Motorists have been urged to never follow a homemade de-icing tip which could lead to “serious cracks” on car windscreens.
Experts across the motoring industry have warned that pouring boiling water over a glass windscreen is likely to backfire and damage vehicles.
It comes after some social media influencers were seen encouraging the act as a quick solution to clear frost as temperatures fall this winter.
Ed Colley, Head of Marketing at Autoglass, has stressed the warm water making contact with the fragile glass is likely to cause havoc.
He said: “With temperatures dropping across the UK, lots of drivers will be frustrated to find they are waking up to ice across their car windscreen this week.
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“In a rush to clear the frost as quickly as possible, some drivers may be tempted to pour boiling water over the glass.
“However, this tactic should be avoided as the sudden change in temperature can cause the glass to expand and result in small chips expanding into much more damaging cracks.”
The RAC has stressed this ‘thermal shock’ is a bad habit to get into despite it being a quick solution.
Even if it doesn’t crack the glass, motoring specialists admit repeatedly doing it will weaken the glass.
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New research from Aviva showed hundreds of motorists admitting to dropping boiling hot water all over their glass despite the potential risks.
The analysis found that 11 percent of 2,000 Britons surveyed had used the method in a desperate bid to clear their vehicles.
Sam Sheehan, motoring editor at cinch explained: “Sometimes, it can be easy for drivers to cut corners and rely on risky solutions to clear their frosted windscreens.
“If you’re used to pouring boiling or hot water on your icy windows, you may want to ditch this habit and explore alternative methods. Boiling water can cause serious splits and cracks when in contact with cold glass.”
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BookMyGarage has warned that a windscreen replacement is likely to cost owners around £180. But, costs could soar to around £500 for premium high-end models like Mercedes, Jaguar or Land Rover.
Finally, experts at Quotezone warned road users cannot rely on insurance policies and may need to fund repairs themselves.
Quotezone commented: “It’s never a good idea to use boiling water to defrost the windscreen.
“Glass can crack when it experiences a sudden change in temperature, and windscreen damage isn’t always covered by a standard car insurance policy. It’s better to use a frost guard, a defogger or even homemade de-icer – lukewarm water mixed with rubbing alcohol.”
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