Do You Really Need To Raise Your Wipers Before It Snows In Idaho?

It looks ridiculous. You walk outside to find that a few neighbors have lifted up the windshield wipers on their cars. They are no longer on the windshield but pointing straight up into the sky like old rabbit ear antennas on your grandma's TV. Should everyone be doing that, or is that some outdated boomer thing?

There are two kinds of people in Boise: the people who raise their wipers and the people who don't. So why do people raise their wipers? They say it prevents the wipers from freezing to the windshield, makes scraping the windshield easier, and lessens the damage from ice buildup on the blade.

The "leave them down" people say leaving them up puts too much stress on the wiper arms, and it might encourage theft.

Boise does see some significant snow once in a while. With temperatures hovering around freezing, blades could stick to windshields, but the wind could damage the raised wipers, too.

So, who's right?

It depends on what you drive. AAA (American Automobile Association) says that generally, raising your windshields has more benefits than risks. However, you need to make sure not to raise them too far and leave them down if it's going to be windy.

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But there is an exception. If your vehicle is 2020 or newer, it's best to leave them down. Most cars and trucks built in the last five years have better defrosting technology. Many cars park their wipers in the spot on the windshield that gets the most heat from the car, so it doesn't take long to de-ice them if they are frozen to the glass.

Other windshield wiper tips:

Make sure that you have winter blades. They make a huge difference in clearing snow. De-icing washer fluid is also a huge help. You can use it to spray your windshield in the morning, and the wipers will simply wipe away the ice in a matter of seconds.