Warm water on icy windshield

[hyperslug]

Has anyone ever actually seen an icy windshield break from lukewarm to warm water (warm means I can submerge my hand in it comfortably)?

I clear my windows many times this way. Anyone else?

I've seen a non-tempered glass pitcher break with boiling water, but I've never seen or met someone who actually cracked or shattered their windshield with warm water.

 

[MSaxatilus]

I do it all the time. Never had a problem.

MSax

 

[Sgt. LED]

I've done this before too but never with hot water.

I once had to pee on a windshield because the ice was too thick and I had to get moving ASAP.

 

[Carpenter]

I've done this before too but never with hot water.

I once had to pee on a windshield because the ice was too thick and I had to get moving ASAP.

:sick2:

I've used warm water in the past, the only problem I had was when I got going, that warm water got ice cold and refroze to the windshield. Had to stop and wait the entire windshield to warm up anyway. :shakehead

 

[LED_Thrift]

I've done this too - no problems. Generally glass has a lot more problems being cooled rapidly, as this puts the surface in tension. Heating the surface put the surface in compression, which glass and most ceramics can take a lot of.
Carpenter - what works for me is to squigee it off right away.
This might be a good question for Car Talk.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

:sick2:

I've used warm water in the past, the only problem I had was when I got going, that warm water got ice cold and refroze to the windshield. Had to stop and wait the entire windshield to warm up anyway. :shakehead

had that happen too. They used to make a thing you could wrap around your heater hose and hook to the windshield washer to heat it up so in the winter it would clear the windows quicker but haven't seen anything like it since maybe they had it too hot and cracked the glass.

 

[jzmtl]

had that happen too. They used to make a thing you could wrap around your heater hose and hook to the windshield washer to heat it up so in the winter it would clear the windows quicker but haven't seen anything like it since maybe they had it too hot and cracked the glass.

They have electrical version of that now.

 

[madi05]

u peed on your windshield? lmao

did u stand on a stool?

madi05

 

[alaskawolf]

Has anyone ever actually seen an icy windshield break from lukewarm to warm water (warm means I can submerge my hand in it comfortably)?

I clear my windows many times this way. Anyone else?

I've seen a non-tempered glass pitcher break with boiling water, but I've never seen or met someone who actually cracked or shattered their windshield with warm water.

yes i have seen a few windshields on cars and windows on homes break because of warm water in winter

 

[Norm]

I once had to pee on a windshield because the ice was too thick and I had to get moving ASAP.

What did the neighbours say?

 

[Sgt. LED]

u peed on your windshield? lmao

did u stand on a stool?

madi05

I just aimed extra high and let gravity take over. I didn't have a source for anything warmer right then.
Since nobody else has admitting to doing this I'll expand on it and say that I did it another time in the parking lot at work. I had an empty 1 litre water bottle and filled that up then got out of the car and poured it on the windshield. That time my heater went out of whack on me without warning so I did what I figured would work. I had to go anyway!
Maybe I like being self sufficient a little too much?

 

[Sgt. LED]

What did the neighbours say?

Nobody around for a mile or more, I was unobserved for that thawing!

 

[LED_Thrift]

alaskawolf - do you recall what the air temperature was at the time?

 

[Raoul_Duke]

I have used water lots before ~ fairly hot ~

Used a mag 623 last night ~ and that works very well ( on the frozen locks aswell ):thumbsup:

 

[TakeTheActive]

alaskawolf - do you recall what the air temperature was at the time?

I'm also curious. :thinking:

I'm thinking that it's more of an absolute 'difference in temperature' thing than WARM vs HOT water.

 

[Brock]

My older brother cracked the windshield on our parent's car on a cold morning. It was in the mid 1980's and we are leaving for school. I had done this many times with luke warm water, he brought out some "hot" water and poured it on and "SNAP". He swore to my dad it was tap water, so maybe 120F max? It was about 0F outside at the time. I didn't try it again after that for about 10 years and now only use warm water, it doesn't take hot water, just more water if it's cooler.

 

[jzmtl]

I just aimed extra high and let gravity take over. I didn't have a source for anything warmer right then.
Since nobody else has admitting to doing this I'll expand on it and say that I did it another time in the parking lot at work. I had an empty 1 litre water bottle and filled that up then got out of the car and poured it on the windshield. That time my heater went out of whack on me without warning so I did what I figured would work. I had to go anyway!
Maybe I like being self sufficient a little too much?

I can't believe you did that. One of the car prank is pee down somebody's HVAC intake so their AC stinks when used, but you did that to yourself. :green:

 

[Superdave]

Thermal shock is never a good thing.. warm water is pushing it depending on the temp of the glass. Chemical thawing is the only safe way. Windshields are expencive.. lol

i keep one of these in the trailblazer at all times..

(Moderator note: Hot linked pic removed IAW CPF Rules.)


Works great, even at -25F.

 

[MarNav1]

I've done this before too but never with hot water.

I once had to pee on a windshield because the ice was too thick and I had to get moving ASAP.

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

Don't think I ever did that. And where I live I don't often have ice on the windshield.

That said one cold arse morning it was also pissin' rain and that was freezing on the glass. What a PAIN!