At first glance, the question, ?what do bug deflectors do,? may seem silly. After all, bug deflectors deflect bugs, right? Seems simple enough, but when you see a bug deflector, you?ll probably wonder how they deflect bugs and if they even work at all. Let?s take a closer look.
AVS Bugflector II
AVS Bugflector II
Do you sometimes wish you could get a pest control service to reduce all the bugs that hit your windshield while you’re on the road? When you take the time to wash your vehicle and get it nice and shiny, just to hear “splat!” the moment your pull out of the backyard. If you hate having those unsightly splotches all over your windshield, you might want to consider investing in a bug guard.
What in tarnation is a bug guard?
What is a bug guard you ask? A bug guard is like an exterminator for the road. When you do not use a bug guard, all of the insects and mosquitos that happen to be in the way of your vehicle just smash right into the side of it. If fact, if a bug is even near your car as you’re driving at a high speed, the force of your car will suck the bug down and towards your windshield, and SPLAT. Since bugs are everywhere (especially if you live in a humid environment, like Florida), and cars are everywhere, there’s no way to avoid this annoying and unsightly occurance.
Meanwhile, when you use a bug guard on your car or truck, a large portion of the bugs you would have come across otherwise never touch your vehicle. What is this sorcery you ask? A bug guard is a small, aerodynamic acrylic strip that is attached to the hood of your vehicle. The shape of the bug strip creates an upstream channel of air, so that any bugs that cross your path are carried up and over your vehicle instead of kissing your windshield. Most likely, they’ll land on the windshield of the car behind you (unless they that the forethought to install a bug guard themselves), so the pest population is still kept in check, but not at your windshield’s expense. It is true that if the bug happens to hit the guard at the wrong angle, it will go splat on the guard itself. That can’t be avoided; but at least it’s not on your windshield!
The magic behind bug guards is largely theoretical, since it’s hard to create a hard and fast scientific test surrounding the random chance of a bug being in your path while you drive. However, most car owners who have installed bug guards on their vehicle have found that they are very effective.
Finding the Right Bug Guard for Your Vehicle
The precision required by the size and shape of the bug guard in order to properly is incredibly specific. Just throwing a cheap piece of plastic on the front of your car and hoping that it randomly is in the perfect shape and angle to create an upstream of air is not going to work. Not to mention that the science of attaching the guard to the hood of your vehicle needs to be just right or you could risk damaging your expensive car. You want your bug guard to be secure enough that there’s no risk of it coming loose while you’re on the road, yet giving you the option of removing it without leaving a permanent hole or mark on the vehicle afterwards. Here are a few tips for finding the right bug deflector for your car:
- Look for good brands. If you want to save some money, buy generic toilet paper. If you buy a generic brand bug deflector, there’s a good chance it won’t do its job, and won’t serve any purpose at all.
- Buy for your car’s year, make, and model. The guard’s ability to created enough upstream wind to pull the bug’s over your car depends on the shape of your vehicle. You want a bug guard that is the right shape to generate enough wind to get the bugs over your vehicle.
- Non-damage installation. Look for a guard that attaches to existing holes in your hood.
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