When you have to drive around in extreme weather conditions such as snow and rain, it’s impossible to see through the windscreen. Your best line of defence against bad weather is a set of fully functional wiper blades that do a great job of keeping the screen clear and clean.

If you haven’t replaced your windscreen wiper blades, they’ll squeak, make scraping sounds, and perform dismally at improving your visibility. When this happens, it’s time to get a replacement blade—and fast, otherwise, it’ll cost you more than you bargained for.

A windscreen wiper arm is made up of three basic parts. There’s the internal part held by the metal retaining clip attached to the plastic wiper blade assembly. Then the removable wiper refill, which has the rubber blade on one end.

As the rubber is worn away, the plastic and metal parts of the blade will be exposed.

The metal and plastic rub against the glass while driving, causing scratches that severely reduce visibility. They can also eventually turn into chips or cracks. Either way, you’ll need to repair or replace your windscreen.

Windscreen repairs can cost between $60 and $140+ depending on your location and the extent of the damage.

Sometimes the damage isn’t repairable as shown in the table below.

Expert Tip: Cracks, no matter how small, interfere with the strength of the windscreen which makes up close to 30% of the structural integrity of the car. So, it’s best to replace rather than repair a broken windscreen.

Replacing the windscreen can cost you upwards of $200 depending on your car’s make and model.

Windscreen wipers add an extra layer of safety when you’re driving. They make it possible for you to see even during rain, snow, and other bad weather conditions, otherwise it’ll be like driving blindfolded.

If you don’t replace your wipers on time, they’ll do a poor job of cleaning the windscreen. In addition, it’s not only bad weather you have to worry about—windscreen wipers are also a necessity for cleaning off dust, debris, and any other particles from your windscreen.

Think about all those bugs that fly into your path when you’re driving at night and unfortunately end up splattered on your screen; or bird droppings that land on your windscreen.

With a good wiper, you’ll only need a few bursts of liquid from windscreen washer reservoir and a swish of the blade to clean it off.

However, if your old wiper blade isn’t working well, it’ll end up smearing the mess all over the screen, making the problem worse. This increases the risk of accidents, making your vehicle a hazard not only to yourself but to other road users.

Accident damage is a costly affair. Some costs you’ll incur include:

• Vehicle panel beating

• Bumper repair or replacement

• Spray-painting, dent and body repairs

• Crack filling

• Changing internal parts such as the ignition

These fixes don’t come cheap and can set you back thousands of dollars. Add to that the price of buying spare parts at the auto parts store plus labour costs, and it may cost you a fortune.

As a general rule of thumb, a wiper blade replacement is due at least twice a year. The blades wear out pretty fast as a result of:

• Frictional wear and tear as the blades move up and across the windscreen

• Direct sunlight, which degrades the rubber

• Deterioration of the rubber by natural oxidation

• High temperatures and dry climates, which cause the rubber to warp or crack

• Frequent contact with dirt, which wears down the rubber edges of the wiper blade refills

• Poor quality windscreen wiper fluid and harsh chemicals that break down the rubber

Please note that you should replace the wiper blades earlier if you notice the following:

• Dirty smudges, streaks, or scratches left behind on the windscreen each time you use the old wiper blade

• Squeaking sounds every time you switch them on

• Wipers not moving in a smooth sideways motion

• Wiper blades are torn, cracked, or separating from the arm

It’s easy to forget about wipers, especially in good weather but the last thing you want is to be caught in a storm with malfunctioning blades.

So, put replacing your windscreen wipers on your maintenance schedule just like you do with oil changes. You’ll save yourself from forking out money on car and windscreen repairs.

Given that you have to replace the wiper blades frequently, you’ll want a solution that provides quality while keeping costs reasonable.

On Wipertech’s online store, you can easily pick out your replacement wiper blades for different car models.

Our new blades are made from a premium-quality natural rubber coated with graphite and Teflon for a streak and smudge-free driving experience.

No matter the shape or size of your car there’s a Wipertech blade that’s guaranteed to fit your wiper arm assembly.

Delivery is free wherever you are in Australia.

Plus, the new wiper blades are super easy to fit. You simply use pliers to gently pivot the wiper arm, remove the old blade, and then lock the new one into position. You don’t need to pay anyone to do it, saving you even more.

Visit our website to find the wiper blade that matches your car, for a safe and cost-effective driving experience regardless of the weather.