What is the purpose of sealing the windshield?

Published on : 21 January 20214 min reading time

Modern nanotechnology is used to seal the windshield, very tiny particles forming a kind of protective layer. This means that dirt and water can be easily removed. From a speed of around 70 km/h, it is often not even necessary to use a windshield wiper, so driving can be much less stressful. The model of this putty is the lotus flower, which is why the effect is also known as the “lotus flower effect”. However, this application must be done precisely and correctly, otherwise visibility will be considerably reduced, especially in the dark. Only careful preparation will ultimately provide the necessary safety.

The advantages of sealing

The tightness of the windshield creates a rolling effect of dirt and rain, allowing you to see better while driving. At higher speeds, such as on the highway, you no longer need to use a wiper. This is much more pleasant to drive and protects the wiper blades from wear and tear. The sealant also offers its advantages in winter, i.e. less ice adheres to the windshield in cold weather. Since there is much less moisture on the windshield, it cannot freeze. Such surface protection lasts about a year and offers not only better visibility but also more safety, as the glare effect is reduced when driving at night.

Disadvantages

The use of such a sealant is only really effective when the speed is at least 70 km/h, otherwise the wipers still have to be used. But for the wipers to work properly, a light film of water must be present. This is not the case with sealant, so frequent use of the wipers destroys the seal in the long term. So, if you spend most of your time in low-speed city traffic, this sealant effect will not be as effective.

Perform a sealing operation yourself

A total of four steps are required to seal the front panel itself. The first is the basic cleaning, followed by an intensive cleaning, then the actual sealing and finally the polishing of the windshield should not be missing.

During the basic cleaning, you must remove dirt from the windshield and edges. This is followed by an intensive cleaning process in which even the smallest particles of dirt and dust must be removed, as this is the only way to achieve an optimal result in the end. The third step is the actual sealing of the windscreen. The application creates a smooth film that adheres to the rough surface of the windshield (seen under a microscope). In this way, all irregularities are filled in and the surface tension is increased. If rain falls on the windshield, droplets are formed that roll onto the windshield without the intervention of the wipers. After the actual sealing process, it is important to allow the windshield to react for a period of time. This creates a kind of gray mist, which must be polished with a cloth. Then the protective layer is so firm that the vehicle can be driven to a car wash.

During this activity, it is very important to work absolutely thoroughly and precisely, otherwise many large drops will accumulate on the windshield and form a film of lubricant which, in the worst case, will be directly in the field of vision. As a result, you are more likely to be dazzled at night, which is to the detriment of safety. It is important that a clean window is available at the end, otherwise the complete seal is useless. The principle of the lotus effect is quite easy to copy, but the steps must be carried out very precisely.

Execution by a professional

If you want to be sure of yourself, or if you are not as skilled as a violinist in terms of craftsmanship, you should have the windshield sealing done by a professional workshop. In addition, an alcohol-based and particularly effective coating material is usually used here, so that the wiper system is also much less used. Depending on the inclination of the windscreen, the water droplets are simply blown away as if by the wind. However, this is usually only useful if you travel a lot with your vehicle and also drive at higher speeds – for example, regular trips on the highway. Only in pure city traffic does this effect hardly come into play.

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