Wipers - When Should You Replace Them?

Wiper blades are quite possible one of the most easiest things to overlook on your vehicle, despite being a very crucial safety feature as it allows you to quite simply see the road ahead in unfavourable conditions. The importance with regards to the appearance, functionality and ultimately safety of your car should not be underestimated.

Yet so many do leave it to long to replace the wiper blades,  how long is too long? 
Of all the parts of a car which are subject to wear and tear, windscreen wipers are perhaps the most fragile. Manufactured from thin rubber, they are designed to operate smoothly on the windscreen without damaging the surface of the glass, yet despite their fragility they are often required on a daily basis, possibly for long periods of time, during wet weather. In winter they become frozen to the glass and in summer they are used to help to clean the windscreen, while being subjected to high temperatures.
It is hardly surprising, therefore, that windscreen wipers do not last indefinitely and require regular replacement.
There is no set time frame as harsh weather conditions can cause the wiper blade to wear sooner than others, ideally you do not want to put your wipers on to clear the ice from a windscreen as the ice acts as razor blades and cuts the rubber on the blade which then in turn ruins the blades and leaves you with streaks when trying to clear the glass of water.
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By lifting the arms of the wipers away from the windscreen, you can quickly assess the condition of the rubber. Ragged, jagged or distorted edges, where the blade makes contact with the glass, should prompt you to replace them immediately.​

Three Key Points To Remember:

Windscreen wipers failing to fully clear the windscreen

1. Marks on the Windscreen: There is a lot of grime thrown at your car’s windscreen throughout a journey. Grit, dust, bugs and bird droppings all affect the performance of your cars wiper blades and will result in streaky unpleasant marks that have the potential to obscure your vision, making driving unsafe. Normally using your windscreen washers in conjunction with you blades will remove any unappealing substances from your windscreen and wipers but, over time, substances such as bird poo, which contain corrosive chemicals, will damage your wiper blades (and car body paint work) permanently. This causes the blades to leave streaks more consistently and even risks permanent scratches.
2. Ineffectiveness in bad weather: This is the most dangerous consequence of having dilapidated wipers. If your wiper blades are unable to lift sufficient water from your windscreen during a downpour then they must be replaced. Heavy rain won’t wait for you to get off the motorway or pull over somewhere safe so you have to know that, should the heavens open, your blades are up to the job.
3. Noise: Everyone is familiar with that juddering sound window wipers can make as they screech across a windscreen. Many people mistakenly believe that this is due to the rubber part of the blade being to large but it is in fact the opposite that causes this. Weak, worn out blades cannot support the weight of the arm that holds them in place and the increased weight from the arm causes the rubber to make the noise it does. This is an audible sign that your wiper blades need to be replaced, left unchecked the wipers will start to scratch the windscreen distorting the vision of the driver. ​

How does the heat affect my windscreen?