When to change windscreen wiper blades

Noticed streaking or smearing on your windscreen? Or perhaps you've heard some unusual noises, such as squeaking or screeching, when the wiper blades are on? It's likely that your windscreen wiper blades could need replacing. Find out everything you need to know about when to change wiper blades today, including how often you change your wiper blades, and where to get them from.

How long do wiper blades last

Usually, it's recommended that wiper blades last between 6 months to 1 year. However, wiper blades' life span can depend on a number of factors - including how often they are used, the initial quality of the blades themselves and environmental factors, such as weather and climate.

However, regular vehicle servicing and MOT tests should identify if you need your wiper blades replacing.

How to tell if wiper blades need replacing

Although wiper blades are checked during these services, it's advisable to not just rely on car servicing and MOTs to ensure your vehicle is at its optimum health level. Checking your windscreen wiper blades for signs of damage could be the difference between a pass and a fail on your MOT. Here are signs to look out for that your wiper blades may need changing:

Windscreen wiper replacement signs

• Streaking or smearing - this is one of the most common symptoms of when wiper blades need replacing, as streaking refers to the blade leaving a streak or smear of water on the windscreen. This can be due to blades being worn down or ill-fitting blades that may have come out of place.
• Unusual noises - windscreen wipers should usually be silent or have minimal noise when being used. However, if you hear sounds such as squeaking or screeching when the wiper blades are clearing water, this could indicate they need replacing.
• Irregular movement - often when wiper blades need changing, there can be irregular movement or skipping i.e. when the wiper blades miss parts of the windscreen when it's raining. This leaves a wet streak of where the blade has skipped over the glass and not cleared the water.
• Ragged blades - visually inspecting the wiper blades to see if there's any damage, or if the blades are distorted, is a good way to see if you need to change your wiper blades. Lift the arms of the wipers away from the windscreen and you can more easily assess the condition of the rubber.
• Failure to clear windscreen - whether it's rain, snow or mud, if your windscreen wipers cannot effectively clear your windscreen, it's likely they need to be replaced.

When to change wiper blades

As soon as you can see there is wear or damage to your windscreen wipers, these should be replaced. This is because when windscreen wipers are worn, they can cause damage to the windscreen. Any slight damage to the windscreen, or obstruction to the driver's line of vision, will result in an MOT failure.

Top Tip: don't forget to check your rear windscreen wiper, too! Although not used as often, it's still worth checking there is no wear on the wiper blade.

Where to get wiper blades?

Here at PTA Garages, we provide a windscreen wiper replacement service, as well as many other services such as MOTs, car services and more. Make an appointment to have your windscreen wipers replaced at PTA Garages - find your local centre today.