While most people are content with simply using windshield wipers, applying a rain-repellent treatment to your car's windshield can improve visibility during inclement weather. Wiper blades are still necessary, but windshield glass treatment sheds a lot of water from the windshield by itself. The exact type of treatment that you decide on is partially determined by the climate that you live in since some wear off sooner than others.
Silicone-based windshield treatments cause any water that hits the surface of the windshield to bead up and run off. It does this by sealing the microscopic pores on the windshield surface, smoothing it out. Silicon treatment tends to wear off faster than other windshield treatments because there no chemical connection between the silicone film and the windshield. In rainy conditions, silicone-based products help increase driver visibility. Because speed helps repel weather from the windshsield, the treatment is more effective when a car is driving at highway speeds compared to city driving during the inclement weather. When applied before snowfalls or frosts, silicone-based treatments make cleaning windshields easier.
Windshield treatments made up of fluorinated compounds can last up to 8 months as opposed to the 1.5 to 3 months of silicone-based treatments. The longer protection is a result the chemical bond that takes place between the compound and the windshield. Rain beads off the windshield (as opposed to the sheeting effect that occurs on untreated windshields) because the compound increases the contact angle of the water. When driving at night, the glare caused by rainfall reflecting the street and vehicle lights is greatly decreased, making driving safer. Along with improving visibility and making it easier to clear away ice, snow and mud, fluorinated compound treatments also help reduce the appearance of water marks after cleaning.
The longest lasting and most durable windshield treatments are those based on nanotechnology. These compounds are able to bond even more securely to the silica particles on windshields than fluorinated ones, creating a surface that readily expels water. There is only minimal contact between the windshields coated with this type of treatment and any ice, snow or mud so they can be cleaned off without having to use much force or other chemicals. When traveling at speeds faster than 50 miles per hour, the need for windshield wipers is almost entirely negated because liquids simply roll off the surface. Nanotechnology-based windshield treatments remain effective for about a year.
