| How to Stop Being Insecure, and Just Love You Posted: 14 Jan 2017 04:00 PM PST The more and more we get addicted to social media and the more and more life seems to be about expensive handbags and shiny cars and pretty faces, sometimes it seems downright impossible to love ourselves. We become insecure in who we are and what we have to offer and unable to see that we're no different than anyone else. However, insecurity can be just the motivation you need to become a better person. Grab a hold of it and don't let it go – face it, accept it, and you'll be on your way to self-acceptance and love. EditChanging Your Mindset - Distinguish between what is real and what is imaginary. There are always two realities running parallel to each other at any given time: the one outside your mind and the one within. Sometimes taking a step back is all you need to see that whatever you're concocting in your mind has very little to do with reality. Instead, it's just your fears and anxieties taking hold of you. When you're feeling anxious, remember: is this reality or is this just my made-up reality?[1]
- Let's say that your boyfriend texted you back "OK" when you went on this huge, gushing, sentimental streak about how great tomorrow night is going to be on your anniversary. In your head, you start thinking, "Ohmigod. He doesn't care. He doesn't care about me. What am I doing? Is this it? Are we going to break up?" Woah. Back up. Does "OK" mean any of those things? No. That's your imagination running away with you. It may mean he's busy or not in the mood, but it does not mean things are over.
- People have a tendency of focusing on the negative and seeing the worst in otherwise harmless situations. Trying to focus on what is just in your head will help you start chipping away at your insecurity, which needs your wild imagination to thrive.
- Know that your insecurity is invisible. Let's say you walk into a party where you know practically no one and you're totally nervous. You're feeling super insecure, you start wondering why you even came, and you're confident everyone is looking at you and can see how insecure you are. False. Sure, they can see you're nervous, but that's it. No one can see your insides. Don't let something totally invisible box you in, keeping you from who you want to be.[2]
- Most of us get so caught up in the fact that we assume everyone knows how we feel and can tell we're insecure, making the situation even worse. Luckily, this just isn't true. No one is judging you for being insecure because no one can tell.
- Believe that nothing is what it seems. Did you hear about that woman who faked a trip all around the world to even her closest friends and family? Via Facebook, she posted all these photos of how awesome her vacation was, when really she was sitting at home faking it all.[3] In other words, people only let you see what they want you to see – behind those drawn curtains is something much less enviable. Nothing is what it seems, no one is as they seem, and there's no reason to measure your lot up to anyone else's.
- As Steve Furtick said, "The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else's highlight reel."[4] We'll talk about making comparisons in a bit, but just realize that you're looking at everyone's highlight reel, not the actual body of their work.
- Listen and accept your feelings. One method of fighting insecurity is just to not acknowledge it. Apart from the fact that this just squashes it until you blow up, it also sends the message to yourself that the way you feel isn't valid or isn't okay. When you're not okay with how you feel, you can't accept yourself. And when you can't accept yourself, you'll be insecure. So take those little feelings and feel 'em. Once you do, they might go away.
- However, this does not mean to accept your feelings as true. "I'm fat and ugly" is something you should allow yourself to feel, not to believe. Acknowledge that you feel this way and then you can ask yourself why and do something about it.
EditImproving Your Self-Image - If you do compare yourself to someone, compare yourself to you. Again – when you're looking at other people, you're looking at their highlight reel. So don't do it. When you catch yourself doing it, stop. Just stop. Remind yourself that it's the highlight reel you're watching, and that reel is pretty darn short.
- And if you have some comparison void that needs filling, just compare you to you. How are you improving? What skills do you have now that you didn't before? How are you a better person? What have you learned? After all, in the race that's life, you're your fiercest competition.
- List out all your good qualities. Seriously. Take out a piece of paper and a pen (or your phone) and write them down. What do you like about yourself? Don't stop until you have at least five. Is it a talent? A physical attribute? A personality trait?
- If you can't think of any (you're not alone), ask a few close friends or family members what they think your best qualities are. Besides, there's tons of research that says others know us better than we know ourselves.[5]
- When you're feeling down for the count, bust out this list or remember back to its contents. Take on an attitude of gratitude and those insecurities may just start slipping away. Look online for lists of self affirmations that could also be used if one cannot come up with positive qualities.
