Surviving the Snow – How to Prepare Your Vehicle for Winter

Calgary, we have sure seen a turn of events with our weather in the past few weeks. While mother nature teased us with a small glimpse of blissful autumn, she sure did not hold back with our first early snowfalls. Though this huge dump of snow happens year after year, often around this time, it almost always comes as a bit of a surprise to Albertans. Maybe its denial or forgetfulness, but as a city, we almost always slip into a spiral of disbelief and panic as soon as the white fluffy stuff starts to fall. One of the biggest concerns for most Calgarians during this time is winter road conditions. When the weather is still relatively mild but the snow won’t stop falling, our roads become treacherous. Highways and residential roads alike get coated with a slick coat of ice or black ice, and our commutes double or triple in time.

Though we can’t prevent slow commutes or unpredictable accidents, our team can prepare you and your vehicle to travel as safely as possible this winter. Here are our tips to ensure that your vehicle is ready to tackle winter challenges.

1. Winter Tires

Not sure whether or not your tires are suitable for winter driving? Look for the snowflake symbol that is stamped universally on winter and all-weather tires. Additionally, check the wear on your tire’s tread and ensure that your tires have enough air in them, before heading out on the slippery roads. We cannot stress the importance of winter or all-weather tires for safe winter travelling enough. Have questions? Our team would be pleased to assist you and provide you with the proper information to find the right winter tires for your vehicle. If you want more information on why the proper tires are so important for safe driving, pop back to our blog homepage and read our blog titled “Are You Tired of Learning About Tires? All-Season vs All-Weather, What you Need to Know” for more information.

2. Maintenance Check-Up:

Keep your vehicle healthy this season with a routine checkup. Verify that your battery, brakes, electrical and other mechanical systems are in good working condition, your oil change is up to date, and your brake and power steering fluids are healthy.

3. Pick up some De-Icer or Deep Freeze Windshield Washer Fluid:

Winter conditions can get harsh in Calgary and all-season windshield washer fluid can freeze in severe conditions. Top off your windshield washer fluid with a deep freeze or de-icer fluid to prevent freezing in the cold winter months.

4. Consider Installing Winter Wiper Blades:

I think we are all guilty of hopping in our vehicle and turning on the wiper blades instead of brushing off our windshield from time to time. To prevent damage to your regular wiper blades and wiper motor, purchase and install winter wiper blades and brush off the snow before starting those wipers. Winter blades are engineered to prevent snow and ice buildup and are heavier than a regular blade, which makes them capable of pushing off heavier loads, such as snow.

5. Keep an extra phone charger on hand:

The cold weather can even be tough on our phone batteries; when a phone gets too cold the battery life will plummet. Keep a phone charger in your vehicle as a “just in case” insurance policy because there is nothing worse than getting stuck with a dead phone.