Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late To Change Your Wiper Blades

Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late To Change Your Wiper Blades

Clear vision is essential to safe driving. Neglect the wiper blades — the part of your car responsible for keeping your vision clear – and you may find yourself actually needing the traction control, anti-lock brakes, dynamic stability control and airbags as you crash into what you can’t see.
A clean windshield is not only useful during rain, sleet and snow. How many times have you experienced a windshield that is smeared with insects, bird droppings, road tar or other messy deposits? Removing such dirt with worn wiper blades is nearly impossible. Usually, you wind up smearing the mess and obscuring your vision even more. If you change your blades regularly, you can avoid these problems and keep your eyes on the road.
Generally, a blade will show physical wear signs like cracking or discoloration. Another way to know is by the quality of the wipe. Streaking or un-wiped areas are a dead giveaway. In addition, if the blades make noise or chattering sounds, then they need to be replaced. However, if you change your blades frequently, you won’t have to examine your blades looking for these signs of possible failure.
Blades can be easily damaged by snow scrapers and ice during the winter but the sun is just as damaging to a blade in the summer.
By simply doing a little preventative maintenance, you can avoid these uncomfortable situations. Wiper blades should be treated the way you treat engine oil — you don’t wait until you have engine trouble before you change your oil.
How often should you replace your blades?

The National Highway Transportation Board recommends that drivers change their wiper blades every year, however the average vehicle owner replaces his/her wiper blades only once every two and a half years. “Most people wait until they are in a downpour and nearly drive off the road before they are convinced it’s time to change blades,” says Jenifer Maddox, brand manager for PEAK Automotive Products. Some blades, such as Optix Wiper Blades, even come with simple connector systems that make installing the blades on any vehicle a snap.

So if you’ve been procrastinating about changing your windshield wiper blades, take a few minutes today to change them.

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Source: [Cleveland at Home]

Car tips from Borcherding: A/C or Windows Down?

A/C or Windows Down: Which Method Will Save You Money?

In the summer a car can feel like a hot box. You want to crank the A/C but hesitate since saving every penny counts with gas prices so high.   As temperatures rise, the question will be, air conditioning or windows down?

Both methods will keep the car cool while driving but both are also rumored to be gasoline wasters. So which method will keep your tank filled longer and will ensure you’re comfortable on your road trip?

And the winner is… well it depends on how you’re driving and what kind of car you’re driving.

Older cars air conditioning units put more pressure on the engine and is much less efficient than newer car’s air conditioning units. That being the case, an older car’s air conditioning unit will waste more gas then a newer model.

If you are driving through town or in stop and go traffic, keeping the windows down and the air conditioner off will save gas. If you are driving on a highway or at high speeds, keeping the windows up and the air conditioning on is the way to go.  Keeping the windows down when driving at high speeds will create more drag on the car, which will reduce fuel economy.  At these high speeds it is more practical to turn on the A/C unit. The car is the most aerodynamic when all of the windows are rolled up. Drivers don’t have to feel bad about trying to keep cool this summer, as long as they know their options.

Source: [Earth Garage]

What's happening in Cincinnati for June?

Around Town: June Events Cincy Fringe Festival The 9th Cincinnati Fringe Festival is May 29 – June 9. During the festival, 32 artists from all over invade downtown Cincinnati for 12 days of artistic celebration in both traditional and non-traditional spaces. These artists represent a variety of media including theatre, dance, music, poetry, visual art, film and beyond. www.cincyfringe.com, 513-300-5569 Individual tickets are $12, package passes are also available. Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park 513-868-8336, www.pyramidhill.org 2nd Annual Dog Dayz June 3,2012 noon – 4PM great family fun with your pooch! Games, contests, food, park walk, lake races, we will also be featuring a traveling sculpture ahow called BIG DOGS by Dale Rogers!! Great sculptures and a great artist. There are tons of things being lined up for our 2nd annual Dog Dayz bring the family and your puppy out for a day at the Park!! Mary, Queen of Heaven Funfest June 23rd 29th Annual Summer Festival – 3 DAYS OF FUN FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY – Friday 6:00-11:00 PM, Saturday 4:00-11:00 PM, Sunday 4:00-9:00 PM. Rides, Kiddyland, Gambling Boothes, Main Raffle, Food & Drink Boothes, Live Entertainment. Call the Parish Office at 859-525-6909 for Main Raffle Tickets ($25.00 each) – ALL CASH PRIZES – Grand Prize – $12,000 Cash, 2nd & 3rd Prizes – $1,000 Cash and 4th, 5th, 6th & 7th Prizes $500 Cash. KY Charitable Gaming License #0535>Click Here To Go Back