- Take care of your body, your space, and your time. In order to love ourselves, our minds have to see some proof that we do. If someone treated you terribly you wouldn't believe they loved you, and the same goes for you. Here's what to keep in mind:
- Take care of your body. Exercise, eat healthy, get enough sleep, and keep it at 100% as often as possible. This is the bare minimum.
- Take care of your space. If you live in a pile of potato chip bags, you probably aren't going to feel ready to take on the world. What's more, you need to take care of your mental space, too. Practice meditation, do yoga, or find some other way to keep your mind stress-free.
- Take care of your time. In other words, make time to A) relax, and B) do what you love. With these two things, happiness falls in line – a large obstacle to self-acceptance.
- Define your boundaries. Hopefully you treat you right and you know how you should treat you, but what about others? Define your boundaries – in other words, what will you and will you not put up with? What violates your definition of "okay?" Why is this important? Because you have rights and you deserve to be treated the way you want to be treated. You just have to know how you want to be treated to begin.[6]
- A good example is how long you'll wait for a late friend. You could make a rule that you won't wait longer than 30 minutes. If they snooze, you're outta there. After all, your time is valuable – you are valuable. If they don't respect that, they're disrespecting you. And if they do respect you, they'll be on time.
- When in doubt, fake it. "Fake it till you make it" isn't just some conveniently rhyming, trite piece of advice. In fact, science says it works. Even faking confidence convinces others you're more confident, competent, and can lead to more opportunities and better results.[7] So if you need that extra dose of confidence, lean on your acting skills. Everyone will be none the wiser.
- Don't know where to start? Go through your body and consciously release your muscles that are holding tension. When we get nervous, we physically tense up. Letting your muscles go is a cue to your mind and those around you that you're cool as a cucumber.
EditTaking Action - Start a self-esteem file. With either or phone or a small notebook always in tow, write down every compliment you get. Every single one. When you need a pick-me-up (or just when you have a few free minutes), go through them. By the end, you'll feel amazing.[8]
- It's so easy to focus on the negative, especially with a naturally insecure way of thinking. When we're insecure, the entire world takes on a negative hue and thus compliments get kicked out of our mainstream thinking. Writing them down helps you remember them and relive them, all at once. Loving yourself may come as a result.
- Surround yourself with those who make you feel good. Unfortunately, a lot of how we feel about ourselves and about anything, really, is determined by those around us. If we're around negative people, we're going to be negative. If we're around happy people, we're likely to be happier.[9] So surround yourself with people who make you happy and feel good about yourself. Why would you do anything else.
- And to go along with that, get rid of everyone else. Seriously. If there are people in your circle that don't help you love yourself, cut 'em off. You're better than that. Ending a toxic friendship is hard, but it's totally, completely worth it when you realize how much better you feel.
- Find work you love. Work takes up so much of our lives. If you're stuck in a job you hate and being miserable, the unconscious message you're sending yourself is that you're not capable of better and you don't deserve it. If this describes your situation, make an effort to get out. This is your happiness we're talking about here.
- What's more, your work may be keeping you from your actual passion. Imagine if you had more time to do what made you happy – how might that feel? Probably pretty incredible. When you have purpose, it's a lot easier to feel secure and love yourself.
- Face your obstacles and wounds. Remember a while back when we said to "feel your feelings?" Once you feel them, you can face them and figure out where they're coming from. What is it about you or your situation that is keeping you from being truly happy and loving yourself? Is it your weight? Your looks? Something about your personality? Your status in life? How someone treated you in the past?
- Once you pinpoint the issue, you can start to take action. If your weight bothers you, use it as motivation to start losing weight and to make yourself feel beautiful. If it's your status in life, you can make a change to accomplish more. Whatever it is, use it to your advantage. It can be the urge you need to improve. Who knew insecurity could come in handy?!
- Change what you cannot accept. They always say accept what you cannot change, but the latter half of that statement is to change what you can't accept. Can't accept what you look like? Do something about it. Can't accept your career path? Switch. Can't accept how you're treated? End the relationship. You have a surprising amount of power – you just have to use it.
- Yeah, it'll be hard work. It will. Losing weight isn't easy. Switching jobs is equally hard. Dumping a leech of a partner sucks. But these kinds of things are doable. It'll be rough initially, but in the long run you'll be in much better a place. A place of security and self-love.
