First and foremost, it is important to state that car washes generally remain open unless there are extreme weather conditions. You will find that car washes will only shut shop in winter due to heavy precipitation or extremely cold temperatures.
These very extreme winter conditions make it very challenging for the necessary washing equipment to work, and covering your car with water when it is freezing outside might result in an icy vehicle.
Although most people won’t agree, but car washes tend to be more active in the winter. This can be attributed to the fact that within the winter period, snow starts to accumulate on roads and avenues.
The government will lay down salt on roads to melt the ice, but the salt easily attaches and accumulate on the bottom of people’s car and can damage the paint and metal of the chassis, thus requiring a professional wash.
In the United States, the only time these businesses stay shut is when it’s raining or snowing heavily, or the temperature is well below freezing.
Howbeit, also note that a good number of car washes will still stay open in extreme cold because they have heated buildings. Nevertheless, some car washes will still stay closed in cold weather and this is due to numerous other reasons.
Why Car Wash Businesses Close During the Winter
1. Freezing Temperatures
During very cold weather, it can be very challenging for some car washes to stay open because the water they use to wash or clean cars can freeze quickly, and this will further cause their equipment to malfunction.
2. Frozen Pipes and Equipment
The cold also affects the necessary equipment these businesses use. Note that water lines, hoses, as well as other very necessary equipment in car washes can freeze, causing these businesses to lose funds on repairs and downtime.
3. Icy Conditions
No business wants clients to hurt themselves while coming to their facility or while on their property. Most car washes that remain open have to invest in steadily removing snow and ice from entryways, driveways, and parking lots. This will mean more expenses for the business and the ones that can’t afford it will prefer to stay shut.
4. Low Customer Demand
While some people love the cold, note that most car owners would prefer to stay home rather than get their vehicles washed owing to the possibility of immediate recontamination from road salt, slush, and mud.
5. Operational Costs
Note that as the risks for business interruption during winter months grow massively, so do the operational expenses for businesses that are eager to remain open.
Running a car wash within the freezing months necessitates additional energy and heating costs to avoid freezing. Aside from that, you will also need to steadily remove snow and ice from entryways, driveways, and parking lots. This will mean more expenses for the business.
6. Preventive Maintenance
You will find that a good number of car wash owners tend to leverage the off-season to carry out routine maintenance and upgrades on their equipment, with the intention of providing better performance in the spring.