Preparation is key when it comes to driving in the winter. No matter how small the winter-specific change might be, it can go a long way in enhancing the overall experience. If you’ve driven on winter tires before, you know exactly how dramatic a difference they make when the conditions worsen. If you haven’t, just take our word for it — it’s a huge improvement. When it comes to winter tires, it’s the tread and material that makes all the difference.
Interestingly, it’s not that different when it comes to winter windshield wipers. They, too, feature a different material make-up and structure compared to their summer counterparts. Keep reading to learn, in-depth, everything there is to know about winter windshield wipers including their performance. We will also answer whether you need winter windshield wipers and if they make a big enough difference to warrant the purchase.
Windshield Wipers — A Look Back
Before we begin with the analysis of winter windshield wipers, let’s look back at the interesting history of the simple yet indispensable invention. It is said that Jozef Hofmann and Mills Munitions were the first to design the windshield wiper.
Hofman was a Polish concert pianist while Munitions was from Birmingham, England. However, things got interesting as American inventor Mary Anderson also designed an operational windshield wiper at around the same time, and she went on to receive credit for the same.
The wiper, designed in 1903, was called the window cleaning device and made use of what was essentially a rubber squeegee blade on an arm. This arm had an extension that came into the cabin from where it had to be operated manually.
What is quite remarkable is that aside from the manual aspect of the windshield wiper, it remains fairly similar to the ones seen on the latest cars on sale today. While there have been many advancements, the idea or method hasn’t changed in over a century.
Speaking of advancements, the first big change came in the 1920s when the wipers went from being hand-operated to automatic. While they weren’t driven by electric motors, they made use of a vacuum system for their operation. This system got its vacuum directly from the engine. While it was a smart idea, it had one big flaw as the pressure of the vacuum was dependent on the engine speed.
What didn’t change for the longest time though was the wiper blade and its main material — rubber. While rubber is still widely used, more efficient silicone wipers are finally becoming more common. The use of different materials also led to the creation of winter-specific wiper blades.
What Materials Are Modern Wipers Made Of?
As mentioned earlier, there has been a significant amount of research going into improving windshield wipers over the years. The majority of developments to wipers have been to the make-up of the blades. Nowadays, all types of wiper blades including the ones on winter windshield wipers are made of different elastomers including synthetic and conventional rubbers. This includes natural or synthetic polyisoprene, ethylene-propylene-diene rubber, neoprene, and butadiene.
The material comes down to the manufacturer and the type of wiper being made. It’s also quite common for wiper manufacturers to use a blend of the aforementioned substances. The most common material used to make wipers is polyisoprene in a natural or synthetic form. What windshield wiper manufacturers have to keep in mind is the drag between the blade and the windshield. Modern wipers are tested thoroughly to ensure the lowest drag, requiring less power to function.
Most windshield wipers that use polyisoprene for the blade usually have their surface halogenating with bromine or chlorine. This is done because polyisoprene is too soft in isolation which in turn would increase the drag between the windshield and wiper blade. Both chlorine and bromine are halogens. When they react with the elastomer (like polyisoprene) the surface of the blade becomes harder. A direct result of this is reduced friction and improved efficiency.
What Makes Winter Windshield Wipers Special?
Winter windshield wipers differentiate themselves from conventional wipers by their form and the materials used. Before we go any further, it’s important to point out that most of the big wiper brands take different approaches to winter windshield wipers. This includes changes to the physical form and the specially formulated blend of the blades.
Specially Formulated Blend
Winter windshield wipers are designed to handle extreme weather conditions like sub-zero temperatures and heavy snow. Just like modern wiper blades have developed a resistance against UV and heat damage, winter windshield wipers can take on extremely cold weather. Natural rubber can’t take on such weather conditions, will degrade quickly, and show signs that they need to be replaced. That’s not all, as mentioned earlier, it will also put a lot of load on the wiper motor due to increased friction.
Winter windshield wipers use a heavily synthetic blend. The usage of graphite is also quite prevalent on winter windshield wipers. Something else wiper brands take into account is the additional weight that snow puts on the blades. Snow is heavier than rain and winter windshield wipers are designed with that in mind. However, it’s not just the materials involved with the blade that is unique on winter windshield wipers as they have differences in the physical form as well.
Design Changes
Besides a unique material, the majority of winter windshield wipers from big brands feature design changes. There are two main purposes for these slight design revisions. The first one is to accommodate for the additional weight of the snow, while the second is to improve overall performance. The makers of winter windshield wipers have managed to do so with tweaks to the frame. Some also refer to this part as the beam.
The most common design change is the reduction of crevices as they can end up holding snow. Winter windshield wipers usually have designs that have the frame mechanism hidden away on the inside. This keeps the wipers free of any accumulated snow. Winter windshield wipers are also stronger than conventional wipers as they do a little more heavy lifting. Another common trait of winter windshield wipers is a stronger curve. This is done to ensure the blade delivers the best possible wipe.
Benefits of Winter Windshield Wipers
Manufacturers of winter windshield wipers have taken steps to ensure better performance in the snow. Some benefits we haven’t spoken about include design changes made to improve aerodynamics and increase stability in windy conditions. Bosch is one of the manufacturers to have designed the wipers with windy conditions in mind. Speaking of Bosch, they claim that their winter windshield wipers will last 20 percent longer than conventional ones while delivering improved performance.
The company also claims that its winter windshield wipers can deliver up to 300,000 wipes. The majority of brands making these wipers also use steel for construction. While steel is heavier, it’s proven to be stronger than aluminum and more appropriate for winter conditions. These winter windshield wipers are also universal which means you should be able to fit them on any vehicle.
Overall, winter windshield wipers have several advantages and at the competitive price at which they are available, opting for them is a no-brainer. While it might seem like the conventional wipers on your vehicle do a good enough job in the winter, there’s room for improvement with winter windshield wipers. Improving visibility also directly enhances the safety of a vehicle which makes it worth considering.
That said, if you’re in a bind and can’t find a set of winter wipers, you should be fine with all-season ones. There are some good options out there, and we carry a lot of them. Check our catalog for more info. The only thing to keep in mind is that all-season wipers may not last you the entire winter season, depending on the weather conditions in your area.
Drive Safer This Winter!
With winter already here, it’s time to get an order in for winter windshield wipers. After reading everything there is to gain from this simple addition, we are certain that you will be considering them. Our recommendation would be to get it right here at Newparts.com. We stock some of the biggest brands in the wiper industry and can get you the best prices on the latest set out there!
