How Do I Clear Up Foggy Windows?

Keeping the temperature in your car comfortable is always important. You use air conditioning to cool down in the summer and turn up the heat to stay toasty in the winter, but foggy windows can affect your vision and make your trip dangerous.

Clearing up foggy windows is necessary to stay safe on the road. In certain conditions, car windows can suddenly become foggy and impair your vision while driving. However, knowing what to do when your windows fog can keep you and your passengers safe. You can also take steps to prevent fog from forming on your windows.

At Piazza Subaru, we have the expertise to keep your Subaru running smoothly, including how to address fog building up on your windows. If you’re in the market for a new Subaru in Chester County, PA, or the surrounding areas, check out our selection of vehicles.

What Causes a Foggy Car Window?

Everyone deals with a foggy car windshield and windows from time to time. Several factors can fog a car’s windshield or windows, including:

Temperature

A difference in temperature between the interior and exterior of your car can lead to moisture buildup in your windshield. A high moisture level raises the chance of getting a foggy windshield inside your vehicle.

Dirty Windshield

Debris, dirt, and other particles accumulate on your windshields and windows. At the same time, moisture particles are more likely to stick to a dirty surface than a clean one. As a result, particles contribute to a windshield fogging up.

Mechanical Issues

A cabin filter, common in cars produced after 2000, collects dust, pollen, and other contaminants. It also regulates the air quality inside your automobile.

Excess debris in a cabin filter can reduce air quality in your vehicle. In addition, your windshield becomes vulnerable to water vapor which results in fog.

Now you know a few common causes of foggy windows in your vehicle. Next, we’ll cover how to deal with a foggy windshield in cold and hot weather.

How to Get Rid of Foggy Windows in Cold Weather

When you turn on the heat in your vehicle during cold weather, it’s typical that fog will begin to form on the inside of your windows. Here are a few options for clearing up foggy windows.

Quick Fix

Turn your heating up all the way. Hot air contains more moisture than colder air, so turning up the heat collects moisture that contributes to a foggy windshield. Then, turn on your air conditioning, which pulls moisture from the air.

Finally, turn off your recirculation button to bring colder and dryer air into the car. Then, crack your windows for a few minutes to get more cold and dry air in.

Driving Preparation

Turn your defroster on and blow warm air on the windshield to evaporate the accumulating moisture, then turn off the recirculation button. When your vehicle recirculates the air, its heating and conditioning recycle the air inside the car.

When clearing up foggy windows in cold weather, you want your vehicle to bring in outside air continuously. Cold and dry air can help eliminate the moisture that causes fog on your windows.

How to Get Rid of Foggy Windows in Warm Weather

When the temperature and moisture levels increase outside your car during warmer weather, moisture condenses on the exterior of your windows. Try these steps to eliminate the condensation.

Warm Up the Inside of Your Vehicle

Changing the temperature of your car’s interior to match the temperature outside is the key to clearing up foggy windows in spring or summer. Use your windshield wipers to clear away condensation on your windshield until you balance the temperature.

Reduce or turn off the air conditioning to increase the temperature inside your car. Then, like in colder weather, turn off your recirculation button, so the temperature and moisture levels become equal to outside. Warm air inside your vehicle should match with outside air.

Tips to Prevent Foggy Windows

Instead of dealing with fog when it appears on your car’s windows, you can take steps to prevent it. Here are a few tips for preventing fogging on your car glass:

?       Utilize an ammonia-based window cleaner to avoid buildup inside your windshield. Apply the window cleaner with consistent horizontal or vertical strokes.

?       Use a dry, clean towel to apply shaving cream to the interior of your windshield, and wipe it off with another clean towel.

?       Activate your defroster when you’re warming up your vehicle. Your defrost vent is always a good tool for battling foggy windows.

Piazza Subaru Is Here to Help!

At Piazza Subaru, we want to help you and your family stay safe on the road, and that includes keeping your windshield clear at all times. We have a wide range of Subaru models available and can set you up with excellent car financing in Limerick, PA, and the rest of the Philadelphia area. Visit our dealership or browse our site for our entire selection of vehicles.