People that are not into cars do not know that they need to replace their wipers and how frequently they need to do it. A wiper has a limited lifespan and this is because of how they are made and used. Their functional purpose makes it vital to be replaced when the wiper no longer works accordingly but how do you know when it is time to replace it?
Understanding Wiper Blades
A car wiper blade is usually made out of a soft plastic material with steel reinforcement to provide it with some resistance that helps it maintain proper contact with the windshield. The plastic material used is meant to survive in the hot summer heat and also withstand cold temperatures. However, the qualities of the plastic material will suffer some degree of degradation.
Another important aspect of automotive wiper blades is that they need to slide across the windshield without too much friction. When you have friction, you get to hear those squeaky noises and see the wiper blade moving unnaturally over the glass with a shaking motion. To prevent this from happening, manufacturers coat a wiper blade with graphene. Graphene is a very versatile material that reduces friction and noise. It is usually applied in the form of very fine dust.
Knowing When a Wiper Needs Replacing
Over time, the quality of the plastic material used in wiper blades will suffer some degree of degradation. Also, the graphene coating will fade and this is what most drivers will notice. When the graphene coating fades, the wiper blade will tend to have a shaking motion. This happens because of friction between the blade and the windshield increases. Also, the wiper blade will start to generate annoying scratchy, and squeaky noises. A new wiper blade will not generate any noise, even when used on a clean and degreased windshield. The graphene ensures that there is minimal friction and the wiper blade can do its job with no impairment.
