A former NASA engineer has shared the quickest way for motorists to clear the mist from their car’s windscreen on cold November mornings.
Mark Rober used to work at NASA, playing a crucial role in developing Mars Rovers, and is now a YouTuber who produces videos to teach science and technology and its practical applications.
In one of his most popular videos, Mark teaches motorists the fastest possible way to remove condensation from the windows of their vehicle, recommending that they start by turning the heater on.
He advised: “Number one, turn your heater on full blast. This is because, like we said, hot air can hold more moisture. Number two, turn your air conditioning on.
“This pulls moisture out of the air as the air passes over the cold. It’s kind of like we’re wringing out a towel.”
In the video, which has more than 13 million views, Mark stated that condensation is formed when the air is humid, typically when there is a sharp difference in temperature inside the vehicle.
As a result, in order to clear the windscreen of condensation, drivers need to remove the humidity by adding cold, dry air from outside the car.
By heating up air from outside the vehicle, drivers can add dry air that is capable of holding more moisture, whcih is recirculated and dried via the air conditioning system.
Later in the video, Mark advised viewers to make sure they were getting their air from outside the vehicle and, for the best effect, roll down the windows to let the humid air out.
He added: “Number three, make sure the inside air circulation button is off. Winter air is cold and we know it doesn’t hold much moisture. So, if you bring it into the car and then heat it up, it has a lot of absorption capacity.
“Finally, number four, crack your windows down for just a little bit. Now, this might not be possible if it’s freezing cold or raining outside but cracking the windows, even if it’s just for a few seconds, helps by initially exchanging the humid air in your car with the dry air from outside.”
No matter what method they use, it is vital that motorists remove the condensation from all of their vehicle’s windows before setting off on their journey.
Whilst the process can be time consuming, having an obscured view of their surroundings can put drivers at a much higher risk of accidents, particularly in colder autumn and winter weather when ice and rain mean longer reaction times are needed.
Driving with an obscured view of the road could put motorists at risk of fines of up to £1,000 and three penalty points on their licence.