- Be you no matter what. Remember to smile and say "I love you" to yourself.
- Just because your friends are something you aren't, doesn't mean you have to change to be like them.
- Always keep your head up high.
- To get around the worst of times, you must think of the best and picture how you were feeling at that moment.
- Smile! It will make you seem more approachable and it will also boost your self-esteem.
- If you have something not everyone else has, like a gap in your front teeth, don 't hide it by not smiling, embrace it! Learn to love that you're unique.
- Do something that makes you feel embarrassed. The more you start to feel comfortable doing so, the more secure you will feel.
- Take time to get to know yourself. This is an important, often uncomfortable, step. It can be done by becoming okay with quiet time alone with just yourself.
- Stay closer to your family and friends.
- Exercise and get healthy, it can make you feel good. Not only on the outside but inside as well.
- Always believe in yourself. You can do it if you believe you can do it! You can do anything you want as long as you believe so. It doesn't matter if you achieve your goal. What matters is giving your best trying to achieve it. Even if you end up losing a few battles, you will be glad you've given your best.
EditSources and Citations EditRelated wikiHows
Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found
|
| How to Treat Hand Eczema Posted: 14 Jan 2017 08:00 AM PST Eczema may cause pain and discomfort on any part of your body, but eczema on your hands can be even more of a problem. Whether your eczema is caused by an irritant, an allergen, or genetics, there are certain steps you can take to help treat it. One of the first things that you should do is see a doctor to make sure that what you are experiencing is eczema. Your doctor can also perform a test to determine what irritants or allergens may be causing your eczema. After the cause of your eczema is known, your doctor may recommend corticosteroid cream, antibiotics, cold compresses, and changes in the products you use on a daily basis. Keep reading to learn more about how to treat hand eczema. EditIdentifying Hand Eczema - Look for symptoms of hand eczema. Eczema on the hands and fingers is a common condition. If you suspect that you have some form of eczema, see a doctor to get your condition diagnosed and treated. You may have eczema if you notice any of the following symptoms on your hands or fingers:[1]
- Redness
- Itching
- Pain
- Extreme dryness
- Cracks
- Blisters
- Determine if your eczema might be caused by irritants. Irritant contact dermatitis is the most common form of hand eczema. This form of eczema is caused by frequent and prolonged exposure to substances that irritate the skin. These irritating products may be almost anything that makes frequent contact with the skin, including cleaning agents, chemicals, food, metal, plastic, and even water. Symptoms of this type of eczema include:[2]
- chapping and redness on the fingertips and in the webbed areas between your fingers
- stinging and burning when you make contact with irritants
- Consider whether your eczema might be caused by an allergy. Some people suffer from a form of eczema called allergic contact dermatitis. In this case, the eczema is caused by an allergy to a substance such as a soap, dye, fragrance, rubber, or even a plant. Symptoms of this type of eczema are often concentrated on the inside of the hands and fingertips, but they can appear anywhere on the hands. Symptoms include:[3]
- blistering, itchiness, swelling, and redness soon after exposure to the allergen
- crusting, scaling, and cracking of the skin
- darkening and/or thickening of the skin after prolonged exposure to the allergen
- Determine if your hand eczema might have been caused by atopic dermatitis. Hand eczema caused by atopic dermatitis is more common in children than in adults, but adults can still suffer from this condition. If you have symptoms of eczema on other parts of your body as well as on your hands, atopic dermatitis might be causing your hand eczema. Symptoms of atopic dermatitis include:[4]
- extreme itchiness that lasts for days or weeks
- thickening of the skin
- lesions on the skin
EditTreating Hand Eczema - See a doctor as soon as possible to get a diagnosis. Before you begin any sort of treatment, you should see a doctor to make sure that what you are experiencing is eczema and not something else, such as psoriasis or a fungal infection. Your doctor can help you decide on the best course of treatment and may even refer you to a specialist if your hand eczema is severe. [5]
- Ask your doctor about getting patch tested. To determine the cause of your eczema, your doctor can have your skin patch tested to check for possible allergies. If you suspect that your hand eczema might be caused by an allergen, talk to your doctor about getting patch tested. The results of the patch test will help you to know what substance or substances are causing your eczema so that you can avoid them.[6]
- During the patch test, your doctor will apply a substance to a patch and apply the patch (or patches) to your skin to determine which ones are causing your eczema. The test itself will not hurt, but it may cause some pain and irritation due to the substances and how they react with your skin.[7]
- Nickel is a common irritant that can cause eczema flare-ups. Patch-testing can check for a nickel allergy.
