Being Safe while Driving on Snow
Utility workers cover the asphalt with tons of sand, salt and reagents that spare neither shoes nor equipment.
How to protect a car from exposure to reagents so that in the spring you do not find red foci of rust on the body? First of all, let’s understand what we are dealing with when driving on a “cleaned” winter road.
What is sprinkled on roads
The roads have not been treated with anything for a long time, but they simply clean off the snow and take it out – for the sake of environmental protection. Only the most slippery areas are sprinkled with fine stone chips. It is necessary to use reagents that melt snow due to chemical aggressiveness.
The most common and cheapest winter road treatment is a mixture of sand with sodium chloride or halite (food or industrial salt). This is the most dangerous composition for the car: the sand flying from under the wheels rubs the bottom and body, like an abrasive scrub, and then the salt is taken to work, corroding the metal.
Impact of salt on metal
Why is salt so dangerous for the car? After all, corrosion, as you know, is caused by the action of water and oxygen, and not some white crystals. Everything is true, but salt is an excellent natural electrolyte that enhances the process several times.
The situation is aggravated by chips and damage to the paintwork from small stones, which are abundant in the sand-salt mixture. Bare metal of the body is defenseless against corrosion – in such conditions, rust appears in just a few days.
Physical protection of the body
Cars without mud flaps are often found, throwing snow, sand and salt not only on themselves, but also on those driving behind. Do not do this: there are many universal mudguards on sale that fit most models.
It is important not to allow snow-salt build-up to accumulate in the wheel arches and on the sills – it is no coincidence that body elements rot the fastest. The gruel must be removed with a long-handled plastic scraper after each ride on snowy roads.
A radical solution to the problem is pasting a car with vinyl film. The main thing is that the film is of high quality, and the installation is professional, otherwise corrosion can begin under it, unnoticed by the owner.
Body protection using auto chemistry
In winter, body polish is much more relevant. Just not a shine agent, more appropriate in the warm season, but a reliable protective coating. It fills in all small chips and forms a strong film on the surface, preventing salt from reaching the metal.
We must not forget about the wheels, which are constantly taking salt baths. To prevent the rubber from drying out and not cracking ahead of time, use protective auto chemistry for tires – you need to blacken the wheels not only for beauty.