The northeast reached near record low temperatures this week with nights dipping in the teens. Those who live in colder regions have learned to deal with these extreme temperatures and also how to work in them. With the colder weather often comes car repairs. Dead batteries, body damage, and deflated tires are common cold weather car problems that need to be dealt with promptly. Working on vehicles in the winter can be a downright terrible experience so today we have gathered 5 tips for working on a vehicle in cold weather.

1.Our first tip is easy. Dress for working on cold weather. Work a heavy coat and gloves. The gloves should be thick but allow enough room for your fingers to work adequately. You’ll probably want to wear a hat too. This will prevent your ears from getting cold. Toes can easily get frost bitten so wear cold weather shoes and warm socks. You can also purchase hand warmer bags that can be inserted into gloves. They are activated by simply shaking them.

2.Another easy way to make cold weather repairs bearable is to simply work in an enclosed space. A garage is your best bet, but don’t run the vehicle without adequate ventilation. A space heater can make the garage even warmer. Just be sure to turn it off after use because they are a fire hazard!

3.Try to work out of the wind. If the car is movable, try getting it to a post where there is a windbreak. This can be behind a building, or even next to a taller wall. Wind makes cold feel much worse but if you have something shielding you from it, the cold may become tolerable.

4.Take a break to get inside and warm up when you start to feel chilled. Hypothermia and frostbite don’t have a lot of warning signs so being proactive can literally save your life. When going inside, you’ll also want to make sure to hydrate yourself with warm drinks. Dehydration actually occurs more frequently in the cold because your body moves fluids to your core to keep it warm.

5.When in doubt, use the buddy system. If you’re going to doing winter car care for an extended period (common in collision repair) ask that a friend or colleague watch you to make sure you’re properly taking car of yourself. You can also switch off working on the vehicle with your buddy so that you both have time to go inside and warm up.