- It may also be helpful to compile a list of the products you use on or near your hands on a regular basis. This list may include soaps, moisturizers, cleaning products, and any special substances that you may come into contact as part of your work or home routines.
- Consider using a 1% hydrocortisone ointment. Your doctor may recommend that you use a 1% hydrocortisone ointment to help treat your eczema. This ointment is available over the counter and by prescription. Ask your doctor for recommendations if you are not sure what to look for.
- Most hydrocortisone ointments are meant to be applied while skin is still damp, such as after a shower or after washing your hands. Make sure to follow the product instructions for the hydrocortisone ointment that your doctor recommends.[8]
- Stronger topical corticosteroids may be needed in some cases as well, but will require a prescription from your doctor. [9]
- Use a cold compress to help reduce itchiness. Eczema often causes extreme itchiness, but it is important that you do not scratch your hands to relieve the itching. Scratching can cause eczema to get worse and you may also break the skin in the process, which can lead to infections. If your hands are itchy, use a cold compress to soothe them instead.[10]
- To make a cold compress, wrap a hand towel or a paper towel around an ice pack or plastic bag filled with ice.
- You can also try keeping your nails trimmed and filed to help prevent yourself from scratching and making your eczema worse.[11]
- Consider taking oral antihistamines. In some cases, over the counter oral antihistamines can help treat occasional hand eczema. Keep in mind that these drugs may cause drowsiness, so you might not want to take them during the day or when you have lots of things to do. Ask your doctor if taking over the counter oral antihistamines might be a good solution to your hand eczema.[12]
- Ask your doctor if antibiotics might be needed. Eczema can sometimes cause infections due to the openings caused by blisters, cracks, and lesions on your skin. If your skin is red, hot, swollen, and/or painful or if it does not respond to eczema treatments, you might have an infection. Be sure to ask your doctor if you might need an antibiotic to treat an infection caused by your eczema.[13]
- Do not take antibiotics unless your doctor prescribes them. Using antibiotics when they are not needed can make them less effective when you do need them.
- Take the full round of antibiotics that your doctor prescribes. Even if your infection seem to be cured, the infection may come back and be more difficult to treat if you do not take the full prescription.[14]
- Ask your doctor about prescription drugs. In some cases, hand eczema might not respond to over-the-counter topical creams and making lifestyle changes. In cases like these, your doctor may need to prescribe a systemic (rather than topical) corticosteroid or an immunosuppressant drug. These options should not be considered until you have tried to control your eczema by other means because the drugs may have negative side effects.[15]
- Talk to your doctor about a prescription topical immunomodulator. If your eczema does not respond to any of the other treatment options, you may consider talking to your doctor about a prescription topical immunomodulator cream. Elidel and Protopic are prescription creams that have been approved by the FDA to treat eczema. These drugs change the way that your immune system responds to certain substances, so they may help if nothing else works.
- These creams are usually safe, but may have severe side effects in rare cases, so they should be reserved as a last resort.[16]
- Ask your doctor about phototherapy. Some skin diseases, including eczema, respond well to phototherapy, or exposure to controlled ultraviolet light. [17] It is best used after traditional topical approaches have failed, but before systemic approaches.[18]
- The treatment is effective in 60-70% of patients, but may take several months of consistent treatment before improvement is seen.[19]
EditPreventing Hand Eczema - Reduce exposure to eczema triggers. After your doctor performs a patch test, you should know what triggers are causing or intensifying your eczema. Do the best that you can to prevent any exposure to these triggers. Switch to a different type of household cleaner, ask someone else to handle the food that is causing your eczema, or wear gloves to create a barrier between your hands and the substance.[20]
- Choose soaps and moisturizers that are free of harsh perfumes and dyes. Eczema of the hands may also be caused by dyes and perfumes in soaps and moisturizers. Steer clear of any soaps and moisturizers that include artificial fragrances or colors. Look for products meant for sensitive skin or all natural products. If you know that a certain soap or moisturizer causes your eczema to flare up, do not use it.[21]
- Consider using plain petroleum jelly in lieu of a moisturizer; it is less likely to cause a reaction and may even be more effective at moisturizing.[22]
- Don't wash your hands too frequently. While it is important to remove irritants from your hands if you are exposed, frequent hand washing may cause your eczema to get worse. Avoid washing your hands except when they are soiled.[23]
- Keep hands dry. Hands that are often wet or damp are at increased risk for hand eczema. If you spend a lot of time washing dishes by hand or doing other things that keep your hands wet, try to cut back on these activities or reduce hand wetness any way that you can.[24] For example, you could use a dishwasher to wash dishes instead of hand washing them or at least wear gloves to keep your hands dry while you are washing dishes.
