Winter temperatures can be brutal on their own, but there’s nothing worse than getting ready for a drive and realizing your car heater is not working. Of course, the ideal solution would be to get your car heater fixed ASAP, but schedules and finances can sometimes make that tough. Fortunately, there are a few other budget-friendly ways to keep warm until you can take your vehicle in for heater repair.

Park in the garage

It may be uncomfortably cold outside, but chances are good that temperatures will be at least a few degrees warmer inside a garage. Park in a garage or covered space to shield your car from the winter elements that can make interior temperatures drop.

Cover the windshield

Until you can head to the shop for car heater repair, you won’t have help from your defroster when scraping ice and snow off the windshield. If parking in a covered location isn’t possible, you can still save yourself from scraping ice or snow off your windshield in miserable temperatures.

Buy a windshield cover at a big box retailer or online, then use it to protect the front windshield of your car. All you’ll need to do is shake off anything that accumulates on top of the cover and you’ll be on your way—no scraping or shivering required.

Stock up on hand-warming packs

Purchase chemical hand warming packets in bulk and keep several in your car. These small warming packets are the perfect size to slip into a glove or pants pocket to create heat close to your body (and keep your hands comfortably warm as you drive). The warmers won’t activate until you open the individual packaging — meaning they can stay in your car all the time and will still work just fine when you need them.

Get a seat heater that plugs into your car

Your car heater may not be working, but that doesn’t mean you’re completely out of luck. A small 12V heater or a heated seat cover that plugs into your car’s interior power socket can deliver some much-needed coziness while you drive. Amazon and other local stores carries heated seat covers for about $20—a small price to pay for the benefit of full body warmth!

Keep some blankets in the back seat

Don’t forget about ways to keep your passengers warm, too! Stash a few thick blankets in the back seat so everyone can be cozy.

Take along a warm beverage

There’s no better way to combat winter chill than a steaming cup of coffee or cocoa. Crank up the coffee pot before you hit the road and warm up from the inside out.

Even with a few temporary solutions for keeping warm, a broken car heater can still make for a miserable drive. When quick fixes don’t quite cut it, give Bockman’s Auto Care a call at 815.756.7413 or make an appointment online. We’ll have your heat fixed the right way—the first time.