contents
- What is a car window seal for?
- How does a nano seal work?
- Which window seal is the best?
- How much does windscreen sealing cost?
- Sealing the car window – the process
- How long does a seal last and how do you remove it?
- Conclusion: Is a window seal worth it?
What is a car window seal for?
A nano-coating ensures that water and dirt find little or no hold on the windscreen. This means that neither dirt nor raindrops can cloud the view. Similar to the so-called lotus effect a nano-sealing works particularly well in combination with water. The drops roll off and disappear from the pane of their own accord at higher speeds. The windshield wipers are only used at lower speeds.
Good car window seals are not just pure care products for people who want to take special care of their car. Rather, this protective layer should make a valuable contribution to security. A better view allows faster reaction times to possible dangers. In addition, it is less tiring for the eyes if the view does not have to constantly fight against the visual impairment. This point is particularly important when driving at night. After all, the lights of oncoming traffic can be significantly less dazzled by a permanently clean window.
How does a nano seal work?
What makes these positive effects possible? To do this, we must first Take a closer look at the windshield – much closer. Because what looks perfectly smooth to the eye is anything but smooth under a sufficiently powerful microscope. Rather, the surface of a pane of glass is criss-crossed by innumerable furrows and veritable valleys. What cannot be seen with the naked eye ensures that dirt and water can stick to the pane. As a result, a raindrop spreads across many of these tiny valleys and stays on the windshield until the windshield wipers do their job.
Things are different with a nano coating. As the name suggests, it consists of countless tiny nanoparticles. These particles fill in the valleys and ridges of the glass pane. Thus, the seal ensures an actual smooth surface. The water droplets roll off this and, in the best case, take dirt particles with them. How strong this effect actually works can be measured by the contact angle.
The theory of the contact angle
For those who want to know more about it, let’s take a short scientific excursion and take a drop of water as an example. At its edge, the angle at which the shape of the drop rises compared to the surface of the disk is measured. Without a seal, the glass absorbs as much of the drop as possible. It is considered hydrophilic, i.e. “water-loving”. The water drop spreads over a large area and is correspondingly low, which in turn keeps the contact angle small. This is different with a nano coating. With your help it will Glass is hydrophobic, i.e. water-repellent. The drop finds less support, occupies a significantly smaller area on the pane and piles up more. In other words: it rolls off. This in turn increases the contact angle. As soon as the angle reaches the 90° mark, it is said to be hydrophobic. At still larger angles even superhydrophobic. (Yes, “superhydrophobic” is actually the scientific term.)
Which panes can and should be sealed?
In principle, all car windows and even the mirrors can be sealed. However, a window seal only makes sense on the windscreen. The protective layer works the same way on all other panes, but there is no specific benefit from it. Therefore, we can confidently continue to speak primarily of the windshield seal.
Which window seal is the best?
In theory, the world of car window sealing sounds extremely tempting. But do the various nano coatings keep what they promise? And which of them is the best? Tests don’t exactly shed the best light on the various providers. The effect described in principle occurs with most seals as hoped. However it decreases over time. In addition, many of these protective layers have serious problems as soon as the windshield washer system is used. Windscreen fluids with antifreeze can cause an annoying haze on the sealed surface.
Some seals get problems, especially when driving at night, as soon as the windshield wipers are used. This is often necessary at lower speeds, as long as the water droplets are not carried away by the wind. Therefore, unfortunately, one has to realize that it not a perfect windshield seal are. The best windshield sealants can make a valuable contribution under the right conditions. However, they are usually anything but error-free.
How much does windscreen sealing cost?
The pure costs for commercial windshield seals are in a manageable range. From a few euros to somewhat more complex sets for around 40 euros, there is a lot here. The more expensive variants come with the right accessories for cleaning and applying the protective layer. If this is not the case, there are additional costs for various rags, cloths and cleaning agents.
If you want to run the whole thing on a professional level, you can contact Specialists in appropriate workshops turn. This changes little in terms of material costs. There are additional costs for the workload of the professionals. Professional cleaning, sealing and subsequent polishing can take several working hours. Depending on the hourly rate, several hundred euros can be added.
Sealing the car window – the process
Anyone who rightly believes that they are capable of sealing themselves now has three primary steps ahead of them:
cleaning: In order for the nanoparticles to be able to carry out their task in the grooves of the pane, the grooves must first be freed from existing dirt. Therefore, the first step is to thoroughly clean the glass. In the best case, the cleaning materials are included in a set together with the subsequent sealing. Only when the pane has been completely cleaned and dried again can you continue with the second step.
apply sealing: Now it’s time for the actual sealing. For this work step, the manufacturers provide precise information on what needs to be done. Essentially, all products are about applying the sealant thoroughly and not missing any areas. In most cases it is good practice to work from top to bottom in narrow sections. Insider tip: The pane sealing should not be done in the blazing sun. Otherwise, the sealing could dry before it is fully applied and can develop its effect.
polishing: Finally, the disc should be polished again. The main aim is to free the pane of possible gray haze, streaks or other residues.
How long does a seal last and how do you remove it?
Even with the best nano sealant, the effect wears off over time. As a rule, it is therefore time for a new seal after around six months. If this is the case, or if you want to remove the seal for some other reason, the best way to do it is to follow these steps:
cleaning: In order for the seal to be successfully removed, other dirt must first be removed from the pane this time as well. Therefore, it is also thoroughly cleaned here. Only then can the further steps have the best possible effect on the sealing.
polishing: A nano coating is best removed with a thorough polish. Ideally, this happens with the help of an appropriate machine. With a high-quality device and the right polishing agent, this task should be a success.
Check & polish: After polishing, the disc should be cleaned again to remove any residue. The windshield is then sprayed with water for testing. If the lotus effect still happens, it needs a second pass with the polishing machine. After that, the matter should usually be settled.
Does a window seal also help with ice and snow?
Can a window seal protect you from ice scraping in winter? The answer is: yes. Due to the lotus effect achieved, water cannot adhere as well to the pane. If it is cold enough, it will still turn into ice. This ice must then be classically removed. However, it may be that this Removal is a little easier by hand. The same can also be the case with snow. This may also not adhere as strongly to the pane. With 20 cm of fresh snow, however, even the best window sealant does not change the fact that the car will have a decent snow cover. The ice scraping itself should not harm the window seal, provided the window is cleaned regularly. However, various de-icing sprays that some apply before scraping the ice could be problematic. Under certain circumstances, these can attack the sealing.
Conclusion: Is a window seal worth it?
The promises of a windshield seal sound great. Unobstructed visibility in the rain without using the windscreen wipers and even less dirt on the windscreen. As a rule, all nano-coatings can keep these promises. However, only for a certain period of time and often with some weaknesses in certain areas. This includes a smeared view when the windshield wipers are used, or a clouded view when antifreeze is added to the windshield. If you drive your car a lot on the motorway, you can actually benefit from the sealing. But even in this case, the car window has to be sealed again and again.