Summer’s in the rearview mirror and the rainy days of Fall are upon us. So, now is a good time to check your vehicle’s windshield wipers and replace blades that are hard, inflexible and/or cracked.\n\nAccording to VehicleMD magazine, “the majority of wiper blades are constructed with a rubber wiping element, which provides optimum friction to clear glass of water.” Rubber is a natural compound and breaks down for a variety of reasons, including:\n\n• Heat. The summer sun can heat up your vehicle’s windshield and literally bake the wiper blades. This extreme heat can cause wiper blades to harden and crack.\n\n• Environment. Vehicles in high-traffic areas tend to be exposed to a higher concentration of ozone, which can oxidize the rubber blades and create cracks.\n\n• Cold. Frigid weather causes rubber blades to harden and lose flexibility. When this happens, water can leak underneath the blades and cause smearing.\n\nWhile most wiper manufacturers recommend changing your wiper blades every 6-12 months, we recommend that you check your wiper blades often and replace them when you notice that they’re hard or cracked.\n\nHow to Inspect Your Wiper Blades\nA simple test of your windshield washers will tell you if the wiper blades need to be replaced. If the wipers streak, chatter or fail to cleanly remove the wiper fluid, the wiper blades should be replaced. This test will also show you if the fluid nozzle is clogged or if the nozzle needs to be adjusted to ensure the fluid hits the windshield in the correct place.\n\nLeave It to Us\nEach Oil Can Henry’s service features a safety inspection, including a check of your wiper blades. If you need new blades, your neighborhood Oil Can Henry’s offers quality new wiper blades for purchase. We’ll install them, too!\n\nWe Recycle\nOil Can Henry’s is dedicated to reducing impact on the environment, and we recycle all the used wiper blades from services we perform.