- Dry your hands immediately after washing them or getting them wet. Make sure that they are completely dry.
- Take shorter showers to reduce the amount of time that your hands are wet.[25]
- Moisturize your hands often. A good moisturizer is essential to preventing eczema flare-ups. Make sure that you use a moisturizer that does not irritate your skin. Ointments are usually the best options for hand eczema, they moisturize better and cause less stinging and burning when applied to irritated skin. Keep a small bottle of moisturizer with you at all times to make sure that your hands are always well moisturized. Moisturize your hands anytime that you wash them or whenever they begin to feel dry.[26]
- You may want to ask your doctor about a prescription moisture barrier such as Tetrix.[27] This can be far more effective than store-bought moisturizers.
- Wear cotton lined gloves if your hands will be exposed to irritants or allergens. If you cannot avoid using chemicals and other substances that irritate your hands, get some cotton lined rubber gloves to protect your hands from exposure to these substances. Wear the gloves any time that you will be exposed to the substances that irritate your hand.
- Wash the gloves with perfume and dye free soap when they need it. Turn them inside out and hang them up to dry completely before using them again.[28]
- If you need the gloves for both cleaning and cooking, make sure that you have separate pairs for these activities.
- Remove rings when your hands may be exposed to irritants or allergens. Rings can cause substances that make your eczema worse to get trapped right next to your skin. As a result, you may have more flare ups in the areas under and around your rings. Try to remember to remove your rings before exposure to your triggers and before washing or moisturizing your hands.[29]
- Ask your doctor about using a bleach bath to treat the eczema on your hands. Using a highly diluted solution of bleach and water may help to reduce the amount of bacteria on your hands, which helps some people with their eczema. Of course, if bleach is an eczema trigger for you, then you should not try this treatment. Talk to your doctor before you decide to incorporate bleach hand soaks into your routine.[30]
- Remember that the bleach you use in a hand soak should be diluted in plenty of water. Only use about 1/2 teaspoon per gallon of water.
- Be careful not to get the bleach on your clothes, carpet, or anywhere else that it might harm the color.[31]
- Control stress. In some cases, eczema flare-ups may be caused or intensified by stress. To help eliminate this factor, make sure that you incorporate relaxation techniques into your daily life. Exercise daily and set aside some time each day to relax. Some relaxing activities you might try include practicing yoga, doing deep breathing exercises, or meditating.[32]
- Try getting a humidifier for your bedroom, particularly in very dry climates or seasons. Keeping the air moist might help to reduce your eczema symptoms.[33]
- Talk to your doctor if your eczema gets worse or if it does not improve with treatment.
- Keep in mind that treating eczema takes time and it may never fully go away. You will have to figure out what treatments work best for you continue to use those treatments until your eczema improves.[34]
EditRelated wikiHows EditSources and Citations
Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found
|
| How to Start a Car in Freezing Cold Winter Weather Posted: 14 Jan 2017 12:00 AM PST Freezing cold weather can take a toll on car batteries. That's why it's important to be prepared for the winter season and the car trouble that might ensue. Read after the jump to learn what to do when your car won't start and what you can do to prevent this problem beforehand. EditStarting the Engine - If you suspect the battery may be drained from sitting several days, shut the car's doors and turn off all accessories. This includes the heater blower, radio and lights. This will help to maximize your starting power. However, if you have driven the car more than 20 minutes since the last start and within the last day, you will get some benefit to exercising the battery a while before trying to start the car.
- Turn the key to start and hold it for up to 10 seconds. Don't hold it for any longer than 10 seconds, as overworking the starter can cause it to overheat. If the engine fails to crank, wait a couple of minutes and try again.
- Let the battery recover if the car fails to start. If your car does not start after ten to twenty seconds of cranking, stop and wait for a minute or two before attempting to start again. This gives the battery time to recover, and it will have warmed a bit. Mostly, it allows the starter motor to cool down.
- If the car is coming close to starting, but seems sluggish, give it a break and try again. If the battery won't make any effort to turn the engine over, it is discharged and you're going to need to jump it.
- If after trying many times the starter is still sluggish, you may need to heat up the battery. You can do this by removing it and bringing it inside, but be aware you may have a fault indication for a while after it is reinstalled. You will not harm the vehicle by removing the battery. From very cold weather, it may take up to 2 hours to warm the battery sufficiently to increase its available amperage.
- Consult the owner's manual. Almost every vehicle today has cold-starting instructions in the Operator's Manual that instruct you to use a small amount of throttle to help with a cold start. Refer to your vehicle's Operator's Manual for further information.
- If you do not have the owner's manual for your car, you can order one from a car dealer, find one at a salvage yard or look for one at an auto parts chain.
- You can also find many owner's manuals online. Try typing in "car owner manual" into a reputable search engine and look for relevant results.
- For cars older than about 1985, with engines with a carburetor, gently push on the gas pedal while still parked. Depress the accelerator once and then release it. This will dispense a small amount of fuel into the intake, which can help get things going. Note that there is no need to do this with fuel-injected engines. If your car is newer than about 1990, it has electronic fuel injection.
EditJumping a Dead Battery - Jump-start the battery if it fails completely to start. If the starter won't turn over at all, your battery is probably dead. It's now time for a jump-start. You will need a set of jumper cables and a willing volunteer with a running car to complete the jump.
- Position the running car as close to the car with the dead battery as possible. You'll want the front ends of the cars facing each other, if possible.
- Hook up the jumper cables to the appropriate terminals. Look for the + and - symbols on the jumper cables and connect the one with the + symbol to the positive terminals on both the running car and the car with the dead battery. Attach the cable with the - symbol to the negative terminals.
- An easy way to remember how to hook up the jumper cables is to remember "red-dead, red-alive." Hook up the red clamp to the red post on the dead battery, then the red clamp to the red post on the running car, and then do the opposite for the black clamps. The black post to the "alive" car and lastly the black clamp to the "dead" car. Please note that the black clamp on the "dead" car must be connected either an unpainted engine bolt or the mounting bracket of the alternator, not the battery terminal itself. This is to avoid a short circuit.
- Allow the dead battery to charge from the running car for a few minutes. When you are about to start the car with the dead battery, it may be helpful to rev the running car a bit. 2000 RPM is plenty.
- Try to start the car with the dead battery. If it doesn't work on the first try, double-check to make sure the jumper cables are connected properly (especially the negative/black cable if not connected to the battery) before letting the running car run for a while and trying again.
- Disconnect the cables promptly, but continue to run the engine of the both cars for several minutes to ensure both batteries have charged enough for another start. Since modern cars have alternators, they are able to maintain charging voltage even at idle RPM. There is no need to rev the engine.
- Replace the battery if necessary. At some point in every car's lifetime, its battery must be replaced. This is because car batteries have a limited service life, and no amount of maintenance or care can reverse the effects of chemicals on metal.[1] Car batteries typically last about four years.
- If you're changing your car battery yourself, ensure your vehicle is turned off and in park, with the emergency brake set.
- Always wear gloves and safety glasses when changing the battery of a car, as car batteries contain potentially hazardous acids and gases, which can be released if the battery is mishandled. You should also make sure that your car battery is recycled using the correct procedures, you can do this by bringing your used battery to a local recycling center, or to certain repair shops.
EditPreventing Problems - Warm the engine with a block heater. An engine block heater is a small heating device installed in the engine that plugs into a wall socket. It warms the engine and oil and eases start-up. Engine block heaters are not expensive, but they must be installed properly by a mechanic.
