Should you lift your wipers before snow? The real reason drivers do

During the winter time, you may notice some cars parked outside have their windshield wipers sticking straight up before snow arrives. It may look a little weird, but drivers do this to prevent the wipers from being buried underneath the snow once it falls. But is it actually helpful and should you do this with your own car?

Benefits of leaving windshield wipers up

Leaving the wipers pointing up can offer a few advantages when snow is expected to fall. One of the most important is that the wipers won’t be covered in snow and will be ready to use when you need them. Another benefit they provide is preventing ice from building up and freezing them to the windshield.

Can leaving the wipers up be harmful?

While the wipers will be clear of snow and won’t be frozen in place, there are still a few drawbacks. While they stick straight up, severe winds can blow them back down and the metal wiper arms could potentially crack the windshield. The wiper blades could prevent the impact from being too severe, but it’s still something to consider before raising your wipers. Leaving them upright could also make the springs wear faster and the wipers may need to be replaced sooner.

What do experts say?

Brian Smith, territory sales manager of Bosch Mobility Aftermarket, tells the Detroit Free Press his thoughts in an interview on raising wiper blades up in the winter.

“I think it’s a good idea. If the blade hadn’t been changed in a long time or it’s towards the end of its life, you can actually tear the windshield wiper blade if it was frozen to the windshield,” Smith said. “A lot of wiper arms can run into some issues with the spring being weakened if you’re leaving them up for too long and you’re doing it too often.”

This article originally appeared on Detroit ⁠Free Press

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect