing your old battery

If you are running on an old battery, this might be the best time to make a change. The lifespan of batteries differs but most start wearing off after 5 years. Therefore, if your battery is more than five years old it might be a great idea to get another one before the arrival of winter.

When choosing a battery to buy, always stick to the recommended make for your car. This way you will have the correct battery type for optimum performance.

Check for corrosion

Corrosion is a common problem with most car batteries. It can cause poor performance just as an old, worn-out battery.

Corrosion occurs when there is a faulty connection that allows the battery acid to escape and cause corrode the surrounding areas.

To minimize corrosion, inspect your battery regularly and clean away any corrosive residues formed. It is also important to ensure that your battery is well seated to avoid the acid leaking.

Pause before turning your radio and heater on

It is always tempting to flick your headlights on and turn on your radio when you immediately get into your car. However, you might need to wait for a few minutes each time for optimum battery performance.

Car accessories can easily use up power from the alternator and keep the battery from charging. Therefore, avoid starting your car with the radio or heater on to allow your battery to charge for a few minutes.

It is also important to avoid leaving car accessories on when the vehicle is idling. When idle, a car might not be putting up enough power required to charge the battery and your electric accessories.

Use a battery blanket

A battery blanket will keep your battery from freezing. This helps your battery put out enough power even when the temperatures are very low.

Are winter tires really important?

Winter is the time when the debate whether to buy winter tires heats up.We say YES! Winter tires are way better than your average all-season tires. They have deeper and aggressive trend designs and softer tread compounds. This offers you good traction and helps to minimize skidding on snowy and icy surfaces.

Therefore, it is a good idea to install winter tires during colder months. If looking to buy winter tires, consider having four matching winter tires for a balanced grip on snowy or icy roads. It is also important to note that winter tires wear quickly than all-season tires. Therefore, it is always best practice to replace them regularly to improve their efficiency.

How often should I replace my wiper blades?

Windshield wipers are very important during winter.

If your wipers leave a trail of liquid on the windshield, it simply means that they are worn out and they need to be replaced. Always ensure that your windshield fluid tank has enough liquid and that the liquid will not freeze. You can carry a gallon of the fluid to help you make quick refills when needed.

It also helps to have the right window tint on your windshield and windows. Please note that very dark window tints can reduce your visibility during winter, which is a major hazard on the road.

Winterization is about preparing for the worst and hoping for the best. Use these FAQs to keep your car in tip-top shape and have less stress during the winter season.