It doesn’t matter what time of year it is, or where you live; dealing with foggy windows when trying to keep your car the right temperature can be a bit tricky. During warm and humid times cranking your AC at full blast can cause your windows to get foggy from the outside. When it’s cold out and you are trying to warm up your car, there is fog in the inside! It seems like it’s a no-win situation. But the key to reducing or eliminating the issue is to adjust the temperature on the inside of the car to match or be close to the outside temperatures..and here’s how:
This post is sponsored by Reedman Toll Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Springfield.
So we established that the reason your windows get foggy is the temperature and the air’s moisture content. On cold days any moisture in the air inside your car turns into condensation when it hits the air next to the window – so that’s what makes your car’s windows foggy; and of course the opposite happens on hot and humid days. So whether the fog is inside or outside, it’s hard to see and that can be dangerous, so it’s good to know how to make sure to get your windows clear and get you to your destination safely.
When it’s Cold Outside and you turn your heat on, the fog will usually start inside your car. Here’s some of the best ways to defog your car windows in cold weather:
- Turn the heat on full blast, since hot air can hold a lot more moisture
- Then if you can, turn the AC on for a minute so it can pull the moisture from the air as it passes over the cooling coils.
- Then turn off the re-circulation button so the colder dryer air is brought into the car.
- Finally, if you can, crack your windows for a couple minutes to help exchange the humid interior air for dryer outside air.
If you want to defog the windows in the cold just have your car continually take in the drier outside air instead of re-using the air from the inside that is more humid. Use that re-circulation button! It will be that cool looking button on your dash that has an arrow going through a car in a circle or semi-circle.
When it’s Warm Outside so when the temperature and moisture level outside is higher than inside the car, the moisture will condense on the exterior of the car glass. So somewhat like when it’s colder outside than inside, the goal is to get the temperature inside to match the outside.
- First thing is use your windshield wipers. This will help get rid of the condensation until you’ve balanced out the temperature.
- Turn down the AC to the least coolest setting to increase the temperature without it becoming too uncomfortable.If it doesn’t work, just turn the AC off completely for a bit.
- Unlike when it’s cold out, when it’s warm you leave that re-circulation OFF. It’s a good idea to leave it off to battle the foggy windows so the temp and moisture level in your car begin to balance with the temp outside.
Trying to see through foggy windows can definitely be a safety hazard, but with these tips you should be able to see clearly and get to your destination safely.