- Keeping your car's battery warm. Your car's battery can deliver much more power when it's warm. You can do this using a battery wrap.
- A battery wrap or blanket is usually a fixed installation of insulation and heating element around the battery. They require about an hour to sufficiently warm the battery.
- Park indoors. Parking indoors, in a garage, helps to shelter a car's engine from icy winds and freezing temperatures. Heat the garage, if possible, to keep the temperature warmer.
- Use thinner oil. In the extreme cold, oil thickens and doesn't flow quickly to vital engine parts that need lubrication. A lightweight, winter-grade oil flows easier in cold weather and increases fuel economy.[2] Your owner's manual should tell you the ideal type of oil you should use.
- Use gas line antifreeze with fuel stabilizer. Gas line antifreeze, also known as dry gas, is a chemical (essentially Methyl Hydrate) that is added to your gas tank to inhibit your gas line freezing. If your gas line freezes, your car will not be able to start until it thaws. Many gas stations already add an anti-freeze agent into their gas during colder weather months. Check with your station of choice and see if this is their practice.
- Add dry gas to your petrol or gas fill-up before filling the tank (if possible) to ensure it mixes completely in the tank.
- For diesel engines, consider using fuel conditioner. A fuel conditioner is a multi-functional diesel fuel additive. A diesel engine will start better in the cold if you use fuel conditioner, which prevents the fuel from "gelling" and ensures reliable fuel performance in severe winter conditions.
- Keep your fuel tank full. Condensation on the walls of a gas tank will form and will eventually sink to the bottom and cause freezing problems in your fuel lines. It's much more difficult to start a cold car with a mostly-empty tank, so do yourself a favor and gas up often in the winter before letting the car sit.
EditWinterizing Your Car - Replace your windshield wipers and wiper fluid. Wiper blades crack in the cold and become much less effective, which can be dangerous in inclement weather. Low visibility can make driving in cold weather extremely dangerous, so it's important to make sure the wiper blades are up in tip-top shape. Replace them every 6 months or so.
- Check your tire pressure and consider snow tires. Extreme shifts in temperature affects the pressure of your tires, and driving on tires with inadequate pressure in them can be quite dangerous. Cold tires will read differently than tires that have been warmed, so you'll want to drive around a bit before checking the pressure at the gas station or at the tire shop.
- If you live in a place with heavy snowfall, consider putting snow tires on your car, or purchasing a set of chains to use in bad weather. Check your local laws on the use of chains however, as they are illegal in some regions due to the risk of damage to the road surface.
- Maintain the battery. Winter is tough on batteries, for two main reasons. The battery cannot produce its normal amount of power because of the cold. The chemical reactions that generate electricity are slower at a lower temperatures.[3] Checking your car battery from time to time will help you stay on top of any maintenance issues, but be aware that most car batteries only last between three and five years. In addition, engines are harder to turn over because the oil inside them is thicker. This demands more amperage from a battery. Multi-viscosity oils, such as 10W30, though, alleviate most of this impact.
- Check the battery cables and clamps for fraying or corrosion. If there's a white, powdery substance around the clamps, that's corrosion from battery acid. You can clean it off easily with baking soda, water and a toothbrush.
- Your battery contains a liquid electrolyte, which can evaporate and spill so make sure it has enough inside. Most batteries have caps on top, and you can check the level by removing the caps. If it's low, fill the holes with distilled water, being careful not to fill past any fill level indicator or the bottom of the cap.
- Get as much snow and ice off the car as possible. It helps to have the car running and slowly heating up while you do this, of course, but a load of ice-cold snow weighing down upon the car isn't doing you any favors. Sweep great quantities of snow off the car and bust up any ice built up in the wheel wells. Also make sure your wiper fluid ducts and windshield wipers are free of ice.
- To keep your battery warm, you can also unhook the terminals and bring the battery inside for the night. While this takes some effort, it may be easier than spending 30 minutes each morning trying to resurrect your battery from the dead.
- Before you head out, start the car for a few seconds depending on how cold it is. Engine oil is viscous when it's cold and does not lubricate properly until a few seconds after starting the engine.
- Never heat your battery by direct application of high heat. Never make a fire and park your car over the burning embers.
EditRelated wikiHows EditSources and Citations
Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found
|
No comments:
Post a Comment