Should You Use Rain Repellent on Your Windshield?

Using rain repellents offer certain benefits, but cannot substitute for necessary window care and auto glass replacement.

Beginning with the release of Rain-X in 1972, windshield water repellents have become an increasingly popular glass treatment. Under normal circumstances, it does a great job of keeping your windshield free of rain, increasing visibility, and providing a new layer of safety while driving in inclement weather. It does not repair or hide chips and cracks and is not effective at eliminating auto glass replacement.

What is Windshield Water Repellent?

Auto and commercial glass replacement companies typically offer rain repellent applications for the benefit of their customers. Rain repellents work by forming a protective layer over the surface of the glass. It fills tiny holes and imperfections to reduce the friction of water droplets. This allows droplets to bead together and quickly flow off of the surface. The coating wears away over time and needs to be applied again periodically.

How Long Does Rain Repellent Last?

The type of rain repellent used will determine how often it needs to be reapplied. Rain repellents are available in liquid and gel forms, and each type will perform differently. Some repellents include a bonding formula that will even resist chipping, but that protection is limited and should not be the primary reason for using a water repellent. In general, you can expect an application to last for as long as 30 days, but that time can be much shorter or longer depending on weather conditions that require the use of your wipers.

Does Rain Repellent Work on Cracks?

Rain repellents work at the micro-level and are not effective on large imperfections, cracks, or chipped areas. Depending on the rain repellent and size of the cracks, water repellents may even cause visual effects such as blurring or brightening the cracked area. It will not seal leaks. If your windshield is cracked or damaged, your best course of action is to have the windshield replaced by an authorized auto glass replacement company.

Auto glass replacement specialists can advise you on the best type of rain repellent to use and how often it should be applied. You can also request your first application at the time of your auto glass replacement to take a proactive approach to a clearer, cleaner driving experience. 

Signs That Your Sewer Line Needs Professional Service

Trenchless sewer replacement is an alternative way of replacing sewer lines. Because there are no unsightly trenches, this method of sewer repair will not cause as much damage to your lawn and the work areas will be able to recover more rapidly. The more of these signs that are present, the greater the chance that your sewer is not working properly. 

Slow Drains

Your drains should all drain continuously at a steady rate. If you notice that a drain isn’t going down as quickly as it once did, you should first check for clogs, because that is a common cause. You can also try unclogging your drain without harsh chemicals, and use enzyme-based drain cleaners purchasable at your local hardware store. If there isn’t an obvious clog, you should schedule an appointment with a trenchless sewer replacement company or a plumber for a household plumbing inspection and discuss your options. 

Lush Lawn Growth

The grass really does grow greener over the septic tank, but it grows just as well over a leaking sewer pipe. If you have one or more distinct patches of exceptional greenery or fast growth, it may be a sign that your sewer line is dumping directly under your grass and giving it a nutrient boost. Recognizing a growth spurt related to sewer lines is fairly simple because the affected foliage is obviously different. 

Wet Patches

In dense soil, water leaking out of a cracked or broken sewer line may not be able to be absorbed into the ground right away. When this happens, the water puddles underground and pushes toward the surface, forming areas that seem to be moist in even the driest conditions. As time goes on, a leak of this type will get larger until the sewer finally fails completely. It is much less expensive to locate the problems earlier than to need trenchless sewer replacement on major portions of your sewer system.

Hole or Depression

A sewer pipe that needs to be replaced may form a mini sinkhole in your yard.  As the leak slowly erodes the soil below ground level, a depression may form and could eventually form a hole in the ground. This type of erosion takes place very slowly and the pipe may have been having problems for years before the eroded area caves in to form a noticeable opening. 

Unpleasant Odors

Indoors or out, a sewer line or drain that isn’t flowing properly will eventually produce odors. These smells may range from smells of decomposing material to smells related to excrement that isn’t being properly removed by your sewer lines. Tracing unpleasant odors will often lead you to other identifiable symptoms, giving you multiple points of verification for a failing sewer line.

Trenchless sewer replacement is only one of a variety of plumbing and septic services available for homeowners. If you are faced with plumbing issues of any sort that you are unable to fix yourself, enlisting experienced home plumbing services may even save money by ensuring that the job is done right the first time.